Volume, Volume, Volume: A Key to Great Running
There is one thing every runner can do to improve their running — increase their daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly volume or mileage.
Why is this? The most important reason is increasing your mileage improves your aerobic base. Why are East African runners so superior to runners from other countries, especially Americans? It’s because they have been running big volume since their childhood. East African children often run to school every day and then run home at the end of the day. East Africans are also on their feet for more of the day than westerners are. They are on their feet doing chores around the house or farm; they are running around town shopping or doing chores; they are on their feet just living their lives. This is unlike our western culture, especially in the last thirty years or so, where children are spending more of their time playing video games or messing about with their phones.
Running higher volume also lessens the chance of injury. This is because running high mileage builds leg strength. Most of your weekly running volume needs to be slow, easy running, which is not hard on the legs but does build them up. Follow the popular 80/20 rule where 80 percent of your running should be easy running and 20 percent of your running should be harder interval or tempo style running.
