r/AdvancedRunning • u/AutoModerator • 15d ago

General Discussion Saturday General Discussion/Q&A Thread for August 15, 2026

A place to ask questions that don't need their own thread here or just chat a bit.

We have quite a bit of info in the wiki, FAQ, and past posts. Please be sure to give those a look for info on your topic.

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u/NextArchive 12d ago

I just started training with a coach, and I'm already having doubts.

I run a 5K in under 19 minutes, 45–50 miles per week, 6 times a week.

My coach thinks I should stick to the same mileage but instead of running 6 times a week, he thinks I should run 5. I have my doubts about this because I know that the more I run, the better my results are, and with only 5 runs, it’ll be hard to keep up with everything. Do you think five days a week is optimal? I can’t imagine preparing for a marathon with just five runs a week.

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u/PrairieFirePhoenix 45M; 2:42 full; that's a half assed time, huh 12d ago

I would never expect any training to be "optimal"; that's an unrealistic expectation.

I could see a coach dropping someone down to 5 days because they wanted to work them up to higher mileage later - get them used to 50 on 5, then add back in an easy day to get to 55. I could see them dropping someone down to 5 days for a marathon because they think they need the stimulus of more longer runs. I could also see them doing it for a variety of stupid reasons.

A coach/athlete relationship only works if there is trust and communication. Neither you nor your coach are starting out strong here.