I've just started running because I want to improve my fitness and lose some weight. I am 5'11", 195lbs. I completed my first two runs in 26.5 and 24 minutes. Both were 2.5 miles. My rough target is to do two 5 mile runs per week, not sure what target time I should set just yet. With work and family commitments getting more than two sessions per week will be difficult.
Here's the question. Should I focus on improving my time first or increasing my distance. A goal that I have set myself is to run all the way on any run. I just know that as soon as I allow myself a short section where I walk I will be stopping all of the time.
There are a lot of pro's and con's to both methods and I'm sure that people will debate both sides, but the situation that you present is that you are a beginner and running because you want to improve your fitness and lose weight. In that context I think that increasing your distance is the best route.
The biggest reason for this is to keep up your motivation. I think for a beginner it is a lot more rewarding for you to say to yourself and friends that you ran 5 miles instead of 2.5 miles in 20 min's or something like that. The other reason is that as a beginner it is really easy to pick times and paces that are too aggressive or not realistic for you and run the risk of injury and not meeting your goal. An aggressive pace will also entice you to walk compared to if you run a comfortable pace. By picking a distance, and not a time, you can achieve your goal easier and quicker and stay motivated for your next goal. Longer runs will also help you in your weight loss goals better then shorter faster ones.
So as a beginner, I think it is not a matter of what is better for your training, but for your motivation. Once you hit your distances and have a good feel for what you body is capable off, then the debate over distance vs. time training can be investigated again.
iwould do distance training because it helps with building endurance better and burns greater cals but if you do trail running not city sidewalk kind of running than i would do time.
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I hadn't thought of the motivation side but now you mention it i can imagine feeling more satisfaction from running an extra mile than reducing my time by a minute. Also the greater cals will help shift the tyre round my waist. So decision made I will start to ramp up my distance.
Take it from a guy who never ran at all until age 37. Just do the distance until you lose some weight. It is best for motivation and a host of other reasons. Five miles is an excellent goal. If at all possible do it three times a week. You can fit in if you try. I have wife, kids, self-employed, on and on. It may take some reordering, but the payoff is great. If you wife will get behind you it will change your life.
Once you lose a little weight and feel better about your distance you can do a little speed work and add a little bike riding and your times will jump faster than you can believe. Especially if you enter a run.
I too think focusing on distance is best for all the reasons mentioned above ; another benefit I see is that as a beginner, you want to learn to regard running as second nature, to feel as comfortable as possible during your runs so they are enjoyable experiences. Only after you are more experienced you can push for intensity to see what else you can do. low-med intensity long runs will make you feel great and help get rid of any unecessary extra weight in no time.
I just recently started jogging/running around my street which is pretty hilly. I don't think I'm really fit for giving advice but just to tell you what I'm going through.
I hit a couple of roadblocks along the way and missed a couple days but I just kept doing. Don't do double if you miss a day, just keep going(learned that the hard way XD).
Today I just reached a new goal of 4 miles and feel awesome, so yeah In my opinion distance. Oh plus this may just work for some people but music is a huge part of my motivation while running.
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