s4/e06 How (& Why) To Increase Your Running Volume with Coach Elisabeth

Time Management

Balancing running with life's demands requires effective time management. Elisabeth Scott emphasizes the importance of aligning running goals with available time, noting that many runners have ambitious dreams but lack the time to achieve them 1. She shares that consistency in running is best achieved by focusing on easy effort running, which allows for increased volume without burnout 2.

The secret to running more is to slow the heck down and run most of your volume easy.

--- Elisabeth Scott

This approach helps runners maximize their precious training time while balancing other responsibilities.

   

Realistic Goals

Setting realistic running goals is crucial for long-term success. Elisabeth Scott advises runners to consider their available time and resources when setting goals, emphasizing that aggressive goals require significant time investment 3. She highlights the importance of enjoying running and warns against sacrificing this enjoyment for arbitrary goals 4.

Your running goals are probably totally achievable, just not on the timeline that you are expecting to achieve them on.

--- Elisabeth Scott

By aligning goals with realistic timelines, runners can maintain motivation and avoid burnout.

   

Marathon Realities

Marathon goals demand a realistic understanding of the time and effort required. Elisabeth Scott explains that achieving aggressive marathon goals often necessitates running more than three days a week, unless supplemented with high-volume cross-training 5. She acknowledges that not all runners desire to increase their running frequency, and that's perfectly acceptable if their goals align with their current training 6.

Three days per week is generally considered not enough training for something as intensive as a marathon.

--- Elisabeth Scott

Understanding these realities helps runners set achievable marathon goals without compromising their enjoyment of the sport.