If you measure how much time you spend watching TV or surfing the web it puts it in perspective... I used to run about 40 miles a week a few months ago. Usually ended up being between 5 and 6 hours a week. The long run is usually on the weekend when I'd imagine most people can find a few hours to spare. I am sadly injured right now and biking or inline skating instead. Now THAT takes some time and is so much less efficient time wise in maintaining my weight. I rode 22 miles in 1:20 and only burned 900 calories or so. Normally it would take me 1 hour to burn that running.
I agree wholeheartedly about TV or surfing the web.
Me personally, it takes about half an hour around every run, getting dressed, getting water, stretching before and after, showering and changing clothes. longer runs leave me lethargic for a while. A two hour run leaves me exhausted. A two hour run leaves me worthless for an hour or possibly three.
40 miles in 5 hours is amazing. My bare minimum around running time would be 15 minutes a run, and i can't run 10 6 minute miles 4 times a week. I could maybe do 4 10's@9:00. But if i put in the effort, that would come down.
40 miles at 5 hours/week is just phenomenal. You must have world class biomechanics. I can't imagine how fast you run. You are a stupendous badass. I hope you recover soon.
40 miles / 5 hours is 8 mph or a 7:30 pace (presumably "easy" for him/her). That's quick but not olympics level (they do more like 6:30 easy, I think).
(As a much slower runner, I can maintain 7:30 for a mile or two. Just not 40. :-))
I think those 40 miles were over multiple outings in a week, but let's compare with a 26 mile marathon:
A very good but not world-level time for the marathon is 2:20 or so for 26 miles. That's more like 5:30 per mile. World record pace is an even more insane 4:41.5 a mile (http://www.runnersworld.com/newswire/dennis-kimettos-maratho...). So yes, 6:30 should be easy, if you're at that level (must be, given that I could do 10k in 40 minutes, which is around that pace, when I was a lot younger, and I'm not a running talent)
Yeap, this was my average speed over all my weekly mileage. My long run would range from 7:00 to 7:30 pace and would top out at 13 to 15 miles. My easiest runs were about 8:00 and my fast pace (probably 6 or less miles per week) was from 6:10 to 6:30. I would say I did seem to run my overall mileage faster than people that would destroy me in races (which is probably why I'm injured).
The 7:30 pace had my heart rate at 145 on flat ground in cool weather at age 40 for a 13 mile run which from what I understand is the right pace.
