Beginners and Beyond

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Anyone feel like looking at my training plan and giving feedback? *Updated* (Read 132 times)

kristin10185


Skirt Runner

    That's not a bad idea!

     

    Just a suggestion about that race.  If you don't want to go all out, you can still treat it as a speed session.  Perhaps you can run the first three miles at an easy pace then hammer the last two.  Maybe you could use it as a tempo run where you run the first mile easy, the middle three fairly hard, and the last mile easy (tough to do because you have to resist the temptation to sprint when you're getting passed near the end).  You could also treat it as a progression run and try to run each mile 10-15 seconds faster than the previous mile.

    PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

     

    I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

    meaghansketch


      Hi Kristin- I've been following the thread but didn't want to butt in because you've gotten such good advice so far!  I have nothing to add except to wish you well with your mileage buildup.  I will be doing Coogan's also this March-- good luck to both of us and maybe I'll see you there!

      kristin10185


      Skirt Runner

        Hi Kristin- I've been following the thread but didn't want to butt in because you've gotten such good advice so far!  I have nothing to add except to wish you well with your mileage buildup.  I will be doing Coogan's also this March-- good luck to both of us and maybe I'll see you there!

         

        Thanks meghan! Good luck to you too! I am excited, should be a really fun race!

        PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

         

        I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

        Coastal


          Lots of good advice in this thread.  I have little to add other than maybe think of doing some hill work as a way to build strength and work on speed with less stress on your legs.  Start with one or two short 10 second hill sprints, and add one or two a week until you are up to ten.  If possible, do your regular easy run then do the hills at the end.  You could also try running hills on your regular route, just be careful on the downhills.  You can even "charge" hills while on a regular run, shifting to a 10K or 5K (approximate) pace, and ease your way down the other side.

          kristin10185


          Skirt Runner

            I live in a VERY hilly area so this would be easy to do....

            most of my regular routes have hills, though I've been shying away feom them with the ITBS. For a hill sprint, would I sprint up and then walk down?

            Lots of good advice in this thread.  I have little to add other than maybe think of doing some hill work as a way to build strength and work on speed with less stress on your legs.  Start with one or two short 10 second hill sprints, and add one or two a week until you are up to ten.  If possible, do your regular easy run then do the hills at the end.  You could also try running hills on your regular route, just be careful on the downhills.  You can even "charge" hills while on a regular run, shifting to a 10K or 5K (approximate) pace, and ease your way down the other side.

            PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

             

            I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

            Gustav1


            Fear is a Liar

              kristin - The first thing I would do is swap the weekend runs - do the long run on Sat and make Sun the shorter recovery run.

              Two other things which are minor: 1) The plan is always increasing - there isn't any real cut back week or weeks where you hold your mileage. I don't know if it is too big of a deal since the weekly increase is small. I understand what you are doing - you're base building and race training at the same time which leads to - 2) Your goal is the 10 mile race at the end. When you start bumping your long run from 6 to 7 to 8 to 9 etc. it may seem difficult or too much to do. You might find yourself either struggling thru it just to get it done or cutting it short and trying again next week.

               

              It does look like a good and well thought out plan. Good luck!

              I'm so vegetarian I don't even eat animal crackers!

              kristin10185


              Skirt Runner

                Thanks. My race weeks are cutback or no increase weeks. And since I may not be "racing" most of them, the races themselves would probably not put too much stress on my body. That is the hope at least. And while I just have to play everything by ear right now, especially coming off an injury, those last few weeks where I will get up to distances I have not yet run before (10K is my longest run) I will really have to play those runs by ear. Honestly, from the way I was running in December, if I didn't get injured I think I would be running 9 milers by now no problem. I got through the Hal Higdon 10K Novice plan without a hiccup, the worst that happened was having to change the days of planned runs due to the bazillion things that happened over the 8 weeks of the plan (hurricane Sandy, 3 out of town weddings, ect), but I completed every mile, and never cut a long run short, and built up to 6 miles easily. But then of course, ended up with ITBS, so I can't say that building up will come as easily to my body again. My worst case scenario is only getting to 7 or 8 miles before the 10 mile race and maybe having to run/walk the race. And that is ok. Because my overall goal of establishing a solid base before training for my half will have been accomplished. And the 10 mile race I am running with one of my best friends and I will enjoy it even if I need to do some walking!

                 

                kristin - The first thing I would do is swap the weekend runs - do the long run on Sat and make Sun the shorter recovery run.

                Two other things which are minor: 1) The plan is always increasing - there isn't any real cut back week or weeks where you hold your mileage. I don't know if it is too big of a deal since the weekly increase is small. I understand what you are doing - you're base building and race training at the same time which leads to - 2) Your goal is the 10 mile race at the end. When you start bumping your long run from 6 to 7 to 8 to 9 etc. it may seem difficult or too much to do. You might find yourself either struggling thru it just to get it done or cutting it short and trying again next week.

                 

                It does look like a good and well thought out plan. Good luck!

                PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                 

                I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

                kristin10185


                Skirt Runner

                  Oh also....is there a specific reason you would put my shorter run after my LR and not before? As in overall physiological benefits? Also, is it ok to switch it around occasionally? Some weekends--because of plans, ect. I have more time for a LR on a Saturday, and sometimes I have more time on a Sunday.

