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Sunday, May 16, 2010

10 Miles & a 40 Mile Week: Consistency

If you said, "Josh, tell me what some of the most important habits you can develop in order to enjoy running," then I'd have probably 4-5 of those in mind--in no particular order. Maybe over the next few blogs I'll highlight some of those habits.

On my run today what came to mind was consistency in training. This week was my 11th strait 40+ mile week and the 13th week in a row in which I've completed a run of 10 miles or more. This is the most consistent level of training I've been able to maintain since the Fall 2007/Spring 2008 when I probably was as fast as I've ever been. Injuries have really kept me from being able to train at the level that would help me drastically improve my times. With that said, I'm so pleased with my year of training so far and my formula is pretty simple. I try to run 6-9 miles four days a week, 10-13 miles one day a week, and take 1-2 days off per week. Always try to hit between 40-45 miles. This formula has really worked for me since my comeback in 2006. I think if you are new to running or you just want to be able to run each day and feel good then a modified version of this would work. I would recommend for someone just trying to stay in shape to run 3-4 days/week at 3-4 miles and then 1 day a week at 5-7 miles. If you could average around 14-20 miles each week, then you'd be shocked at how your body will respond. And...the more consistent you are over the long haul, the better running will feel. No doubt about it.

On another note. I work in Residence Life at IUPUI and have such a fantastic staff. Last week we had our end of the year banquet and they presented me with an award and gave me some very thoughtful and kind gifts. The group this year has been so special because they are the first staff I've had since my return to Res Life after one year absence. I've not been very secretive about how much I missed working in Res Life, and to get the chance to come back and then to have a fantastic experience with these students is an absolute blessing. It's amazing how much one can enjoy work when they are doing exactly what they are meant to do. I'm very thankful for this group of students.


Have a great day and if you go running...an awesome run.

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