Minutes vs. Miles

Generally most runners are use to thinking about a run in terms of distance. "I'm headed out for a 5K!" or "Have a 20K long run this weekend!" However, through McMillan and Lydiard I've come to see great logic in the use of minutes over distance when it comes to thinking about my runs.

The distance itself is relatively unimportant. Mileage is just the result of how much time you spend running and how fast you run it. So if you and I go for a 60 minute easy run, even though I may only run 8KMs and you may run 12KMs, we still have achieved the same physiological challenge and benefits. The point of any given workout/run is the achievement of a targeted physiological response, how the run applies duration and intensity. Distance is just a number on Strava after that.

Look at this example of a two hour run (60 minutes out/60 minutes back). Despite the difference in distance, with the same duration and same intensity applied, they've each achieved the same goal.

This method will also work for intervals as well. Instead of 1KM intervals, I will prescribe 5 minute intervals with a 2 minute recovery. There will be certain workouts where a distance is prescribed for an interval (race specific), but largely this method is effective.

As a leader of group runs, this is also easier to apply over a large group. Whether it an aerobic run or intervals, it keeps everyone on the same workout progression. From a coaching perspective, it's also easier to work with minutes when I'm filling up the calendar's of a diverse group of athletes. I don't need to spend a lot of time thinking about what your pace will be on certain workouts and working out the distances. I can prescribe a 45 to 60 minute easy run, and the athlete can some control over what their run is that day. Rough day? Squeezed for time? Try to get in the 45 minutes. Feeling great? Go for the 60.

Marathon training is where a runners get particularly obsessed with distance. I've shared videos/articles in group emails dispelling this myth of needing to do up to three 20 mile runs in marathon training. It's something marathoners believe they need to do psychologically, but for a slower runner, you will see diminishing returns. This is a quote from renowned coach Jack Daniels:

"Stress is a dunction of time spent doing something, so slower runners are often stressed more... A 20-mile run will take a slower runner three or more hours to complete... this means that the slower runner has taken 50% more steps... It is the number of steps that can wear you down. To avoid overtraining and injury, a slower runner may have to take less total mileage than a faster runner."

Simply put, there is a law of diminishing returns, meaning there is a point where the runner receives less benefit and increased the chance of overtraining and injury.

In the end miles/KMs are just a function of the two most important things 1) time on your feet - duration; and 2) your relative effort - intensity. Let's focus on using that time intelligently.

If you have any questions reach out to me through Final Surge, e-mail: markdidham@gmail.com; or Facebook PM.