5 mile run - how many times per week?

kraggy

Some questions if ye have the time, thanks:


1. What is the maximum number of times I should do a 5 miler per week? My legs feel it after workouts now that I'm into my early/mid 30s.

I've done a half marathon and play hurling competitively on and off so I've a history of sports. But how many time is the maximum I should do the run per week?

2. Also, I've addressed my diet. Cut out the junk (well pretty much anyway). So what else can I do to speed up the getting rid of the belly?

3. I intend changing the long distance running to interval running for weight loss. I've read 30 secs flat out/30 secs easy is the optimal but even at my fittest during hurling season last summer I found this difficult.

Do the benefits decrease dramatically if I reduce this to 25 secs flat out/30 secs easy?

Or am I possibly going "too flat out" (I run like I'm running from a volcano)

4. Lastly, is it bad to go for a run if my legs are still very sore/stiff from the previous workout? Even after stretching they were quite sore/stiff.

Thanks for reading.

Dubit10

Man i feel your pain. I'm in my late thirties now and run about 8kms 4 times a week but recently (last couple of years) i've had to reduce the pace that i run at because it takes longer to recover otherwise.

The 8kms take me in and around 42 minutes to run now where it only took me 35 minutes a few years back