Excellent question on where to start after deciding to run a 100k. Here’s a structured approach to get you moving in the right direction:
1. Setting a Tangible Target: The first step is to establish a clear, measurable goal. This could be the total weekly distance as it’s easiest to measure. Having a concrete target will guide your training and provide motivation.
2. Building Your Aerobic Base: With the summer approaching, it’s crucial to focus on developing your Aerobic Base, which is essentially the foundation of your endurance training. This is also known as the Base Phase.
- Aerobic Base Definition: This refers to the level of fitness where your body efficiently uses oxygen for energy. Enhancing this base improves endurance and overall running performance.
- Aerobic Mileage: This is the total distance covered in training that enhances your aerobic capacity. It’s crucial for increasing endurance without overtraining.
3. Calculating Mileage: Utilize tools like intervals.icu to monitor your fitness levels and plan your weekly mileage. Aim for a gradual increase, ideally no more than a 10% week-over-week, with every third or fourth week being a recovery period, reducing your mileage to prevent burnout and injuries.
4. Adjusting Aerobic Pace: As your fitness improves, your comfortable running pace (Aerobic Pace) will naturally increase. Regularly adjust your workouts to reflect this progress to continue challenging your body and improving your endurance.
5. Routine and Consistency: Once your fitness level is around 70-80 (based on your tracking tool metrics), you should be aiming to consistently run between 80-120 kilometers weekly. Establishing and maintaining this routine over the next 3-4 months is key to successfully building endurance and preparing for the 100k challenge.
In summary, focus on setting a clear goal, methodically building your aerobic base, and gradually increasing your mileage while allowing for recovery. This structured approach will help you build endurance safely and effectively, setting the stage for a successful 100k run.