Training Blog for HM runners - all welcome (Read 983 times)

Ok, like I said, I've starting training for my first Half Marathon. Here's a secret: I have two races in mind. I have the race I'd like to do, the Inside-Out Sports Classic HM on Oct 22, and I have a fall-back race in case I need a few extra weeks of training, the Outer Banks HM on Nov 12, which I mentioned earlier in another thread. Really I would like to run in the one in Oct. It's right here in town, so I won't have to travel, and it's a pretty course. It just made sense to me to have a one-step-back plan that I could use if I needed more time, so that I wouldn't feel like it was an all-or-nothing kind of thing and possibly end up quitting if I got a couple of weeks behind. I'm trying really hard to go by Higdon's Novice Half-Marathon training program. I've discovered, though, that since it has you running only 3 or 4 times / week, I may end up sneaking in an extra run here and there... The short time that I was running 5 days/wk it just felt (psychologically) "right" for me. ::ahem:: Then I hurt my hip. Hmm... Maybe it wasn't physically right for me right then, but I know that it felt good to run 5 days/wk. Higdon includes strength training and cross-training, so maybe that extra work will take up enough energy that I won't miss my fifth day so bad... This was a good, but tough, running week for me. I've allowed myself two extra weeks at the start of the program to get in the swing of things, and I'm glad I did. I was able to do all of the workouts on Week 1, but the days were all scrambled. Of course, having to take your car in for repairs and then pick it up (on foot) doesn't help either... Or my screwy work schedule... But that'll be getting better in a couple of weeks. Here's how the week went: Planned Mon - stretch & strengthen Tue - 3 mile run Wed - 2 mile run or crosstrain Thurs - 3 mile run & strength Fri - rest Sat - 30 min crosstraining Sun - 4 mile "long" run Actual Mon - 3 mile run Tue - stretch & strenghten Wed - 35 minutes crosstrain Thurs - 3 mile run Fri - 2.4 miles & strength training Sat - rest Sun - 4 miles, done with music that moved my feet faster than normal. In all, it was pretty close to the planned week, maybe a touch more. I will try to do the same workouts next week (when again I'll be taking my car BACK to the shop to try to get them to fix the job they botched...).

Great thread...as usual! I am training for the Kansas City Half in October. There are two friends of mine that are training for the same race, but we are not training together right now. One guy is too fast and we would slow him down, and the other is currently taking a little time off to heal. So it's just me out there. Here is a typical week for me: Mon: Rest and stretch Tues: 3.3 easy miles around the neighborhood Wed: Rest and stretch Thurs: Speed work (sorta)...1 mile warm up and cool down and an increasing # of miles (3 miles this week) Predictive Race Pace (what I think I'm going to run the HM at) It's a great tempo run and let's me know what to expect on race day. Fri: Rest and stretch Sat: 3.3 easy around the hood Sun: Long run...6 miles this week I also bike to work and back every day during the week. It's 8.6 miles round trip. It's only a 20 minute work out in the AM and 20 minutes in the PM, but I keep my heart rate between 70-80% to get the max out of an easy workout.

I really enjoy a nice easy run between my harder (long or PRP) days. I like to keep them short and nothing fancy. I don't know if you use a heart rate monitor or not, but since I started using one, I feel like I'm getting a much higher quality of workouts. Do you either of you use them?

I use one almost all the time. I love it! I bought a Polar A3 off the internet a while back. I think it's a discontinued model even though it's still available. It lets me set a range, will beep out of the range, gives me a workout time, time in zone, and average HR. It does NOT let me do anything with laps or intervals, I can't download anything, and it doesn't give a max HR. In general Polar's a good brand, though there are others, of course! I had some trouble with an Acumen and ended up returning it - twice. Wasn't going to let them ship me a third dud, so I switched brands. I've found that at my training range (135 - 145 BPM) I feel an urge to breathe deeper, but would have no trouble carrying on an interesting conversation. Prior to my starting to use it, I was running at a pace where I was always a little out of breath - say 3 or 4 words and breathe hard and then say a few more. The little beep on the alarm reminds me both to slow down AND to speed up when I'm daydreaming and just kind of drifting... LOL! I have the same problem with driving my car! Either speeding a bit or just kind of drifting, slower and slower... enjoying the drive... listening to the music... etc. Out of curiosity I wore it on my last 5K, and discovered I race at a rather high HR! 180 - 190 sustained over 40 minutes. (Yes, 5K in 40 minutes...) I topped out at 196... though it may have actually been possible for it to go higher, I don't know. I am sure I won't be able to race for longer distances at this effort level... and I wonder if I should plan on running with the monitor for my 10K and HM... I also wonder what level would be sustainable for longer distances. If I hadn't kicked a little early (oops!) I probably could have tagged another half mile to mile on to the end of that 5K and been alright, so I'm guessing if I can keep it around 170ish for most of the way for a 10K I'll be fine. But it's just a guess. My longest run to date has been 6.9 miles, but it was using the monitor (135 - 145 BPM), so it took about 2 hrs and 10 minutes. Other than my feet being tired I finished that in pretty good shape. Okay, it was during the same time my hip was hurting, but I swear it was hurting BEFORE I started that long run... Okay, that makes me sound even MORE foolish, but it's true!

You are supposed to be able to hold a conversation (if your Janel, an "interesting conversation")

Well, if it's not an "interesting" conversation, why would you bother to have it in the first place? I actually meant "interesting" as in you'd get into it and be able to concentrate on it (rather than your breathing!) but I guess it kinda sounded like I was saying all MY conversations would be interesting. Which I guess, to me, they would be, so that's not too far off! LOL! It's so hard to be humble when you're this great!

I'm aiming for the Grand Rapids, MI HM Oct 29, which I think Kirsten is going to run with me. Next year, we are going to make it the full marathon, right Blondie?? Kirsten is supposed to email the list of runs she wants to do & if all dates & the finances agree, I plan to run them all with her (if they are 10K or longer). I'll do one 5K, the Susan G Komen race, as it is a cause I feel very strongly about. Other than that race though, 5K is too short to be really fun. I don't mind our virtual 5K's because I can map it out ahead of time & just take a 5K segment out of a longer run. I've been REALLY slow on the running for the last month due to a busy summer. I haven't even had time to log the very few miles I've been able to run! I'm hoping to pick it back up this week & next. We leave for our trip to Norway on July 30 & I'm hoping to get a run in every day while we are there, just to explore the areas we are staying. My hubby will be with me, so the runs will be shorter than my usual, but much faster & likely more painful!

Hi, Erin. Welcome back! Norway, huh? After Wyoming? Now I'm going to get jealous if you keep this up! Have a great time! Keep running! You can plan for "virtual" 5k/5m the first weekend of every month, if that helps!

How fun, I can run my Aug virtual in Norway!!! Sorry to make you jealous...I lived there as an exchange student in high school & this is the first time I've been back since (it has been just a couple years) So for me, this is the trip of a life time!! Two weeks there, one with a good friend & to her wedding, then the second w/ the host family I lived with. I'm so excited!!!!!! Did I mention how excited I was???