30 min run. worth it or not?

[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?

[TurboTom]

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?

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

[Mossdog]

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

[TurboTom]

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

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

[Inov-8 Insider]

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?

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.

[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.

[Mossdog]

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.

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

[Mossdog]

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.

[david]

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

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.

[Mossdog]

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.

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.