Going The Extra Mile

We all have heard the expression going the extra mile. Above and beyond what was asked or required. It’s putting in the extra time to make sure it all goes well. Usually it applies to business, or services or helping others out. The extra mile can help you with running as well.

Extra mile in a daily run. You can add a little more to each run to increase your weekly training. It’s much easier to keep going a little more once you are already running than to suit up and go for another run.

Easy paced extra mile

Based on our Mile challenge you now have an idea of how much more time the extra mile will take you.  Run 1 more mile during each run and that adds up to 3 to 4 more miles per week. If you run 4 times a week 6 miles (10km) that is 24 miles per week. 4 more ‎miles is an extra 16 percent of running. 

Improve warm-up for workouts:

If you run a mile at Marathon pace before you start your speed workout you will be more warmed-up and will have an easier transition into your workout.

Faster paced mile:

You can work on improving your speed with your extra mile. During a tempo workout you can add one more repeat such as 5 x 6minutes instead of 4 x 6minutes tempo pace.. A speed workout like 6x3minutes you could change to 8 x 3minutes.

More light speed:

Another way to add your extra mile is to add 10 x 80 m strides with a 80m jog back after your run. Strides are light sprints. Be careful with strides and not to run them too fast. The best time to run them is after a moderate distance run of 8km to 15km. If you run them after a long run you have the risk of pulling a muscle because you are tired from the long run of 15km to 36km.

Does your extra mile make a difference?

Track your VO2 Max in Garmin connect and see if your fitness is improving. If your workouts are getting better and you see your times dropping then you know your extra mile is working.