So I was going to do the 18-week Advanced plan, which should've started 3 weeks ago but I had an injury setback. I am hopeful at some point fairly soon to feel healthy enough to jump into it, although they do not have a canned shorter version that I am aware of (like the 12-week Pfitz plan). I may look at something closer to the Beginner plan if I feel safer running 5 days/wk instead of 6. But either way - how do I handle the Tuesday Speed/Strength workouts? Cut out an equal number of weeks from both Speed & Strength sections? Or is one of them more important to maintain as-is? Then the next question would be of course which specific workouts to cut.
Thanks for any comments.
Dave
Take a look at how the beginner plan ramps up the quality work. They start with a base of easy miles, then I think they cut the speed workouts in half (compared to the advanced) but maintain the strength workouts. The tempo runs also start later, but ramp up a little faster so that you end up in the same place. I believe that they also shorten the warmup and cooldown on the quality days so that you're not putting as much time on your feet it.
I honestly do not think I'd try Hanson's on just 5 days a week, though. The point is stacking mild levels of fatigue by running fairly even miles throughout the week, but with only the one day recovery (the day after the speed/strength). I don't think the plan would be effective on 5 days. Either you'd be too long on your feet on the other days to make up the missed mileage, or you'd cut the meat of the program too much for it to be effective.
Are you talking about the Tuesday/Thursday speed/strength or just the Tuesday workouts?
I believe it's better to miss the speed workouts than the strength workouts. But I wouldn't cut down to 5 days a week.
It's kind of an intense plan to jump into though while recovering from an injury. I've used it twice and it's harder than it looks on paper.
Just the Tuesday. The Thursday is all Tempo/MP miles, so I think that should be pretty straightforward to adjust the ramp-up.
I would look at the beginner's plan since you would be right up to where the speedwork starts and/or mileage starts to build, so you still have time. You can always add more miles to the easy runs and warmup/cooldown to make it closer to the Advanced plan if you decide on the beginner's.
Damaris
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I believe it's better to miss the speed workouts than the strength workouts. But I wouldn't cut down to 5 days a week. It's kind of an intense plan to jump into though while recovering from an injury. I've used it twice and it's harder than it looks on paper.
Thanks.
Scratch the 5 days/week brain fart. If I need that I will just have to do something completely different. I had in my head the Beginner plan is 5 days/wk, but looking again now I see that is only the first 5 weeks, before adding the 6th day.
I just started the plan, so I can't really help you. So far, only the fact that the rest day is on Wednesday seems strange to me. I haven't really started with the speedwork yet.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
And it's funny you are right, it really doesn't look too bad on paper, although I have heard enough otherwise to know better.
I have only been dealing with the injury the last few weeks; ideally it will just be a blip & I will be able to get back into it soon, I think I was in pretty good shape before it hit. If it lingers I may have to pull out completely & this thread would have been pointless. But let's be optimistic for the sake of argument.
You're doing Hansons?
Yes, the 20 week plan.
Edit: This week is my 4th week and I will have my first tempo run, which is at MP. A tempo run at MP? I'm so used to Pfitz' definitions that I have it in my mind that tempo should be about 15k pace...
Yes, the 20 week plan. Edit: This week is my 4th week and I will have my first tempo run, which is at MP. A tempo run at MP? I'm so used to Pfitz' definitions that I have it in my mind that tempo should be about 15k pace...
The 60-80mpw one? That one looks tough. You'll do well on it (follow it though!)
I didn't know that either!
I did Hanson for two days. It's not for the asthmatic lungs during Summer. I will try again when the temps get down to below 90F.
Yes, that one. Thanks!
Don't get too hung up on what they call them. I wish Hansons would just call those runs "MP runs" and be done with it.
By the way I am a big fan of those workouts when training for a marathon.