Do I need a plan? (Read 1368 times)

I've tried various plans, and have never stuck to one, they're either too easy or too hard - they just get in the way of doing what works best for me. So I ditched the plans, although I still look at them to get ideas, and have done what works for me, feels right, and gets me pointed towards my goals. Oh - and I have fun - that part's important. Sounds like you have a pretty good idea about what to do, and you can experiment with the various ideas that you mentioned, e.g., try out some longer long runs (I happen to really like long runs, but I hurt my brain back in the day...somehow... ... what was I saying?). Arla

You can't keep increasing your mileage forever. At some point you need to settle into a regular routine that works for you unless you are training for a particular distance. At that point you do need a plan. A good training plan has built in hard weeks and easy weeks and will allow you to increase your mileage much more quickly without getting hurt. It will also help you peak so that by race day you'll be in prime condition. I've always liked the Cool Running training plans. They are a little more aggressive than most but will prepare you well for the race you are training for. Don't be afraid to adjust a plan if it doesn't quite fit your lifestyle, just don't stray from the basic layout. The Cool Running Beginners Half Marathon program is 12 weeks long and peaks at about 35 miles a week. Tom

You can't keep increasing your mileage forever. At some point you need to settle into a regular routine that works for you unless you are training for a particular distance. At that point you do need a plan. A good training plan has built in hard weeks and easy weeks and will allow you to increase your mileage much more quickly without getting hurt. It will also help you peak so that by race day you'll be in prime condition. I've always liked the Cool Running training plans. They are a little more aggressive than most but will prepare you well for the race you are training for. Don't be afraid to adjust a plan if it doesn't quite fit your lifestyle, just don't stray from the basic layout. The Cool Running Beginners Half Marathon program is 12 weeks long and peaks at about 35 miles a week. Tom

I don't quite get why I would do a plan that peaks at 35 MPW when Im almost running that now.

I don't quite get why I would do a plan that peaks at 35 MPW when Im almost running that now.

There are also intermediate and advanced plans available but don't underestimate the toll the added speed work and long runs will take. You haven't been running long enough to have developed a solid base and you have little race experience. Tom

I have been running for about 4 months. Before my log that you will see here, I would get on the tmill at the gym and do 4-5 miles a day 4-5 times a week. I finally learned that was not the way to do things and I switched to what you can see on my log. I have worked up to six days a week. My question is this: Should I just keep doing what I am doing iincrease my long runs, staying within the 30% guideline, and incrementally increase my daily runs...also no more than 10% a week? Or should I start to stretch out my long runs. It seems like when I look at other people's logs they are running same number of miles but longer long runs. I have only done one 10K (57:ish). I do another 10K on the 6th of April. I just signed up for a half in November. Im happy doing what Im doing, but I wonder if I should be doing something more/else to prepare for the half. I guess Im kinda clueless of where to go next.

Anda, My two cents. Build miles primarily in your long run and a mid week semi long long runs on Day 2, 5 and 7 or however you adjust it. For example if you build to 40-45 miles over 6 days this would be my suggestion with the end miles being your goal down the road. Build slowly. If you race, eliminate the fast tempo work out that week. Day 1 4-6 easy Day 2 6-9 including your fast tempo intervals (as half approaches focus on goal pace) and 4-6 X 100M quick striders Day 3 4-6 easy Day 4 4-6 easy Day 5 8-12 Long w/ a faster finish or a few miles within at a faster pace like around 45 sec. slower than your - Apr. 6 10K pace (slowly work up to that as half approaches). If you choose to do this run at comfortable pace, then adjust Day 7 to below. Depends on how you want to do it. Day 6 off or cross train Day 7 5-8 easy (if you prefer to do your long run easy the whole way then work up to getting some quality it in this run. I suggest working up to 5 miles at slow tempo as half approaches. Slow tempo pace is round 1 min slower than current 5K pace or 45 sec. slower than current 10K pace and then finish w/ 4-6 X 100 quick striders. Good luck.

For example if you build to 40-45 miles over 6 days this would be my suggestion with the end miles being your goal down the road. Build slowly. If you race, eliminate the fast tempo work out that week.

WOW, that's serious weekly mileage for a half, especially for a beginner runner. I don't have any amazing times to boast, but I have finished half's on much less mileage (maybe 30 mpw, for marathon 45 mpw). Maybe my performance would improve with more miles, but I'd need some big time improvement to get my mileage up there. As Campisi said, a plan is nice if you have a time goal. Otherwise, I would just build up to a long run of 10 miles to be run 2 or 3 weeks before the date of the half. Certainly, if you can get up to an 11 miler, that would be ideal (I'd say there's no need to get to 12 or 13). A friend did a half last year as a really new runner, starting at a 2 miler, and worked up to 10 mlier. She did great, albeit slowly (11 min mi?), but ran and enjoyed the whole thing.

WOW, that's serious weekly mileage for a half, especially for a beginner runner.

Just to clarify. 40-45 miles is not really that much mileage. It certainly is very adequate but in a year or two if she built this to 60-80 miles per week her times would be much better. 40-45 miles is high mileage for for an absolute beginner but an absolute beginner would not start out running 4 days a week for 4-5 miles to start. Running a 10K in 57 minutes is also not a beginner. This tells me Andrei is fit with a strong base or genetically talented. Also, Andreia is giving herself another 7 months to do the half or about a year since she started running. She is increasing mileage gradually and being smart about this. She will no longer be a beginnng runner (she is already past the beginner stage) and was starting out as a very fit beginner. Also, I believe she wants to do more than "just finish". Andreia, please correct me if I am wrong. With the assumption of the above, this is why I recommended the guidelines above which I still feel are fairly conservative based on what I see. PS: Andreia, let us know your 10K time on Sunday. This can help determine training paces for you.