Run-Down Forums

[graeme]

I seem to hear about a lot of people (Steve Prefontaine for example) who get up early and do an easy run in addition to the day's regular training session, even in high school. Is this beneficial? Or does it just wear you out?

[Dan]

Supplemental training is beneficial in any sport, and given that distance running is largely aerobic, additional aerobic runs would seem to be of value. If it's a question of simply adding morning runs to an average daily routine, then it should be an improvement. But if it's a matter of morning runs for volume vs. systems that focus on one good run a day, then you'll get a lot of different answers... It's a fine line between toughening yourself up through more regular running and tiring yourself out from too little rest.

Dan
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[Micah Ward]

This is a good question because it brings up the debate about "junk miles". Some will argue that any run is beneficial and others will argue that there should be a specific purpose to every run and every run should have a specific place in the overall training plan.

Throwing in an easy early morning run in addition to your regular training is a good way to increase your overall mileage. But you have to be careful not to make it too hard or it will leave you fatigued going into your quality workouts and can lead to injury. If you want to give it a try I would suggest starting by doing no more than two a week and not on a day when you have a hard workout planned, i.e. intervals, tempo run, etc. See how your body feels and adjust accordingly. And remember that rest is an important part of the training process too.
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[Dan]

Your answer was better worded than mine.

Dan
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[Paul]

An easy run or easy cross training is something that can warm your body up for the whole day, even for your hard workout hours later.

[graeme]

Thanks for the input, I think I'll try doing it on a couple days where I don't have tough workouts planned and see how it feels.

[graeme]

This morning I went out for a run at 7am and I felt horrible. I hadn't gotten enough sleep and I've been feeling kind of flat the last little while ever since I took a week off when track wrapped up. I only wound up doing 30 minutes and thought I might not go for a second run, thinking I needed some rest.

I slept from noon until 3:00 and I eventually started to feel like myself again (itching to get out the door and run). I tried to convince myself to just rest, but by 8:00 I couldn't hold it in, so I decided I would just go out for 45 minutes or so. Eight minutes into the run I ran into a friend (who was also out for a run) and we started running together, we chatted while running at about six minute mile pace (maybe a little slower). The next time I looked at my watch I had been out for an hour and four minutes, and I felt great! I then cruised up a one mile long hill to get back to my house in a very good mood. I figure I did about 18km in 1:10.

Very satisfying, definitely the best run I've had in a while.

[Dan]

That's an excellent second run! I always found I felt horrible on most of my morning runs, and the afternoon runs those days was 50/50 -- either great or terrible, nothing in between. I never could predict which way it would leave me feeling...

One week is a rather short rest after a long track season like you just completed. Are you sure you're well enough rested to jump back into it? 2-3 weeks is generally recommended. Of course, some people never take a day off and others require lots of down time to avoid injuries, so trust in your own knowledge of how your body responds.

Dan
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[Paul]

WOW, I'd have to say I am really looking forward to Graeme's senior year in school.

[graeme]

I wasn't sure how much time to take off, so I went with one week because that lines me up perfectly to fit in my periodization plan. BC high school xc champs are on November 1st (my birthday ) so I only have 3 months. Hopefully it won't cause any problems.

[Paul]

Possibly another way to handle the rest period is to drop your weekly load by 20+% for 2-3 weeks, so when you get back into it, your legs won't be unused to the pounding.

Did I get all my double negatives in there correctly??

[graeme]

Yeah, that's what I'm doing. It'll be a few weeks before I get up to the mileage I'll be tryinbg to maintain for the rest of the season.

[Indeurr]

___I have to agree with Dan. I hate to run in the morning. On top of it, there is a hard scientific evidence that people do perform worse in the morning. However, whenever I would run in the morning, and later for the second time in the afternoon at about 80-90% of the PB pace, it would be much easier than usually.
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[Dan]

[RangerG]

I am mixed about this as I have had both great morning and evening runs. I usualy run in the morning due to work and temperature, however some of my most memorable runs have been at night with no cars or other people around.

If I want to have a bit of a workout, usualy a short trail run will do it for me, or even a couple of time up the hill next to my temp housing.

I would (in my limited experience) caution not to overdo it and wear yourself out. If you love to run, it is easy to lose yourself in the run and not pay attention to your body and any alarm signals.

G
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