hey all crazy little runners, I am going to start upping my training to 3 miles instead of two ,any adive? and what would be a good time to run 3 miles in I was thinking of setting a goal of 30min to start
I would suggest you run at a comfortable pace, without worrying about time, for the first few weeks. I don't know how many days a week you run, but you should also consider increasing one or two of your runs each week, until all of them are at 3 miles. Say you run 2 miles, 5 days a week. The first week, run something like 3, 2, 2, rest, 3, 2, rest. The second week run 3, 2, 3, rest, 3, 3, rest. Third week run 3 miles each day (with 2 rest days). Do that for a few weeks until you are comfortable doing the increased distance. Then start thinking about your pace. You are introducing a stress by increasing mileage. You need to adjust to that stress before introducing another stress of pace.
One rule of thumb is to add up to 10% per week to one or more of your weekly runs. After 3 weeks, back off by 30-50% for a week. Then pick up on the next week where you left off.
Dr. Jack Daniels offers a different approach. He will advocate adding as much as 50% to your runs. Then you hold this mileage for 4-6 weeks, then add again.
I prefer the first approach personally, because it gives me finer control over how much I add. If, after increasing 2 weeks' increase in a row, my body's achy, I'll cut back instead of increasing again.
Running4Jesus,
When I started distance running for myself right after high school in the 70's, I started running a mile, on a track, around and around and around. I developed a method that if during the run the thought ever entered my mind to add a lap to the workout, I had to do it. Silly sounding and I am not advocating it, however, that is how I started adding distance to my routine. I was young, inexperienced and didn't have any background knowledge of distance training at all and thought that running a 5k distance all at one time was insane and superhuman. That was 32 years ago. Wow, hard to believe.
I guess I am sharing that story with you to say take it easy and comfortable. As you are more consistent with your new running lifestyle, adding distance will come. As Len says, don't be too worried about time. I would recommend that every two or three weeks consider going a little farther one day or another. As your body, and more importantantly your mind, discover that going that distance won't kill you, you will find yourself comfortably at larger distances in your training routine.
Welcome to the active lifestyle and to the running community.
Stay on the Ball!
Paul828 http://community.active.com/blogs/p-dog
