RunningAHEAD - Topic: Maintenance - is there such a thing?

elfrules

posted: 10/1/2007 at 6:35 AM

I've just completed my first half marathon, the Great North Run in Newcastle (UK). I did a time that I was really pleased with 1:59:12. Now I'm wondering how fast my fitness will fade away if I do nothing and what constitutes a maintenance programme (if there is such a thing)? Any thoughts/advice gratefully received. Thanks

Scout7

CPT Curmudgeon

posted: 10/1/2007 at 7:52 AM

Well, generally, a maintenance program is what you follow between "seasons". It could also be called base-building by some people, as well. Basically, the point of it is to maintain a certain level of fitness, and to work on your limiters. What you do, and the levels, are dependent on your goals, and your schedule. Your fitness will noticeably start to fade after about two weeks, give or take. That's if you're doing little to no running. As for a specific plan.... It would depend on your goals. I know Hal Higdon has some winter or spring training plans on his website, you can look at those to get an idea. For me, I just sorta work on easier running, and increasing the volume, doing fewer races, or entering them just for the fun of it.

zoom-zoom

Fanatic #3965

posted: 10/1/2007 at 10:15 AM

elf, this year I am running nothing longer than a 25k and will finish my racing season in about 4 weeks with a HM. Over the late Fall and Winter months I hope to maintain ~25 miles/week. I am currently running ~35/week, so it will be enough less to feel like a break, but not lose me too much fitness. I will probably not do much in the way of speedwork, either, especially once the snow flies and makes footing a bit trecherous. This is pretty much what I did last year and it worked fairly well. Though this past Winter I got down to 15 miles or so some weeks, due to a really miserably cold Feb. I'm hoping it won't be so chilly this year, as I don't have access to a treadmill. I'm planning on running my first marathon in a year, so I will need to start ramping up my mileage as soon as Winter has mostly passed. k

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 | '08: 1561 | '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike | '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike | '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike '12: 659.9 run ~ 3365.6 bike (100% benched by ortho last 4.5 weeks while in long-arm cast)

'13 Goals:

• DON'T BREAK ANYTHING!!!

• get within 5#s of 130#s (and stay there, gotdammit!)

• 1st olympic distance duathlon

• 1st Iceman Cometh mtn bike race

• Half Fanatic

• punch Type 1 in the junk

rgreen45

My Little Pal

posted: 10/26/2007 at 9:26 PM

I agree with Scout7. You can maintain your current level (or very close) simply by doing easy runs with maybe one fartlek session a week. Truth be known, it probably wouldn't hurt you to cut your mileage by 25-35%, and start your training for your next goal race at the proper time. You may lose a little but odds are the recovery time will allow you to come back quicker and stronger. Many, many of us have experienced this out of necessity (work, life, injury, etc.) yet we refuse to do it voluntarily for fear of losing too much. I plead guilty as well.

At the end of the day, be happy with where you are and what you've accomplished.

trishierunner

esq.

posted: 10/27/2007 at 8:28 AM

Quote from rgreen45 on 10/26/2007 at 9:26 PM:

\ Many, many of us have experienced this out of necessity (work, life, injury, etc.) yet we refuse to do it voluntarily for fear of losing too much. I plead guilty as well.

So true! I was forced to take off just a few days (3) due to sickness, and when I ran next (7 mi) it felt GREAT ... even on the TM!

2009: BQ?

rgreen45

My Little Pal

posted: 10/27/2007 at 8:48 AM

Quote from trishierunner on 10/27/2007 at 8:28 AM:

So true! I was forced to take off just a few days (3) due to sickness, and when I ran next (7 mi) it felt GREAT ... even on the TM!

My first experience of this was with my first marathon. I started running in March of '94, ran my first race in March of '95, and trained for my first marathon scheduled for 10/15/1995. I got a bad case of achilles tendonitis about 6 weeks out and did minimal training in hopes of still being able to run the race. My goal for my 1st 26.2 was to get under 4:00 and I ran a 3:42.

At the end of the day, be happy with where you are and what you've accomplished.

Maintenance - is there such a thing? (Read 944 times)

'13 Goals: