Running Tired.

[IainR]

ian, the question the poster asked was, whats the benefit of running 10 miles when you're legs are already tired? The answer is still the same, it is of no benefit.

of course it isn't..

What do you think marathon training is?

Run 100 mile weeks.. your legs are tired constantly, but you come out of that phase fitter than you went in..

Its all very short term, symptomatic of the now society we live in, resting may help in 5 days time, but not in 5 weeks time. I'm not against rest, but for a young guy one day a week should be enough assuming the usual training loads. Older people, obviously more R and R.

But steady 10 milers, 1 min or so off race pace will really help change your physiology, trim you down, increase you running efficiency. For anyone only running 20-30 miles a week more quality running miles = an improvement in 95% of cases... not 20 min miling fell runs.. they maybe enjoyable but physiological benefit will be minimal compared to a flatter trail run with nice runnable hills.

[Cliveybaby]

If we were never tired when we ran how well would we perform? I don't know if it is possible to run completely fresh every time you run.

However surely there are times when you do need to rest when you are on the cusp of illness or injury?

[IainR]

If we were never tired when we ran how well would we perform? I don't know if it is possible to run completely fresh every time you run.

However surely there are times when you do need to rest when you are on the cusp of illness or injury?

That's always a tough one.. separating general good miling acheyness and injury.. knowing when you are tired from life on top of running of genuinely need to step back.. a HRM may help, but I've never taken it that seriously..

[Dynamo Dan]

That's always a tough one.. separating general good miling acheyness and injury.. knowing when you are tired from life on top of running of genuinely need to step back.. a HRM may help, but I've never taken it that seriously..

I've been through a bit of an over-training/virus/f*ck knows what it is episode and I started using a HRM. I used to use one a lot when I was cycling and I'd forgotten how useful they are especially if you're not feeling right.

I took my resting every morning and at the peak of my problem it was 10 beats higher than normal, the thing is I ignored it and kept training and racing because I thought rest was for soft lads! Needless to say things got worse and now I'm having two weeks off completely and a month off racing!

Last years I was running doubles no problem and racing twice a week, but a combination of stress in life and long Lakeland races proved too much for me. When I come back I'm going to combine my running with quite a bit of cycling and see how it goes.

[TheReverand]

of course it isn't..

What do you think marathon training is?

Run 100 mile weeks.. your legs are tired constantly, but you come out of that phase fitter than you went in..

Its all very short term, symptomatic of the now society we live in, resting may help in 5 days time, but not in 5 weeks time. I'm not against rest, but for a young guy one day a week should be enough assuming the usual training loads. Older people, obviously more R and R.

But steady 10 milers, 1 min or so off race pace will really help change your physiology, trim you down, increase you running efficiency. For anyone only running 20-30 miles a week more quality running miles = an improvement in 95% of cases... not 20 min miling fell runs.. they maybe enjoyable but physiological benefit will be minimal compared to a flatter trail run with nice runnable hills.

he isn't talking about running 100 miles a week, how many of us can get anywhere near that!!!! Just an assumption but Im guessing probably less than half that mileage would be a better shout. If someone runs a light 25-30 mile a week, then you might as well wait a few days till the legs are recovered and then really cane the 10miles, like a tempo or fartlek. Anyway none of us are sports scientists, and I don't think even the most renowned sports people have a water tight answer, its all a bit open to conjecture

[IainR]

he isn't talking about running 100 miles a week, how many of us can get anywhere near that!!!! Just an assumption but Im guessing probably less than half that mileage would be a better shout. If someone runs a light 25-30 mile a week, then you might as well wait a few days till the legs are recovered and then really cane the 10miles, like a tempo or fartlek. Anyway none of us are sports scientists, and I don't think even the most renowned sports people have a water tight answer, its all a bit open to conjecture

In a nut shell why people get injured..trying to cram high intensity into low mileage.. but yeah you are right that's IMO..

But yeah you do have a good point.. one mans nectar another mans poison and all that.. we all respond from different training plans and loads..

[IainR]

he isn't talking about running 100 miles a week, how many of us can get anywhere near that!!!! Just an assumption but Im guessing probably less than half that mileage would be a better shout. If someone runs a light 25-30 mile a week, then you might as well wait a few days till the legs are recovered and then really cane the 10miles, like a tempo or fartlek. Anyway none of us are sports scientists, and I don't think even the most renowned sports people have a water tight answer, its all a bit open to conjecture

I also think that those of us that come from competitive sports are used to training 5 or 6 days a week and then playing a game. Normally 2-3 games a weekend as a junior, sometimes 4 with junior and senior rugby, school and senior football. I've trained almost every day since the age of about 11 I reckon. It was just drummed into us that that is what you do. I'm not sure I know what untired legs feel like..

[that_fjell_guy]

Cheers for all the input! My feeling, despite some views here, is that it really was worthwhile. I enjoyed it and it was a run I wouldnt/couldnt have got in otherwise. Just for information, and to clarify, I only manage a couple of runs a week at present, I just turned 50 and have been running over 30 years. There certainly is a bit of horses-for-courses I guess, but I tend to think as I'm basically looking, at present, to improve/maintain my basic 'endurance' it did a job. I do also do occasional timed runs over 3 mile to work a little on speed, none of which is very scientific I know but I'm fairly sure that every little helps!

[DazTheSlug]

sometimes I'll set out on a run with the best of intentions to do something tempo-y or interval-y, but then find that my legs won't cooperate
rather than a) force myself to do what I intended (and not enjoy it/risk injury) or b) write the whole thing off as a bad job, I simply treat it as an opportunity to practice my "ultra shuffle" - the sort of slow "terminal" pace that you get into towards the end of really long runs/days out - this is actually an art in itself, so any practice is welcome

[Fleeter]

sometimes I'll set out on a run with the best of intentions to do something tempo-y or interval-y, but then find that my legs won't cooperate
rather than a) force myself to do what I intended (and not enjoy it/risk injury) or b) write the whole thing off as a bad job, I simply treat it as an opportunity to practice my "ultra shuffle" - the sort of slow "terminal" pace that you get into towards the end of really long runs/days out - this is actually an art in itself, so any practice is welcome

I dont train, i just run as far as i feel like as fast as i want to, on days it suits, probably not doing me that good but life is stressful enough, I have realised i just like getting out and doing things in the hills, wether that be hiking, running or climbing