How to Gradually Increase Running Mileage

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Last Updated: December 18th, 2024 at 11:01 pm

The 10% Rule As we’re all working on our new years goals, the most important thing is to be consistent

Nothing breaks a streak or derails efforts like pain and an injury

Unfortunately, overuse injuries aren’t exactly uncommon in endurance sports

It’s been estimated that up to 75% of runners incur some kind of running injury every year!

One common mistake runners can make while training for a race is doing too much too fast

It sounds obvious but it’s harder to implement than it seems

How do you know what too much is?

Do we just have to wait until something goes wrong?

Thankfully not

An easy guideline when gradually increasing running mileage is called: The 10% rule
The 10% rule = Increase weekly running mileage by no more than 10%For example: If you ran a total of 30 miles LAST week, THIS week you should NOT run more than 33 miles

Using this basic math can save you trips to the doctor’s office, thousands of dollars, and most importantly, training time.

Now, if you’re mileage is less than 30 miles per week, you can use 20% as your multiplier. That’s been shown to be another safe rate for weekly mileage less than 30.
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