Running too much?

[Desmondo2016]

I simply love running and the thought of having to cut down makes me feel anxious so looking for some reassurance. I currently run about 5 times a week, totalling about 50k a week on average. This is a variety of types of run, all pretty hilly, mostly on road, normally one long run of 15-20k (6.15m/km) , a 5k or two (5.20m/km) and a couple around 10k but at a very easy pace (7-7.30 m/km).

I'm getting worried I should cut back. It has crept up over lockdown. Obviously all articles talk about rest days and injuries etc and I do know this, but I just don't WANT to lol. Hoping some others will tell me they run as much or more and it's absolutely fine. (Running for me is simply because I enjoy it and it's my happy time, I'm not training for anything or giving two hoots about pace or improving etc).

I do also do 3 or so strength sessions in the gym each week which I don't love but do to keep my arms feeling as strong as my legs!!

So you average just over 6 miles a day over 5 days, does not sound particularly excessive and as you are doing strength work as well, it sounds fine to me.

Seems fine. If you wanted to mix it up a little you could always swim/cycle/yoga on a day

I run approx 50 miles a week since lockdown
(So, 80km,) and I’m injury free so far. I supplement my running with regular yoga though.

Sounds okay, as long as it's not interfering with your life. You do clearly have an exercise endorphine habit though, so it's good that you're keeping an eye on it.

Great bad example: I know a guy who did a fantastic job of turning from a great fat blob into a wiry running machine over a couple of years, but got his head into the 'gotta go further' mindset and was spending three or more hours a day running. Wife left him and took the kids. He carried on running, not spoken to him in years now as he only interacts with runners about running.

I love running but use it to supplement my four day split strength sessions. It started just one run a week but increased to three or four, each run about 5-8km. For me, all that combined was too much and wasn't giving my body time to recover. I'd go from a heavy strength session to a run then try and strength train the next day with no rest days and my body couldn't keep up. I was physically exhausted and it was compromising my strength sessions so wasn't making any progress and each run was becoming more and more difficult. I then became prone to injury which prevented me from both running and strength training. I missed both massively so would sometimes try to train through pain and injury which ultimately forced me out for longer. Eventually came to the decision I couldn't continue like that and decided to prioritise strength training so have pulled back on running and now only go occasionally. I miss it but strength training is my priority so have to focus on that and now run when my body feels up to it. I don't know what your strength sessions are like or how heavy they are - it sounds like you're maybe only doing upper body which might make it easier to balance both running and weight training. It's difficult to say what's too much as what's too much for one might not be for another. I'd say listen to your body and go with what feels good for you. I definitely wouldn't rule out rest days though, they're massively beneficial for recovery and mean I can perform at my best each time I go back to the gym.

I think it depends on how hard you run. I run just over 6 miles everyday too but don't ever really push myself. At the moment I run a circuit and do several laps of it. I find I can lose count and run extra by accident. Which goes to show how I really am not pushing myself! However when I run with my DH who is naturally a bit faster than me I find I speed up considerably. I know when I am done running with him and find I do feel like taking rest days.

Make sure you have good running shoes, keep track of distance run in them and regularly buy new. You'd be amazed how little mileage there is in a good shoe to operate as intended.

Thanks for the opinions. I change my shoes every 500k and I'm not running anywhere near my maximum effort most the time. I'm going to stop worrying and carry on enjoying. Just making sure I keep my calories up as the weight has been dropping off and I don't have much spare to lose!