How much is too much?

[Penguin]

training, how many miles is too many some say 70 is the optimum mileage and no more otheres say up to 100?
how much do you do and why?

[daz h]

good question penguin
well ive several times tried to do 60miles a week but with a very hectic job, family, beer nites its fitting it all in
.
my trouble is i go up to this mileage and still try and race every week and i get sick and run down
45 miles a week seems alright with a speedsession thrown in or hillwork

and you

[Pav]

No more than 40 for me as I tend to get injured. I guess it varies. I love seeing Bisto's posts on todays training. Anyone who can consistantly log over 100 miles a week is increadibly lucky to have that kind of bio-mechanics in my opinion. I wish my knees could take that kind of punishment!

[OneHillWonder]

I have never found out what too much is for me

The great thing about my new job is I get the mornings free (well apart from this week) so I should get a bit more mileage in, but the weekends just get so busy every week, I just don't get chance to do much

[Bone]

I've been doing about 70 mile per week for the last 4-5months.
I agree with daz, with beer,family and work it can be tough sometimes.
I've found that its become a chore to run and that i don't really enjoy it as much due to this.
Although I really enjoy sunday runs and a tough speed session.

[clodhopper]

somewhere between 30 and 50 tends to be my mileage depending on whether I'm on days or nights and on the length of my long run. Been running in this range for a few year now and I know my body is capable of more, sadly work and family life tends to limit me to this

[theNoor]

I am planning to do some serious training in the next few months for the coming season of races. I have a rough plan for each week involving the following;

1x 2hour steady run over fells
2x 1hour hill work session/sprint-recovery session
1-2 races of 1-2 hours in total

3x 30 min swim sessions

2x 2hour on roadbike
2x 1hour on mountain bike

3-5x 40 min pilates/stretching

In total thats 3 miles in the pool, 20-30 miles running, a few hours on the bikes and a few hours lying on a mat doing stange contortions...

[daz h]

and once you do build up your milegae that naggin voice shouts

for gods sake you going runnin again jeez
i think anything above 60mls a week and your partner either has to be well into runnin or run themselves

if i do more than 5 sessions a week AJ lets me know

[cobbydale]

40 for me on fells use to be more when i was a road runner, now i hate road running, mixing it with biking and swim reduces any chance of injury for me( although i am at the mo, injured ) Will be upping my mileage later on. I try and get 1 rest day in a week.

[ajohns352000]

This is an interesting topic. I suppose too much is when your body in subtle or not so subtle ways says "steady on ol boy"

For me, when reasonably fit, I do I suppose no more than 35 miles a week and most of this is done in 5 or 6 mile runs at a tempo pace on the trail or road mostly. If I try to increase it I just feel jaded and dont really enjoy it.

For the elites like Bisto, Oxo, RoadRunner, TGD etc they are bascially talented runners. Their bodies have been honed and almost expect a high mileage

For hardcore fell runners I reckon that total weekly ascent is much more critical than overall mileage. A friend of mine when training for the LAMM was doing over 10 000 ft of ascent weekly.