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4832 Views 3 Replies Latest reply: Jun 12, 2014 8:44 AM by justamaniac
Vrunner5 Rookie 1 posts since
Jun 11, 2014
Currently Being Moderated

Jun 11, 2014 11:57 PM

What does "M" mean?

What does "M? mean? For example "5M", "6M", "8M". I just see em on the training schedules and I have no idea what they mean. Thanks.

Oh and if it means miles, forgive me, Canada uses the metric system, and if M means miles, then wtf? Why is it bouncing back and forth between metric and imperial? I might be overthinking this, but I have a competition to train for so I don't want to mess up XD schedule.JPG

  • ydiez Pro 141 posts since
    Nov 7, 2011
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Jun 12, 2014 3:14 AM (in response to Vrunner5)
    What does "M" mean?

    It does mean "miles". I do not know why it bounces between both systems but that is what it does.


    I assume from the formatting that this is one of the plans in this website. Just out of curiosity, what race is it for?


    Probably we have very different backgrounds, but it looks like a very demanding half marathon plan? Why aren't there any rest days in the 12 weeks? At my level that would be totally inadequate (but I assume this is probably common in higher levels)

    Current PB:

    5k: 20:12 (December 31st 2012)

    10k : 42:30 (March 9th 2014)


    After completing my 10th HM it's marathon time! The goal is set for March 15th (tentatively at 3h20min, but it sound like science fiction at the moment so I might adjust it down).

  • lenzlaw Community Moderator 10,431 posts since
    Jan 18, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. Jun 12, 2014 5:39 AM (in response to Vrunner5)
    Re: What does "M" mean?

    Yes, you're over-thinking it.  So the plan is on a U.S. based website and the distances are in miles.  Makes sense under the circumstances.  You could have used the distance-conversion calculator offerred just to see what happened, if for no other reason.  That might have quickly cleared up your confusion.  And it's not "bouncing back and forth".  Race paces at common distance like 5K and 10K (and 10M and half-marathon) in minutes per mile are commonly used in the U.S. for paces on various training runs.


    I have to agree with ydiez that this is a very ambitious plan, particularly with no rest days.  It also looks old, since no one these days talks about doing repeats of 880 or 440.


    Good luck.


  • justamaniac Legend 208 posts since
    May 30, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    3. Jun 12, 2014 8:44 AM (in response to lenzlaw)
    Re: What does "M" mean?

    It is kind of crazy... We measure distances that we run in Miles, we run races that are described in Kilometers (but keep our HM and FM events in miles...), and we do speed intervals while referring to distances on a track in Meters.  Kind of nuts.  Isn't the US one of only 3 countries in the world not on the metric system?


    Vrunner5 - you have every right to scratch your head over this.. :-)



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