What Are Junk Miles

[Trog]

I have read a couple of posts referring to running ‘junk’ miles recently.

I run 7 days a week, 52 weeks per year although not all at the same intensity. I have yet to be convinced about having a day off – that equals 52 days a year that I could be training. I do nevertheless have ‘easy days’, perhaps that is what some perceive as ‘junk’

I also follow some basic ‘periodisation’ with phases of Build up, Racing and Recovery during the year.

I am currently happy with my philosophy and programme having arrived at it from over 30 years of trial and error (lots). The base line is that It works for me!

I am interested in what others perceive to be Junk miles

[Flopsy]

I could be wrong but I always thought 'junk' miles were just the endless miles that people do without purpose that are of little real training benefit (and may actually lead to injury and fatigue).

So instead of just running for example 10 miles a day at the same pace day after day you would be better swapping some of those miles for speed work, interval training etc. Thus getting rid of 'junk' miles with little training benefit and replacing then worth targetted sessions.

That's what I always thought junk miles were anyway but I could be wrong, I never asked!!!!

(PS, I'm really lazy and so end up doing lots of junk miles when traininig lol!!!)

[Stolly]

Junk miles to me would be running with no enjoyment. I'm just guessing here mind because I don't think I actually do any

[IanDarkpeak]

I have read a couple of posts referring to running ‘junk’ miles recently.

I run 7 days a week, 52 weeks per year although not all at the same intensity. I have yet to be convinced about having a day off – that equals 52 days a year that I could be training. I do nevertheless have ‘easy days’, perhaps that is what some perceive as ‘junk’

I also follow some basic ‘periodisation’ with phases of Build up, Racing and Recovery during the year.

I am currently happy with my philosophy and programme having arrived at it from over 30 years of trial and error (lots). The base line is that It works for me!

I am interested in what others perceive to be Junk miles

Thats pretty much it really.

If all you want to do is enjoy your running with out improving then just run for pleasure.

If you want to improve then focus on that, do you want to go faster, longer, run up hills better,etc.

Is it for a specific race/target, what does that race/target have that needs improving.

Mix them up but build in some rest periods sp your body can recover from the extra intensity

[Witton Park]

They are what I have on my Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club Card - around 70,000 of them - worth 2 or 3 business upgrades on Cathay - but I haven't been out there for 2 years and think they'll lapse before I do :/

[OneHillWonder]

All my miles are junk miles at the moment (at least they are if Flopsy's description is correct and I think that sounds about right).

[Jez Hellewell]

Junk miles for me is what I'll be doing this afternoon. 10k on the treadmill at 3 p.m, just so I can watch the World Cup, guilt free. Yesterday, however, I did 8.2 miles over the moors with nothing but enjoyment on my mind. If you're enjoying running, they ain't junk miles !

[Trog]

If all you want to do is enjoy your running with out improving then just run for pleasure.

I do run for pleasure, if I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t do it.

That doesn’t mean that I am not competitive. I just don’t subscribe to the ‘No pain – No gain’ theory, I believe in training not straining.

[IanDarkpeak]

I do run for pleasure, if I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t do it.

That doesn’t mean that I am not competitive. I just don’t subscribe to the ‘No pain – No gain’ theory, I believe in training not straining.

Wasn't meant as a dig etc, just that if you enjoy what you are doing but don't want to race then that's cool.

[Trog]

No offence taken Ian.

I am actually racing, but as I am currently in a build up phase I do not mind being a few places and a few minutes further back than I would expect.

That said, I am slowly picking up scalps as my condition improves