30 min run. worth it or not?

I seem to have got into something of a habit. Unless I've got at least 90 minutes spare, I won't bother to head for the hills. Consequently, I'm managing 2 to 3 runs a week, each lasting usually around the 2 to 4 hour mark.

However, sometimes I find I've got 30 to 40 mins spare and...PING...the Little Running Angel appears and says "Hey MD. Hows-about a short, fast speed training session or perhaps a few hill reps. Afterall, every minute running goes towards the running goody counter!"

So, I'm just about reaching for the Inov-8s when...DING...the Lard-arse Demon materialises and says "Naah! Total waste of time mate. You're gonna get ya self all messy and sweaty and maybe injured...FOR WHAT? Any road, it's a scientifically proven fact that running for less that 40 mins has no training effect what-so-ever. So put a brew on, sit-back and reach for the Digestives".

Who should I listen to? My Heavenly sister or Satanic bro?

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Originally Posted by Mossdog

I seem to have got into something of a habit. Unless I've got at least 90 minutes spare, I won't bother to head for the hills. Consequently, I'm managing 2 to 3 runs a week, each lasting usually around the 2 to 4 hour mark.

However, sometimes I find I've got 30 to 40 mins spare and...PING...the Little Running Angel appears and says "Hey MD. Hows-about a short, fast speed training session or perhaps a few hill reps. Afterall, every minute running goes towards the running goody counter!"

So, I'm just about reaching for the Inov-8s when...DING...the Lard-arse Demon materialises and says "Naah! Total waste of time mate. You're gonna get ya self all messy and sweaty and maybe injured...FOR WHAT? Any road, it's a scientifically proven fact that running for less that 40 mins has no training effect what-so-ever. So put a brew on, sit-back and reach for the Digestives".

Who should I listen to? My Heavenly sister or Satanic bro?

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Do a really fast Road run. Helps you on the fell and keeps up your mileagen

Cheers TT. So you think 30 mins has a positive training effect? Adding and not depleting?

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Originally Posted by Mossdog

Cheers TT. So you think 30 mins has a positive training effect? Adding and not depleting?

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off course depends how fast you run as well.
I can cover 5 miles in that time. Bearing in mind 5ks are beneficial and even less. It all depends on how hard you run

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Originally Posted by Mossdog

I seem to have got into something of a habit. Unless I've got at least 90 minutes spare, I won't bother to head for the hills. Consequently, I'm managing 2 to 3 runs a week, each lasting usually around the 2 to 4 hour mark.

However, sometimes I find I've got 30 to 40 mins spare and...PING...the Little Running Angel appears and says "Hey MD. Hows-about a short, fast speed training session or perhaps a few hill reps. Afterall, every minute running goes towards the running goody counter!"

So, I'm just about reaching for the Inov-8s when...DING...the Lard-arse Demon materialises and says "Naah! Total waste of time mate. You're gonna get ya self all messy and sweaty and maybe injured...FOR WHAT? Any road, it's a scientifically proven fact that running for less that 40 mins has no training effect what-so-ever. So put a brew on, sit-back and reach for the Digestives".

Who should I listen to? My Heavenly sister or Satanic bro?

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Even if you only have 20/30 mins I would say go for a nice easy jog.
Your just keeping your body ticking over.
What you will find if ever your injured or have a long lay off and want to "come back" to running then you will be wishing you could just go for a jog.
Enjoy, nice n easy.:D

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Originally Posted by Mossdog

Any road, it's a scientifically proven fact that running for less that 40 mins has no training effect what-so-ever.

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That's nonsense. Are you suggesting that someone who runs 40 minutes every day isn't going to be fitter than someone who doesn't run at all? 10 minutes warm up, 10 minutes eyeballs out, 10 minutes warm down.

Just to concur with Inov 8, as someone who hasn't run since the end of March I have just been out for the 2nd successive day for less than 30 mins steady jogging. My legs did ache on this 2nd day but as someone who adopted the same philosophy as yourself Mossdog up until a couple of years ago I am now convinced that a 20 minute blast is just as effective training wise compared to plodding for 90 minutes or so.

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Originally Posted by david

That's nonsense. Are you suggesting that someone who runs 40 minutes every day isn't going to be fitter than someone who doesn't run at all? 10 minutes warm up, 10 minutes eyeballs out, 10 minutes warm down.

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Compared to someone who doesn't run at all - of course not! That's not the question. Any running/exercise is going to be a plus if that was the case. But is there any TRAINING effect from much shorter runs for someone who is a keen (ish) fell runner? I'd like to think there is and tell my Lazy Demon 'friend' to shove it. But he might retort "Hey Dude. You personally don't even get into your running stride until you've been at it for 30 to 40 minutes".

But I'm beginning to muster a counter argument thanks to the above advice. A short, fast run, pushing the heart/breathing rate towards the red zone can be beneficial seems to be the consensus so far. Or, as II suggested, a slower pace just to remind the legs whose the boss.

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Originally Posted by Mossdog

Compared to someone who doesn't run at all - of course not! That's not the question. Any running/exercise is going to be a plus if that was the case. But is there any TRAINING effect from much shorter runs for someone who is a keen (ish) fell runner? I'd like to think there is and tell my Lazy Demon 'friend' to shove it. But he might retort "Hey Dude. You personally don't even get into your running stride until you've been at it for 30 to 40 minutes".

