What's the most you've increased your running miles on one go?

[Floridarider]

The official advice I believe is to increase at a rate of something like 10% per week.

I can run 3-4 miles comfortably so should go to maybe 4.5 miles next according to the advice.

The thing is though I'd really like to just see how far I could go if I tried and kept a slow and steady pace - probably with some waking too.

Would I be mad to head out with the intention of running 10 miles?

What is the most you've increased by in one go and what was your experience?

When I started running, my other half was always pushing me to make bigger leaps forward than official advice suggested was sensible. It was really helpful, and I def made faster progress than I would otherwise. For me, that meant seizing the moments when I felt good, rather than planning big jumps. My greatest ever run was when I planned to go out to do 2 x 15m with short walking break, but ended up running continuously for an hour.

Saying that, 10m is a huge distance in itself, regardless of the jump up to get there. So it’s impossible to suggest that’s a good idea.

i am training for the London marathon and last week I decided to just go out, enjoy the fresh air and see how far I could go with no pressure on walking if I needed to. I really enjoyed it. I had been poorly so hadn’t run much for about a month and I did 22 miles. I stopped and took photos, enjoyed being by the river and had a really nice time. I did actually run it all, except for the photos and to buy some water. My advice would be to go slow and do loops so you’re never too far from home. I don’t mean the same loop, just come up with a route that has your home in the middle so you can get back if you needed to. Last thing you want is an out and back route! Strava or the footpath app are good to come up with routes if you need ideas.

Well done on your 22 miles, that run sounds lovely. You're marathon ready now then.

It's a big leap. I don't think you need to be as conservative as suggested but I wouldn't move to more than 6 miles.

The reason is you won't have the stamina or fitness to do 10 miles at a sustained pace, you'll slow down or feel too tired. You will certainly manage 10 miles, one way or another but if your goal is to increase your running ability to do 10 miles regularly, this isn't the way.

What's better to do is to vary your terrain & speed so do a hills session, or a shorter, faster run. That actually helps your fitness so setting out on slower, flatter run with the aim of doing 10 miles will be more manageable.

Good to know that you saw faster progress with a bit of support and encouragement.

Hope the running is going well.

no, dont do it.

Your cardiovascular fitness increases much faster than you muscular skeletal fitness.

Which means if you go as far as your cardio vascular fitness can take you, you will very likely end up with an injury, for pushing your muscles and bones too hard.

And then be out of running for months

hence the 10% rule

Your advice is so true and I was tempted to put 6 or 8 miles in the post, but kind of expected that people would say that would generally probably be ok.

What you say about the types of training is also what I've read - I don't know why I seem to be against following sound training advice!

I’d stick to the 10% rule perhaps honestly.

It depends how young and fit you are. The danger of increasing too fast is injury risk

When I step my distance up I do it my time not distance, so add 10 minutes on to my long run each week. It takes the pressure of 'how far have I done' off and if you can run for longer time the distance will come.

Do it BY time not my!

Some really bad advice upthread. @Nimbostratus100 has it spot on - your cardio fitness increases much faster than your musculoskeletal ability to deal with increased load. Which is why c25k builds up gradually and interdisperses walking and running, to prevent the risk of injury.

You may well be able to run 10 miles right now if you went out and tried, but it wouldn't be sensible, as your bones and joints aren't up to it yet. You'd be running a high risk of picking up itb/knee/stress fracture issues which could put you out for weeks or months.

The 10% rule is very sensible , if a bit conservative - most runners in reality have increased by more than that, especially those going into ultra training and deciding to see if they can run 30 or 35 miles off the bat.

In your shoes I'd go out and do 10k this weekend. Set yourself a 10k pb to better in a month's time.

Also, your long run should never be more than 50% of your total mileage for the week - so make sure your other two or three runs in the week total more than 6 miles, and increase across the board rather than just extending your long run. Good luck!

You can probably do a little more than 4.5 miles. But leaping straight to 10 is a recipe for injury. Plus, you’re not likely to enjoy it because you’ll feel shattered! I would aim for 5 miles at a slow steady pace, then a little further next time. Progressive overload is what we should aim for in our training, which means doing a little more a lot of the time (not all the time, sometimes we need a bit of a rest week too), not taking massive leaps.

Take it slow and steady, you have a lifetime of running ahead of you and your miles will soon rack up. Rush now and you’re begging for an overuse injury that could take you out for weeks.

Thank you for giving my head a wobble.

I'll see how I get on with 5-6miles as a long run and stick with 3-4 as my shorter runs, including hills and intervals as suggested upthread.

Patience. I need to practise patience.

Did couch to 5k and then smashed out a 10k two runs later. Just ran for as long as I could. Totally fine. Was a bit annoyed if held myself back frankly.

The 10% rule is very sensible , if a bit conservative

That sounds spot on, and in my opinion leaves room for bigger increases IF you’re sensible, feel okay and stop the moment you don’t.

As someone that has let fitness come and go several times over the years I find I have pretty good sense of how my body is doing. I don’t really measure or time runs and allow myself to go for longer or shorter if I’m going well.

A lot will depend on your base fitness.

I normally run a few HMs per year and often run one in June and then struggle with time/ weather in July/ Aug. If I'm 10k/ 6mi fit, I can quickly ramp up to 10mi via 8mi because it's not been long since I did it. Building up to it for the first time that quickly would have considerably more injury risk. If I've had a much longer phase without major milage I build up much more gently. My first HM plan increased by 10-15min per week so roughly 1-1½mi. Training plans will also include a cutback/ rest week about every 4th week to allow for recovery and that's why C25k has the range of run/ walk sessions in wk5-6 as it transitions to running all.

If you're wanting to test yourself, do a 10mi walk which would probably be 2.5 hrs. It's good for stamina but much lower on impact.

I've been marathon training and have broken many of my long runs into smaller out and backs e.g. 10mi can be done as 1.25 mi N and back, same to the E, S & W. It chunks the distance down, and also gives an easy escape route if struggling.

The trouble with a lot of running injuries is that they can be quite insidious and they're often the slower ones to recover from. I spent months resting then rehabing after too many post-Covid races congested together and I ran too much at race pace within about 6 weeks. It was the pace that aggravated my tendon rather than pure distance.