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Training plans: Easy runs? (Read 3296 times)

stadjak


Interval Junkie --Nobby

    Ah, right: clear eyes.  Been a while since the series ended.

     

    One of the wonders of running is that progression is so objectively measurable.  Most of my endeavors are plagued with subjectivity (philosophy, photography, fiction writing, etc).  You can spend several years working on a craft and while you believe you are better, what you produce is still subject to opinion, or has no metric of evaluation to measure progress over time.

     

    In Sept I couldn't run 3mi w/o walking.

    2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

      In Sept I couldn't run 3mi w/o walking.

      Ya?  Cool, for real. 

      "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

        In Sept I couldn't run 3mi w/o walking.

         That's awesome. In the most serious, literal way.

          One of the wonders of running is that progression is so objectively measurable.  Most of my endeavors are plagued with subjectivity ...  You can spend several years working on a craft and while you believe you are better, what you produce is still subject to opinion, or has no metric of evaluation to measure progress over time.

           

          In Sept I couldn't run 3mi w/o walking.

           

          This is really a great thread. we are rooting for you.

           

          A

          Recalculating...

           

            This is really a great thread. we are rooting for you.

             

            A

             

            +1.  As another relatively new runner, I'm in your cheering section and looking forward to your race report.

            "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
            Emil Zatopek

              This is really a great thread. we are rooting for you.

               

              A

               +1

              DoppleBock


                Enjoy the goodness ~ Progressing

                 

                Eventually ~ Some day yo will hit a plateau ~ Just remember we all eventually hit them.  Then it will be 3 steps forward and 2 steps back ~ it can be frustrating when we move back or progress slows to where we do not notice it.  

                 

                I never appreciate my fitness level until I have lost it or have taken a few steps back ~ Just saying "Enjoy the Ride!" 

                 

                Ah, right: clear eyes.  Been a while since the series ended.

                 

                One of the wonders of running is that progression is so objectively measurable.  Most of my endeavors are plagued with subjectivity (philosophy, photography, fiction writing, etc).  You can spend several years working on a craft and while you believe you are better, what you produce is still subject to opinion, or has no metric of evaluation to measure progress over time.

                 

                In Sept I couldn't run 3mi w/o walking.

                Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                 

                 

                DoppleBock


                  I ran LSD last night ~ basically at recovery pace ... of course my definition of the "L" is different than most.

                   

                  I agree there is a minimum pace you should do on your slow runs - But at this stage of this persons development - There is not a lot of advantage to going much faster over that minimum.  Just building endurance and that aerobic engine. 

                   

                  The LSD says "steady" because it is a "Long Run", not LSD.  I hate the term LSD; long runs are not meant to be super-slow plod-fests.  If you are prepping to race 26.2 miles, the long run should be at a steady effort, roughly as fast as your easy runs is a good place to start.  People only run them as LSD if they are doing long runs too long for their mileage base to support and they are in survival mode just trying to finish the distance.

                  Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                   

                   

                    I'm not nearly as knowledgable as most of these guys here, but looking at your last couple weeks of training (tempo run pace, long runs, etc.) I would also say you should go for 3:30 (8:00).  

                     

                    Your training plan isn't all that different from mine and I just ran a 3:24 and a 3:22.

                     

                    Have you run a 10k, 5k, or half marathon lately?  What kind of time?

                    2018 Goals

                    Figure out the achilles thing...... and THEN try to get running regularly again.

                    No racing goals 

                     

                    stadjak


                    Interval Junkie --Nobby

                      Thanks for all the encouragement, folks.  For anyone looking for inspiration, the entire journey is captured in RA's log.  Of note: Sept 18, 2011, Effort 8/10, Comment: "First time no walking!" 3.6mi.

                       

                      Rick: My last 5k was a couple weeks ago.  21:35.   No local 10k/halves available except for a week before my marathon; didn't think that would be a good idea.  Thanks for the confirmation about relative training plans.  I started in Sept with the "sub 4:00" plan without actually having a marathon to run yet.  Then around Jan I moved to the "sub 3:45" plan.  But in the last two months those workouts were too easy so I've been cribbing off the "sub 3:30" plan.

                       

                      To be honest, the marathon isn't my goal, and it's a funny minor annoyance, an interruption to my running rather than the culmination.  I almost can't wait to get it over with just to get back up to trying to hit 70mi/week.  (yes, I realize I don't "have to" run a marathon -- but it would be hard to explain to Mrs. Stadjak why I'm gone for 3hrs every evening).

                       

                      On Wednesday I ran into a slight problem with my tibialis anterior muscle as described in this thread:

                      http://www.runningahead.com/forums/post/68786c254a1d4c04aece6e6f25791bac#focus 

                      Babying a day or two to see how it feels.  Unfortunately, its right before my last long run before the taper.  Not great timing, but better than inside the taper.

                       

                      Fingers crossed.

                      2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

                        I can't imagine that you wen't out all that hard on the 5k  If you can do 6 x 1 mile @ 7:00 for intervals with only 60 seconds rest I would think you could easily break 21?

                         

                        Either way, I would definitely shoot for the 3:30.  I wouldn't try for much lower than that though.  The first marathon is always quite a learning experience!

                         

                        Best of luck.  Let us know how it goes.

                         

                        Rick

                        2018 Goals

                        Figure out the achilles thing...... and THEN try to get running regularly again.

                        No racing goals 

                         

                          I just read through your log - you should definately shoot for something faster than 3:40.  I ran 3:47 in December and didn't have nearly the base that you have now - and I think I could have run 5 min faster with better confidence.   Run the first 10 miles at 8:00 and don't be afraid to push it from there.  

                           

                          With some encouragement from my dad I recently ran a 42:50 10K - mostly because he gave me the confidence to really push myself.  I had been planning on a 45 min race. 

                          Goals: 20:00 5K, 3:30 Marathon, Finish Marathon, 4:00 Marathon, Finish IronMan, 45:00 10K

                          stadjak


                          Interval Junkie --Nobby

                            Guys, thanks so much for the encouragement and more importantly, reviewing my log and giving me your honest assessments.  I'm new to this distance running thing, so don't have the experience to judge my own progress with any accuracy.

                             

                            I took your advice and rigged up two runs this weekend to test things out.  Saturday an 8mi @ 7:45 pace (bracketed by warm-up/down for 11.5mi).  Then on Sunday I did a 20mi pace test: 2mi warm-up (9:00), 12mi(8:00), 4mi(7:45), 4mi(8:00).  I hit all my mile markers.  At the end I certainly had more in the bucket. Not sure about 6mi more at 8:00, but it felt possible.  The run was in control the whole time (comfortably pretty hard).

                             

                            Based on the above, I think you are right; 3:30 is possible.   There is still a taper to go and a marathon to learn.  So a lot can happen.  But thanks to you guys I feel very confident I'm on the right track.*

                             

                            * A lot of my concern comes from my running partner who is very conservative and ran his first in Nov.  He's my defacto mentor -- since he's the only one I know who has run a marathon before.  He councils me to enjoy the show and stick with 9:10 as my pace because that's what we do in our LSD usually to ensure I complete.  As mentioned, I'm willing to accept the risk of not completing for the chance of running close to my limit.

                            2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do


                            Why is it sideways?

                              Umm, yeah, 3:30 is a very conservative target.


                              Doc, my tooth hurts

                                  As mentioned, I'm willing to accept the risk of not completing for the chance of running close to my limit.

                                 I love this attitude.

                                 

                                Looking at your log, you have more mileage and better training than I had when I ran 3:23.  I know everyone is different, but you should be feeling pretty confident.

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