                  PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                   

                  I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

                  Love the Half


                    Oh also....is there a specific reason you would put my shorter run after my LR and not before? As in overall physiological benefits? Also, is it ok to switch it around occasionally? Some weekends--because of plans, ect. I have more time for a LR on a Saturday, and sometimes I have more time on a Sunday.

                     

                    All of us have to adjust our training at times based on the real world.  I have, on occasion, done speed sessions two days in a row.  That's far from optimal as it means you have to go about 3/4 effort on both.  Still, it can be done as long as they aren't really long sessions.  You do what you have to do.

                    Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                    Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                    Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

                    Gustav1


                    Fear is a Liar

                      Putting the shorter run after the long run makes it a recovery run - it loosens up the legs , etc.  But like LTH mentions, in the real world you gotta do what you need to get your runs in.

                      I'm so vegetarian I don't even eat animal crackers!

                      kristin10185


                      Skirt Runner

                        I switched it in my plan....thanks Gustav. But I am sure there will be weeks that I have to change some things around for whatever reason (race, life, ect)

                         

                        Putting the shorter run after the long run makes it a recovery run - it loosens up the legs , etc.  But like LTH mentions, in the real world you gotta do what you need to get your runs in.

                        PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                         

                        I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

                        wcrunner2


                        Are we there, yet?

                          I switched it in my plan....thanks Gustav. But I am sure there will be weeks that I have to change some things around for whatever reason (race, life, ect)

                           

                          Kristen, you might want to hold off making changes to you plan untill you have several days or a week's worth of feedback from different folks. You'll likely get conflicting view and recommendations and may want to spend some time mulling over which best fits your needs and schedule. Looking at your schedule you have Monday as a rest day and Tuesday easy, so a Sunday long run would fit fine. It is true that an easy run the day after can help in recovery, but on the flip side, a short run the day before a long run so you go in possibly a little tired may enhance the training effect. As it is I don't think you need be concerned which day of the weekend you run long. Fit it in which ever day fits your schedule for that week. I also noticed you didn't make the swap for June 1st and 2nd. Your LR is still scheduled for Sunday that weekend. I'm certain this must have been mentioned somewhere about your lack of speedwork in the plan. At the very least I think you should add some strides once or twice a week if you haven't already decided to do that.

                           

                          At this point my only concern is the long run progression going up a mile every week late in the program. In the early part of the schedule when the increase is only .5 miles I don't see a problem, but from week 16 on with a full mile increase you need to monitor yourself carefully and not push to the point of complete exhaustion just to follow the schedule.

                           2024 Races:

                                03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                                05/11 - D3 50K
                                05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                                06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                           

                           

                               

                          kristin10185


                          Skirt Runner

                            Thanks. Sometimes, the day of my long run really does depend on life... But it doesn't matter to me which order I do it in most of the time. I have a few things going over the next 19 weeks (2 weddings, a trip) that may cause me to have to be flexible and do the longer run on whichever day I have the most time for it. But I'm open to and and welcoming of advice on which day makes the most sense for the majority of the weeks.

                             

                            As for speed work, I didn't "officially" put any on the plan, though I do plan to do some. I just don't know EXACTLY how yet. I've gotten some awesome advice, and I just need to figure out how I'm going to implement. I won't start it probably for a few weeks until I've eased into running again after being on the bench, and get used to running 4 days instead of 3. Then when I feel comfortable I will add speed work once I figure out how exactly I want to incorporate it. I will probably do strides eventually to start.

                             

                            As for the plan in May.... I plan to just follow my body I guess. If I don't have the LRs in me, then I don't. I guess I will figure out what that means for the 10 miler if and when I have to. Unless you or someone else has a different idea. Ialready registered for the race back in December. I am traveling 3.5 hours for it to run with one of my roommates from college, who got me into running. So I'd very much like to do the race as long as I'm not injured. But if I haven't gotten my LRs up high enough maybe I will run/walk or something.... I guess that is a bridge I need to cross when I come to it.

                             

                            Kristen, you might want to hold off making changes to you plan untill you have several days or a week's worth of feedback from different folks. You'll likely get conflicting view and recommendations and may want to spend some time mulling over which best fits your needs and schedule. Looking at your schedule you have Monday as a rest day and Tuesday easy, so a Sunday long run would fit fine. It is true that an easy run the day after can help in recovery, but on the flip side, a short run the day before a long run so you go in possibly a little tired may enhance the training effect. As it is I don't think you need be concerned which day of the weekend you run long. Fit it in which ever day fits your schedule for that week. I also noticed you didn't make the swap for June 1st and 2nd. Your LR is still scheduled for Sunday that weekend. I'm certain this must have been mentioned somewhere about your lack of speedwork in the plan. At the very least I think you should add some strides once or twice a week if you haven't already decided to do that.

                             

                            At this point my only concern is the long run progression going up a mile every week late in the program. In the early part of the schedule when the increase is only .5 miles I don't see a problem, but from week 16 on with a full mile increase you need to monitor yourself carefully and not push to the point of complete exhaustion just to follow the schedule.

                            PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

                             

                            I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

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