A New Way to Run

Since my focus has turned to just running for all my physical activity, I took some time to evaluate how I should train and improve. As I looked around some forums, I came across a training program I have never seen before. After looking it over, it mostly makes sense. Not all of it, but most of it. So, I'm going to give it a shot and see how things improve.

The program I found was presented by a BarryP on the Slowtwitch forums. The basis of it is to run the number of miles you would normally run in a week, but to spread those miles out over the course of 6 days instead of 3 or 4 days. This is done by doing 3 easy runs, 2 medium runs, and 1 long run per week. The medium runs should be twice as long as the easy, and the long three times as long as the easy. In addition, instead of running at your "race" pace, or very near to it, you run quite a bit slower. For example, I currently run about a 24 minute 5k (8 min/mile pace). For my easy runs I maintain a 10.5 min/mile pace, medium runs a 9.5 min/mile pace, and 10 min/mile for the long runs.

The basis is to not pound out your miles for the week. Instead, run those same amount of miles, but do it at a slightly easier pace and not be so rough on your body. You basically use your easy runs for rest days since they are short and done at a very easy pace. The goal is to make sure your body is rested for the medium and long runs. If you are feeling great the day after those runs, then increase your total distance for the next week by 10%. If they wasted you, take another week or two at that total mileage before kicking it up 10%.

Anyway, we'll see how it goes. Since I've been prone to injuries in the past with respect to running, I'm hoping this will be a better training program for me that will help my body to become better accustomed to a running lifestyle.