Running - how often do you do it?

[backinthebox]

Well, this is a section of the internet I never thought I’d find myself in! I despise running. But I love orienteering. Until recently I’ve been happy to just trundle along, following the map. I started it to refine my map reading skills for another sport and it’s done that. But now I’m finding I want to be able to keep up a run the whole way! I do courses which are about 5km as the crow flies, but you end up going further in order to avoid stuff like thickets and lakes. However, the lumpy stuff in between (the heather, bracken, logs on the forest floor, occasional swamp or stream) we run/walk/stagger through. Winning times for my age group over this distance are usually in the vicinity of an hour. I take about 1h20-30 mins. I realise this is slow for running, but we have to find the control points too and spend time looking in ditches and behind trees for those.

So in order to get better at the running bit (my mappy bit is good now, thanks!) how often each week would I need to be running, and how far? I already do another sport at high level which takes me about 12-15 hours a week training, but is not much of a cardio workout, more a strength and balance one. So I don’t want to give any of that up, but I really don’t have that many more hours in the day. I am competitive though, so if anyone has any top tips for being able to run with barely any effort at all (stop laughing at the back!) I’m all ears.

Oh, also I have a buggered ankle. This does not help me.

I mean the standard answer is 3 times a week to improve at any physical activity. And to run 7-8k comfortably cross country you'd want to have your longest training run at at least 10k. Longest run is not meant to be more than half your weekly average. So 5k/5k/10k

But to be frank, you're unlikely to be able to fit that in on top of 15 hours a week training for another sport, and with ankle problems it might not be wise. Do you have space in your schedule to do something like spin to improve cardio and minimise joint impact? It's not quite the same as running but it's an efficient way to improve leg strength and cardio in a targeted manner.

Rest the ankle. When it's recovered look at what would be a sensible training plan.
You'd need to look at training for stamina and improving speed. Improving strength will help.

Buggered ankle has been buggered for 14 years. It’s not going to get any better than it is already! During that time I’ve managed to do reasonably well in sport, have competed up to international level, representing country. Spin for cardio is a good suggestion, then I can save the ankle for orienteering runs! And rest it afterwards.