Ok lemme summarise what i'm actually trying to claim here. I think (internet?) running dogma has behind it two driving beliefs:
- mileage per week (more is better)
- slow long runs (slower is better)
and im finding that this running dogma has some underlying assumptions which are not explicitly stated but once accounted for make it infeasible for me:
- it presupposes you're mainly a runner which necessarily entails BEING an actual runner
-- training only running,
-- having a runners build (light)
these assumptions don't apply to me (anymore?) and teh heavier and weight trained (powerful etc) i get the further i go from these principles because lots of mileage while training other things (daily squat max, basketball in-season training, ) just don't see it working out. It also doesn't suit me pyschologically because if training economy is at a premium (and it very much is) - i dont have the training time for following orthodox running good practices above..
gotta go, but im not saying orthodox running isn't the right way for a runner. im claiming it's unworkable for me having tried it and finding it doesn't suit me. i was running pretty much intuitively to start with but now im going to go back to that....
Plus andrew all your arguments for long slow running - i just hear do bike / rowing instead, much less beating up of joints and easier to fit into normal (not solely running) training!
edit, but the thing which really cofnuses me about the dogma is the idea that 'longer runs' build fitness but these people intentionally leave out what they mean by long - is it duration? is it miles? if it's both then sorry i can't do it. you'd make every beginner run LONGER just because they're slow runners initially. how does that make sense? if it's only duration then why dont you fucking say so? why so vague? useless. now if it's duration if i take 2 hours to do a 8km run say, does that 'work' when i cud have done 5km in 25 minutes and gone home. im sure a good running coach woudl be able to answer my questions and even help me out but im kinda done trying to unravel running dogma (my youtube recommendations are like 99% running spam now which im already sick of). tbh im not sure these ppl have any secret sauce about running, their advice comes from ppl who are doing the same thing over and over and it's not clear what part of that advice is good and what just works because doing anything a lot will work ..