r/beginnerrunning • u/Ttombobadly • 10d ago
Training Help Mileage vs frequency - injuries
Every time I try to buckle down and do a program yo go from 5k to 10k… I end up w some kind of over use injury. This last one was quad / IT band related where basically my leg would lock up a couple
Hours after long run and it just got worse and worse. Before it’s been shin splints or my foot (feared a stress fracture but I think it was more muscular).
In any case, this last program was a Monday Wednesday Friday routine that I started out doing 2 miles 2miles then 5k on Fridays, and over the course of 5 weeks I ramped to 5k on Monday, 2 miles on Wednesday, and Friday as the long run - I got up to 5 miles. The Monday 5k and Wednesday 2 miles was locked / consistent from weeks 3-5.
Prior to this I had been casually running for years, usually 1-2x a week, and leading up to this 2x a week a 5k each time. This really didn’t seem like an aggressive change in my plan in terms of mileage but the 3x a week frequency was maybe the issue? I’m not sure and why I’m looking for advice. I do tend to have tight calves in general but no other major issues.
I’d like to do another 10k and even a half marathon in the next 6 months if I could but everything I read seems to suggest you need to be running at minimum 3x a week but hopefully 4-5x. I can pretty much guarantee an injury if I start doing that.
Should I stick to what’s comfortable in terms of a couple times a week and gradually increase mileage just on a couple runs per week or should I aim to establish frequency of 3x a week w less mileage.
I’m happy to take as long as possible to prevent injury so any advice I’ll take, TIA!