Quote:
Originally Posted by digamma
What are you trying to get out of it? A sub-22 5-K is no joke, so are you looking to really get faster or just stay in shape?
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I'm only really running because the physio told me I had to to help rebuild ankle leg strength from an Achilles rupture.
My initial target was to runs two half hour runs a week instead of one of my three bike rides, but I find I don't have time to do four sessions a week (my job has irregular start/finish hours). Three I can usually manage, but not four. So I'm having to give up a bit of cycling to do 3 runs and three rides every fortnight.
Once I'd got there i decided I may as well try and get the running up to an hour so it was close to my short bike ride in terms of time, as i felt I was doing less by running instead of cycling, and plan is to increase runs a mile a month at the moment. However i now think that running and cycling is beneficial - different muscles, seemingly different aerobic capacities (I jump off my bike after a 40k bike ride over a couple of decent hills round here and although sweaty and tired, I'm not catching my breath at all. Fair to say it's a different picture after a run!)
Yesterday was the first time since school 22 years ago that I have consciously set out to run any distance at something approaching as quick as I thought I could, and I was surprised at the difference between a few months ago thinking 3 miles was a long way to run without stopping, and yesterday realising how short 5k is compared to 5miles!
The end goal will basically be to stay in shape: I only cycle for fun and fitness, have no real intention to enter any crits or anything, and my guess is that's all the running will be. I'll probably end up next year entering my local 10k event as it starts 5 minutes walk from my house (didn't even realise it existed until two weeks ago!) but that's about it.
I've got a flat run which is down the canal towpath, and mapped out a run that takes in a couple of steepish hills which I guess will help, for variety at least, and from how I felt yesterday I can see now the logic of running longer and slower to help shorter distance pace
But I guess my question is 'is the reverse true: will running the occasional shorter distance more all-out help me in the longer runs?' I'm guessing even if it doesn't physically help, variety might be the reason to throw the occasional one inevy now and again.