Why Consistency and Time on Your Feet Are the Keys to Faster Running
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Why Time on Your Feet is the Most Important Training Metric for Runners
The number one most impactful piece of training advice I could give you is that you need more total time spent running to get the adaptations you’re looking for.
Why Time Spent Running Matters More Than Speed
Now, I know that sounds really obvious, but let me explain.I think about training and getting better at running differently than most. It’s common to think of running fitness as acquisition, like a bank account. You make deposits, and the more you make, the faster you’ll become. But often, in actuality, it’s more important about the frequency of those deposits than their quality. When we’re trying to get better at running, we’re literally trying to change our DNA. We want the muscle fibers and blood vessels from the version of yourself that’s better at running. We have to create a lot of stimuli and time spent training, so our bodies create that. We’re trying to safely, over time, manipulate our bodies into better running versions of themselves. And the human body will let us do that!! It’s wild. It will adapt to so many things. But it likes to adapt slowly, and it needs a lot of consistency.
So what does this look like practically?
Well 4 days a week running is usually better than 3, and 5 is usually better than 4. Give your body more chances to adapt and become a runner. Slow down on those easy runs and make sure you’re going for the entire time or maybe even add 5 minutes when things are feeling good. Give yourself the chance to adapt, week after week, year after year. Be patient and unrelenting with your consistency. It will not always benefit you to do something faster. You need time. The old analogy about baseball is so true. You need to hit a bunch of singles and doubles, week after week. You don’t need the random triple and then miss three days. Stack the days.
Is Running More Days Always Better?
No, but it usually is. I tell people all the time: until you’re up to five days a week, it makes a massive difference moving from two to three, three to four, and four to five. The changes are a little smaller when you go from five to six or six to seven, but they’re still there. Almost always there’s a performance benefit in adding more frequency. That said, some people really do benefit from a rest day (or even two). It comes down to your body, your stress levels, and how much you can handle without breaking down.
How Much Time on Your Feet Do You Actually Need?
Well, it depends on where you’re at. For beginners, you need a lot of 35-minute days. As you get more advanced, you need a lot of 70-minute days all stacked up. It’s not about one or two or three runs. It’s about stacking a ton of them in succession. Mileage still matters, and total training volume matters, but one week means nothing. A lot of people sell out to run one crazy week, but it’s better to have 20 really good weeks than three incredibly impressive ones.
Final Word on Consistency
Jack Daniels, the famous running coach, once said:
“Consistency comes from concentrating on the task at hand, neither dwelling on the past or looking too far forward. The only thing you can control is the present, and when you focus on that and remain consistent in your training, you’ll find your greatest success.”
That’s what this all comes back to. Focus on today. Do the thing that makes you a better runner right now. Then do it again tomorrow. And the next day. Stack hundreds of those days up, and you’ll be amazed at how far you can go.