But I'm beginning to muster a counter argument thanks to the above advice. A short, fast run, pushing the heart/breathing rate towards the red zone can be beneficial seems to be the consensus so far. Or, as II suggested, a slower pace just to remind the legs whose the boss.

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Or you could try a barefoot run. You definatly dont need to go for more than 15/30 mins at the start.....and the benifits are amazing:D

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Originally Posted by Manhar

Just to concur with Inov 8, as someone who hasn't run since the end of March I have just been out for the 2nd successive day for less than 30 mins steady jogging. My legs did ache on this 2nd day but as someone who adopted the same philosophy as yourself Mossdog up until a couple of years ago I am now convinced that a 20 minute blast is just as effective training wise compared to plodding for 90 minutes or so.

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Thanks for the advice/experience Manhar. Welcome back to the fells.

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Originally Posted by Inov-8 Insider

Or you could try a barefoot run. You definatly dont need to go for more than 15/30 mins at the start.....and the benifits are amazing:D

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True. And I've been following the barefoot thread with interest.

Trouble is my Teesdale farming neighbours think fellrunning is for nutters already, and the sight of me sans trainers might just confirm their prejudices and get me sectioned. S'pose I could just try it in the dark!:rolleyes:

Best bet is to try barefooting is a golf course or park which isn't the local dog toilet

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Originally Posted by Mossdog

Any road, it's a scientifically proven fact that running for less that 40 mins has no training effect what-so-ever. So put a brew on, sit-back and reach for the Digestives".

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I did a 15:10 5km off 40 min training runs - was doing about 40 miles a week but all of it was quick so that's not true in any way, shape or form.

As a slightly older fatty now, I'm struggling to beat 19 mins even though my average training run is closer to an hour now.

Edit: I think you may be getting confused with fat-burning?

Have a look at the Tabata Training protocol thread.

I was like you, if I couldn’t go out for an hours run or longer I didn’t bother.

I have recently started to do more sub 30 min runs which I find easier to fit in during a working day. Since I started i have noticed a difference in my fitness levels.

A few weeks after I started doing the shorter runs I managed to knock 2min 8 sec of my previous PB for the Trunce although this could be partially due to the length of my sub 30 min runs been similar to the length of the Trunce race route

If nothing else I feel it keeps the legs loose and prevents them from stiffening up as my legs tend to do if I haven’t run for 2 or 3 days

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Originally Posted by Datt

A few weeks after I started doing the shorter runs I managed to knock 2min 8 sec of my previous PB for the Trunce

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Will expect the same of you tonight Datt! :p

Short runs do help as they help with speed and count towards your weekly mileage. All helps to makes your running stronger! :D

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Originally Posted by jodg

Will expect the same of you tonight Datt! :p

Short runs do help as they help with speed and count towards your weekly mileage. All helps to makes your running stronger! :D

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I will try my best tonight :rolleyes:

Ps. Jodg, It was you who got me in to doing the shorter runs :D

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Originally Posted by Datt

Ps. Jodg, It was you who got me in to doing the shorter runs :D

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Found it useful when chasing the wife upstairs to the bedroom.... ;)

:eek:

I think 30-40 minute 'speed sessions' are brilliant for CV fitness and for training for longer races. I struggle to get out in the hills much, so I get my fitness up by doing short, intense speed sessions / hill reps.

It's worked for the ALs I've done: by compensating probably for lack of (for that read 'no') time and distance in the hills. Both is obviously the ideal but I wouldn't give up the short fast stuff if I did live in the Lakes or summat - I'd just do it in the hills instead of the flat.

Don't marathon runners say that 10k runs are the perfect distance for their 'short' training runs? I reckon if you have an AL coming up, you can do a lot worse than run a 5k or 10k hilly run as fast as you can - very painful, but that's the idea. Probably better than jogging very slowly round the hills for 2-3 hours.

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Originally Posted by jodg

Found it useful when chasing the wife upstairs to the bedroom.... ;)

:eek:

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who ....yours or DATT's :confused:

On a more serious note

of course it all depends on what you are training for

i personally never really used to run for more than an hour...but then again i used to only really race short to medium races at road, Xcountry and fell...and it didnt do me any harm. in fact getting in some short sharp 30 - 40 min runs help me knock some minutes of my race PB's

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Originally Posted by Born Slippery

who ....yours or DATT's :confused:

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Saucy!!! :eek: Glad to see you've kept your sense of humour after the move to colder climes. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by jodg

Saucy!!! :eek: Glad to see you've kept your sense of humour after the move to colder climes. :rolleyes:

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it helps to while away the long winter nights :D

OK so it's now been about 4 weeks of my 'new running regime' of going out when I have a spare 30 mins or so. So that means most nights. So far its been good news. Nice just to go out and have fun, some hill reps one night, a slow jog the next, some intervals on another. Some nights I've just followed my curiousity with no clear plan but explored areas I've not visited for years. I guess as the nights draw in further this might be curtailed a bit but I've sussed out at least one climb to Hardberry Trig I can do in the dark. Keeping the longer routes for the weekend. Oh yeah... and its funny how those spare 30 mins seems to usually stretch into 40 mins or more!

So a big thanks to all those formites who lent their advice. It's really spiced up my running.:)