MFR 23: How is Your Mileage Base Coming Along?
The foundation of every runner’s success is their base mileage, but, oddly, I don’t hear much discussion of that. So, I ask you now, “How is your running base?” Or maybe I should ask, “What is your running base?” Do you even think about it? Well, this episode of the Mojo for Running Podcast will, I hope, prompt those thoughts.
Before you start your schedule for a given goal race, I strongly advise laying the groundwork, building a foundation, a running foundation. If you do that, when you implement a sensible schedule and follow it right up to race day, you are likely to have optimal results; yet, I hear few people even discussing building their base.
No matter what your goal race distance, the success of any runner’s training is dependent on that runner having put in an appropriate number of easy miles early in the training cycle before ever concentrating on running faster. Speed work will have much less effect without the appropriate base, and the likelihood of sustaining injury during speed work will be greater if the runner does not gradually build a solid running base, first.