In today's episode, I discuss the pros and cons of running for time and running for mileage. The first thing to evaluate is what your ultimate goal is for running. That can dictate whether your current training program should consist of running for mileage and focusing on paces or whether it should focus on the amount of time you spend on your feet running. For those looking to run farther without stopping AT ALL (walking is still aerobic), time might be the best option for you. A mileage training model might be your best bet for those working towards a new 10K or Marathon personal best goal or training to qualify for the Boston Marathon with more specific paces to hit during your workout. Tracking your mileage is essential since you quantify your weekly mileage, and you want to monitor your pacing. A great way to hold yourself accountable if you're feeling solo is to hire a coach or compare your stats with your running friends working towards a similar goal, such as Qualifying for a BQ! 

Keep a training log to keep yourself organized and motivated and hold yourself accountable. It's essential to track the total time spent on your feet AND distance week over week to assess your progress and see where you might need to pivot to adjust your program to meet you where you're at in your training.

I recommend keeping a daily journal when you feel self-deprecated and impatient to help keep you on track. 

Below are bullets that might help you get started with your daily journal!

• Track how each run felt
• Write down the shoes I wore
• Write what the weather was like
• How I slept the night before
• What my nutrition looked like around that run
• Am I on my menstrual cycle (ladies!)
• Am I stressed out about something at work
• Am I going through a break-up or other stressful life event

All of the above can affect your training runs and are essential to note during your training journey to better understand yourself as an individual first and then as a runner.

I cover why to choose time spent on feet versus mileage training for any distance running program and how to determine the way you should train based on where you live and where you can prepare! A mixture of time spent on your feet AND mileage could be beneficial for you, too, depending on your strengths and weaknesses. It depends on what YOU need!

If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more about mindset and mental toughness for runners, please share your thoughts in the comments under the show notes. I love hearing from you.  

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