Running Fitness – Use it or Loose it

Running Fitness is a fascinating thing!

To keep the same level or improve, a runner has to train regularly. But it deteriorates and in a fairly swift way, if the training stops. That’s akin to dealing with a fussy spouse/significant other – you got to keep working on the relationship to make it better or stay level; but stop the hard work and you know the risks!

Most real work competencies do not necessitate having to practice regularly to stay at the same learning level. Eg – elementary geometry, making a coffee, writing etc. are the competencies which once mastered to a base level do not need regular practice. Imagine having to keep making coffees every week just so that you can continue to make good coffees; life would be so tough!

Running fitness, therefore, is uniquely idiosyncratic!

Let’s delve into an example involving Runveer, a skilled runner completing a 10K in 60 minutes. Suppose Runveer stops training due to reasons like injury, travel, or a lack of motivation. This hiatus profoundly affects his running fitness over time.

Time without training (weeks)	10K finish time* (minutes)
1 week	60 mins
2 weeks	63 mins
3 to 4 weeks	69 mins
5 to 8 weeks	72 mins
9 to 12 weeks	78 mins or more

By not training at all, poor Runveer goes from a 60min 10K to a 70min 10K in a month and the time keeps getting worser until it plateaus to general fitness level of a non-runner!

So, what is causing such deterioration in Runveer’s ability to run? Here are the main culprits and each one of these deteriorate with time without training:

• Ability to utilize oxygen in a given time span
• Ability to burn the stored fat into calories
• Strength of the muscle groups involved in running motion

Every runner goes through phase(s) when training has to be stopped. There can be several reasons:

• Injury (this is the most common reason)
• Travel – work or otherwise (second most common reason)
• Lack of motivation

Now that we are done with all the gloomy stuff, let’s look at the bright side. For a trained runner, the journey back to fitness is relatively easier. If the training gap is not substantially long, the way up isn’t as long as the way down!

Back to Runveer again. Let’s assume that Runveer wakes up one fine day after 12 weeks with a sudden spark of motivation (found a new and better partner). Enough is enough, he says and decides to bring back the glory days. He goes out for a run and huffs his way to a 78 min 10K.

Would his journey back to 60 mins 10K take 12 weeks? NO.

With the right training rigour, Runveer can get back to 60 mins 10K in just about 6 to 7 weeks! It is strange but true. That’s how running fitness goes!

As runners, we do not wish to ever stop training! But life happens and there are phases where we cannot train. Runveer’s journey teach us the following:

• A training break of 1 to 2 weeks isn’t catastrophic so take a break, have some fun here and there. It is fine!
• 3-4 weeks seems to be the threshold level when drastic deterioration kicks in. So, even if a training break happens, one must ensure that it does not go beyond 3 weeks!
• The way up is faster even if one is down without training for 12 weeks. So, one must not loose hope and with focused training the glory days of past will come back sooner than expected!