Training Hours per month ?

[ba-ba]

I'm struggling to break 30 hours a month atm - if I ran my commute maybe that would help, but so often I need the car at work in case I end up having to stay late and I don't feel the run home at the end of the day (happening more and more often...).
However, the vast majority of my training is running - mainly flat and road in the week (boo) with off-road and Orienteering at the weekend. I'd want to do more intervaly-type stuff but don't really have the motivation on my own, similar to driving out to the moors to put in some hilly runs post-work - I really should man up! However, what with it being so flat here, most runs are at a decent clip, although often too short. I'm still relying on the base-work I put in during a good October-December - I never seem to be able to carry it through past February though, so have a few 'fallow' months (OK, getting back into racing months) before a resurgence in the summer. At least I hope that happens again this year!

[dylan]

2-3 hours a week swimming,6 hours -/+ cycling and 4 Hours -/+ a week running and not sure if you count the 5 hours or so a week walking.
This fluctuates subject to what shift i am working.
totting up my weekly to monthly looks about 45 without the walking.
full time athletes are on that a week!

[AlanB]

Interesting replies so far - thanks.
Things I'd personally like to pick up on ;
* Noel saying that cycling seems to be helping. Personally, I've always been a runner / biker, but this last 4 years I've switched more to MTB (up to 24h) but to get faster I've joined 2 local road clubs and yes, it has been painful at first but it is reaping massive rewards. I go out on weekly 2h club chaingangs. Legs come back battered, but not tired (if that makes sense?). When I wak up the next morning after I've been running, I know about it. After 2h insanely hard biking - I don't really. Somehow these 2h sessions are improving my quads and that seems to translate very very well to fell running but climbing and descending in particular.
*ba-ba comments on training on your own and lack of motivation (or words to that effect). I've always trained on my own, but increasingly I'm training with others. No - not to have a chinwag or so they can lead a route, but so that we can both / all push each other when we wouldn't otherwise. My local road club Belper Harriers is proving invaluable here and for the basis of my 2h Thursday sessions. (2 * 1hr run with fresh people coming out for the second hour).
* Karen's comment of "you get out what you put in" (or words to that effect) reflect what I'm personally finding - quality over quantity I think really in my recent training.

[Tahr]

I guess I run 20 to 25 hours a month; i don’t really have time for gym or cycling etc on top of that with other commitments. I was reading an article in the New Scientist about the immune system; it said that for most individuals once you start training over 11 hours a week it starts to have an adverse effect on your immune system.

ATB

Tahr

[that_fjell_guy]

Thats interesting. I felt I came down with a 'flu virus' becuase I'd maybe done a little too much, coupled with trying to lose weight i.e. reducing my calorie intake. I should check the hours I was doing!!

I guess I run 20 to 25 hours a month; i don’t really havetime for gym or cycling etc on top of that with other commitments. I wasreading an article in the New Scientist about the immune system; it said thatfor most individuals once you start training over 11 hours a week it starts tohave an adverse effect on your immune system.
ATB

Tahr

[dylan]

im of the opinion that everybody is different.
take in weight,age,stresses of home,health,job and family,working hours and natural running ability(fast twitch and slow twitch)
i have known athletes thrive on 40 miles a week and others on 140 miles a week.
if you reversed the milage they both would have struggled.

if it works for you ,do it.

[Stolly]

I don't particularly consider it training as I just love running in the hills but, from my garmin, I do something between 40 and 50 hours running each month and have so far this year run over 1100miles and ascended/descended over 178,000 feet. Thats about 7 miles and 1100 feet as a daily average, although it has to be said much of my mid-week running is an evening plod out with the dog, with longer faster stuff mainly at the weekend.

I've been running each day since August last year and largely because I live in the Yorkshire Dales I can always, always run in the hills so my climbing strength and particularly my breathing have come on in leaps and bounds. Its definitely making a massive difference too - I don't do that many races but just this last weekend absolutely slaughtered my pb for running round the 3 Peaks and, for what its worth, I've also been at the front end of the male 'old grockle' race category at the handful of fell races I've done this year

[AndyA]

No idea, I don't record training hours or training miles as I don't think either are useful stats for amateur athletes. I vaguely remember that I was peaking at around 30-40miles/week when I was training for the Fellsman but that got me round in just over 15h so it must have been enough.

Quality first; never start a run without knowing exactly why you're doing that run and what your training aim is (and don't worry; 'enjoying a quick blast' is a perfectly acceptable goal!), mix it up; different sessions, different disciplines (run/bike/gym/swim), listen to your body and learn what works for you.

My favourite coaching quote is from Joe Friel (triathlon coach to numerous professional athletes);

Do the least amount of the most specific training that causes gradual improvement at the right times

[losidan]

Circa 20 hours per month for me spread across running (Two Fell sessions as week and some road) and a fixed gear commute to work and back once a week.

In terms of training with others. I train once a week with a friend and it's my fav session. I set of with a head start around the route. He (being the faster runner) then sets off and tries to catch me by the end. My job is to hold him off. The start changes dependant on previous weeks result. Ie. If i "Win" by 30 seconds then next week the start drops that amount.

Really good session and we have both improved as a result of it

[RaceTheSweeper]

What a great idea!! Thanks, I've just got me a new training session :-)

Circa 20 hours per month for me spread across running (Two Fell sessions as week and some road) and a fixed gear commute to work and back once a week.

In terms of training with others. I train once a week with a friend and it's my fav session. I set of with a head start around the route. He (being the faster runner) then sets off and tries to catch me by the end. My job is to hold him off. The start changes dependant on previous weeks result. Ie. If i "Win" by 30 seconds then next week the start drops that amount.

Really good session and we have both improved as a result of it