long distance running????

kelt_22 · 02-12-2007, 06:17 PM

hey I just got sucked into a 8k at work and I do not run more than a mile at a time.
Does anyone have any good training tips for building up to this distance?
I have about 6 weeks till the race.
Any links or info would be great. I am a certified trainer but long distance running is not my cup of tea.
-thanks in advance

brownsfan222 · 02-12-2007, 06:35 PM

Im a distance runner at high school, just keep your heart rate up so your cardio gets better. Push yourself, its not much different than sprints. Our motto is run big, which means run fast, run hard, run long. Like sometimes run the stairs to get your heart rate going at the local high school stadium and then jog a lap to get it back down and do the stairs again to get it going. Thats what we do. With me my legs always give out before the running is too much for my lungs.

brownsfan222 · 02-12-2007, 06:37 PM

Btw Good Luck with your 8k. Pm me when the time comes, I am curious to see how you do. Once again Good Luck!

gjmccag · 02-12-2007, 07:20 PM

do a little more than you did before each and every time. You need to get used to having your heart rate up for a longer period of time. Also Push Yourself!!!!!

sunwukung · 02-12-2007, 08:45 PM

See if you can find a 6 week training schedule online. Most likely you will be running 6 days a week to slowly increase the mileage.

Good luck!

intrepidmotion · 02-12-2007, 10:26 PM

here is the schedule i used when i was on the XC team here in college.

sunday-- off (or long slow distance typically the sum of the longest day with your shortest day of running which in my case was 13 + (5 to 7) = 18-20 miles)
monday-- 9
tuesday-- 11
wednesday-- 13
thursday -- 4 1-mile repeats (starting off 20 seconds slower than your fastest mile and adding 10 seconds to every repeat) with a 4 mile slow run -- typically done in the morning due to the nature of 48 hours before the race is most crucial.
friday-- 5-7
saturday-- (typically race day) so it would be 5 miles

before the run it was a slow run for around a mile to warm up and stretch

after the run was a stretching period and a mile cool down

which the before and after arent considered a part of the mileage.

if i were starting out right now id go for a good 15-20 miles the first week... 20-23 the second week... 23-26 the next and so on. you want to improve times as well. if you want to push yourself maybe add a half of mile or mile to each day you run as you go up in weeks. maybe by week 4 or 5 look into some Fartleks. which is typically used for more experienced runners but in your case it would benefit you (i think) as far as improving the times. and also might help more in your cardio for MMA.

and last but not least... GO BUY YOURSELF A GOOD PAIR OF SHOES. go to a TRUE running shoe store (aka NOT footaction or footlocker) have them fit you for a shoe. find out if you overpronate or not and all the little technical stuff. it will help you in the pursuit of achieving the best time. also dont forget to stretch religiously. you can improve times greatly by stretching and not letting your muscles get tight.

also map out a few different mileages and keep the course you are running different. that way you dont get into the routine of passing by the same point and are able to figure out how fast you are running. if you want to pm me i will try to help you out more if needed.

Biggiebrother · 02-13-2007, 03:42 AM

8km isn't very far so shouldn't be hard to build upto.

Just gradually increase your distance each run

intrepidmotion · 02-14-2007, 05:05 AM

yeah its not far at all. 5 miles is a nice lil run, but i wouldnt consider it far. but then again i am sure that he doesn't want to come in last.

if you dont want to follow my training ways then atleast go with the 10% increase of mileage per week and atleast 20 seconds of time being knocked off the total weeks time.

tri4ben · 02-15-2007, 07:50 PM

If you are on a mma forum and you have ever done a two hour workout, I have no doubt that you can make it 5 miles now, it just might take an hour.

Are you training to make it five miles or do you have a certain goal in mind?

Intrepidmotion's reply pretty much somes it up, but if you do that for the next six weeks, I would bet that you would be injured for the race and you would not get in any good mma training.