Yorkshire Marathon 2014
What is “Junk Mileage” I hear some of you ask?
I first read about this so called junk mileage a few years ago in an article published in a Runner’s World magazine. The basic principles of training for any running race are to steadily build up your weekly mileage over a period of weeks whilst gradually lengthening your weekly long run and introducing and extending interval or speed work.
More experienced runners who have been running for a number of years and who are still focused on improving their PBs look at introducing more and more into their training schedules in the hope of getting fitter and gaining an improved PB. To a point this works, the more structured training the better a runner’s chance of improving their PB. The problem begins when runners keep adding more and more unstructured running into their training schedule especially if they are neither long runs to improve endurance or speed work to improve speed. The concept of junk mileage is adding extra running sessions that don’t have a reason in their training schedules. Simply bulking out your weekly mileage with more runs doesn’t necessarily mean you are better preparing for a targeted race or will in any way help attain the shiny new PB which is so desperately sought. Sometimes it is more beneficial not to run but have a rest day, running more doesn’t always mean a better performance in a race.
After finding out about the existence of junk mileage I started to ask myself before going for a run, what was the reason for that day’s run. If there is a reason for the run then there is little chance of it being junk mileage.
So back to my initial question “Is there such a thing as Junk Mileage?”
If I was talking about training for a 10k, half marathon or even a triathlon then I would say at times then the answer is “Yes” but my question isn’t aimed at these types of races but instead my challenge next May, when I have to run 10 marathons in 10 days. Now I’m not so sure. I’m not after a shiny new PB. I’m after being able to run when I’m tired, aching, sore and knowing the Lake District in the rain. I need to get myself used to running 26.2 miles when frankly I’m worn out and it’s the last thing I feel like want my body to do. How do I train for this? The only way I know is to runs lots and then run again. Maybe I need junk mileage, maybe this is where I have get my training, to start to train for 10 marathons in 10 days? Maybe for the 10 in 10 there isn’t such a thing as Junk Mileage?
The only exception is I still need to have the occasional rest days between blocks of heavy running, to run on one of these days could still possibly be considered junk mileage for me.
Keep running but watch out junk mileage is out there.
Snowdonia Marathon 2010
