Follow these steps, from running coaches, to determine how many miles to run in base training—and you’ll start week one of your race-training block off right.
Find a training plan for an upcoming race and you’re likely looking at a schedule of several weekly runs for eight to 16 weeks . So building up consistent mileagebefore you jump into week one of that plan might seem excessive or even unnecessary.
But many race-training plans start with several weekly miles, and possibly more intense speedwork, right off the bat. And jumping into that without a good fitness base could set you up not only for poor performance, but also potentially for injury.“Building a strong base before running any distance of a race helps prevent injuries and improves long-term performance—including improved aerobic capacity, endurance foundation, faster recovery, mental conditioning, and weight and stress management,” says Jill Becker, a personal trainer and run coach at Life Time in Westminster, Colorado.🏃♀️ Our ultimate guide on base trainingwill help you reach your goals the best way possible—happy, not injured, and excited about the training ahead!That’s true whether you’ve got your eyes set on anything from a marathon to a 5K. “Even a 5K race relies heavily on aerobic systems for energy production—so the better the aerobic base you have, the faster you can race,” says Laura Norris, owner and coach at Laura Norris Running in Boulder, Colorado. “Additionally, a base-building phase prior to a 5K or 10K training block allows your body to adapt to the mileage first, meaning you’ll then be able to add in speedwork leading up to the race with lower risk of injury.”Exactly how many miles you should run during the base phase to adequately set yourself up for a strong, hopefully injury-free race-training block can vary a lot depending on your running history, current fitness, and goal race. But with these seven coach-approved steps, you can zero in on your personal base plan and get started on the right foot.1. Give Yourself Plenty of TimeOkay, this step isn’t helpful if you’re set to start your race-training plan next week. But whatever race you have on the horizon, a gradual progression is ideal with not only the race-training block but the base phase, too. So, if you can allow several weeks to work on amping up your mileage slowly, that’s best. These are some general guidelines about how much time to leave yourself to build a base, depending on your running background. Becker recommends:Beginners: 10 to 12 weeks to safely build up endurance, and gain consistency and confidenceIntermediate: 6 to 10 weeks, aiming for a few more weeks if you haven’t maintained any fitness in the off-season and fewer if you’ve been running at least occasionallyAdvanced: 4 to 8 weeks if you are coming off a recent race cycle and have some aerobic foundation2. Determine Your Current Weekly MileageRamping up mileage too quickly increases your risk of overuse or bone stress injury. Look at the past few weeks and be honest about how much you’ve been running .“You want to bridge where you are currently are with your race training plan—even if the intensity of every run is low,” says Norris.3. Find a Race Plan You don’t need to know your exact race-training schedule when you start working on amping up your base, says Norris. But nailing one down sooner than later can help you pinpoint exactly how much mileage you need to build between now and when you’ll jump into week one of that plan.Ideally, she says, you want to build up to an additional 10 to 15 miles per week in your base phase from where you are now. Being truthful with yourself in the previous step can help you pick what race plan might be best for you after building that base.Just know you don’t need to build your base quite to the weekly mileage in week one of your plan, says Becker, but you need to aim pretty close. “Working up to around 80 percent of your estimated race-training plan by the end of your base phase is a good rule of thumb,” she says. For example, if week one of your half marathon plan calls for 20 miles total, you’ll want to build up your base to at least 16 miles for the week. Or, if your marathon plan starts out with 30 miles per week, aim to build your base to about 24 miles per week.4. Think StrategicallyWe’ve already mentioned this and will say it again: The whole point of a base-building phase is to give yourself time to slowly adjust to higher mileage, so you’ll be able to start the actual race-training block strong.Along with leaving yourself enough time between now and the training plan, strategize about what will help you stay consistent. “Things to help set you up for success are to be honest and real with how many days and hours you can fit in weekly for training, especially if you are injury prone,” says Becker. “It's better to build slower and build in days off between your runs for recovery and to help aid in consistency.”5. Build GraduallyMany coaches now think the 10 percent rule can be more conservative than necessary. That said, it’s typically a safe bet for most runners, says Norris, who says you can go up to 15 percent per week.All of your additional mileage during this base phase should be done at a low intensity/conversational pace, unless you’re a fairly experienced runner and want to add in a little, more lowkey speedwork .If you have enough time in your base period, Norris also recommends including adapt weeks, where you repeat mileage for two weeks before increasing again. “For instance, a runner might add two to three miles per week, or about 10 to 15 percent, then repeat that new total weekly distance for one more week to further allow your bones and muscles to adapt,” she explains.6. Consider Cutting BackAdditionally, just as you will do in your training block, practicing cutback or deload weeks can help you build a strong base, too. Cutting back during the base phase is a good idea if you’re injury prone and/or over 50, says Norris, but if you’re in pretty good fitness and/or pressed for time, skipping them and just adding mileage gradually is likely fine.“Cutback weeks are a generally safe practice, as they reduce the risk of injury and mental burnout, but because a base-building phase is lower intensity, most runners do not need cutback weeks as frequently as in race training,” she says.7. Think Big PictureThe base-building phase is the ideal time to start becoming more consistent—not only in your running but in your cross-training, recovery, and nutrition, too.Becker recommends assessing where you are right now with your weekly mileage and number of days you run each week; your strength and stability training; your fueling and sleeping habits; and whether you have any nagging injuries. Then take the next several weeks, as you prep for the start of your race-training block, to focus on each of these and gradually build consistency in each aspect.
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