Beginners and Beyond

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My (Flexible) 2013 Running Plan, Advice and Opinions GREATLY appreciated and wanted! (Read 274 times)

FreeSoul87


Runs4Sanity

    I think it's open to anyone seeing it......... if not then http://www.runningahead.com/logs/6d1d5cb5e27e4230a9d79029229a9ba6/plans/dbc56c1ef43d452d945e04427aeb4c42

     

    It is not a set plan, just something I would like to go by this year. There is one problem, as you'll notice one week I run Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with my tempo run on Wednesday. I would like to have my tempo runs every Wednesday but I don't know what distance I should have it on the other week where I would be running Tuesday (easy) / Wednesday (tempo) / Thursday (easy) so it would be back to back and that will be a first for me so I am not sure if I should do maybe 3 miles for a start (you know, a couple weeks) or more.... or less. Right now, for example this week I am running Monday ( 5 easy) / Wednesday (6 tempo) / Friday (5 easy) / Sunday (9 long) which will be a total of 25 miles but then since I don't have a tempo run for the following week, my weekly mileage will end up being 19.................. so I drop 6 miles. Someone help me, and other than that, any suggestions or needed tweaks would be greatly appreciated. If you can't see my plan, well then that sucks.

    *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

    PRs

    5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

    10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

    15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

    13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

     26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

    So_Im_a_Runner


    Go figure

      Can you clarify...are you running 4 days one week, then 3 days the next, as a general tenet of your plan?

       

      okay, I got un-lazy and looked at the plan and see that you are intending to do the 4/3. Basically, I just think your plan lacks variety and doesn't do any building. I'd recommend trying to take advantage of the fitness you're building by adding to your mileage. Think about the 10% rule. As you build, that weekend long run distance can become your medium long midweek run distance. Also, consider some other kinds of runs: hill repeats, intervals, fartleks, progression runs, etc.

       

      My final recommendation is to try to get yourself to where yo are running consecutive days. I really think this creates adaptions you don't otherwise get, and know that my own running took off after this change.

       

      Final, final thought...have you had injury troubles in the past? Doing a cutback week every other week is very conservative if you haven't, You could work towards doing 2 and eventually 3 weeks of building before a cutback. Just remember to build conservatively and pay attention to your body.

      Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn

      xor


        You kind of lost me in that post, but in terms of "19 miles isn't enough this week, what else should I run?"... you can't go wrong with easy miles.  A hill workout (or fill in the intervals, or fartlek, or the tempo run it sounds like you want anyway) is probably fine too.  Depending on the context of your goals.

         

        Anyway, this is one of those posts that would be really good on the main Running 101 board here in RA.  You might get input from some great runners and a cat named Nobby.  When Nobby speaks, listen.

         

        FreeSoul87


        Runs4Sanity

          First to So_Im_a_Runner - I'd like to run 4 every week, and maybe sometime this year add a 5th day (hills or speed training). I've been doing well so far with the week that is 4 days of running, so I want to go ahead and add a tempo run to the other week and preferable Wednesday in between the two easy runs but I am not sure at what mileage I should start it... 1, 2, 3 or 4 maybe? I don't want to just add an extra 5 or 6 miles to that week for fear of injury.

          srlopez, like I said to SIAR, I'd like to add a tempo run to the week that doesn't have it. Hills or fartleks can be added as a fifth day later when I feel ready to add a fifth day, but my main issue is for example next week, if I add a tempo run on Wednesday how many miles should I make it. I feel 1 mile would be too little, but I know 4 or 6 would be too much. I am ready to start running my weekly mileage between 20-25 and I am interested in reaching 30 sometime this year.

          I guess my main question is, if I add the 4th day to the week that only has 3 and make it a tempo run, how much would be safe (miles) and keep me from getting injured?

          Oh and I feel comfortable in this group, I don't know if I want to go and post anywhere else Smile

          *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

          PRs

          5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

          10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

          15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

          13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

           26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

          xor


            Yes, a 1 mile tempo run is likely too short.  When it comes to the typical tempo run (using the Daniels terms of "comfortably hard" and "a pace you could hold for about an hour"), many people find 20-45 minutes "comfortably hard" to be very darned handy.  Plus, 1-2 miles beforehand to warm up... essentially that will give you 40-60ish miles out running.  I do it by time, not by strict miles.

             

            Note that you can get more complicated regarding tempo runs... and Daniels adjusts stuff along the way.... but a plain ol' tempo run needn't be complicated.  Nor does it have to be the exact same each week.  One week longer, the next week shorter.  Or not even, specifically, every week.

             

            So_Im_a_Runner


            Go figure

              If you're mostly worried about adding that 4th day, I'd think about it in terms of 10% of your mileage for that week - essentially 2 miles. That's a little low given what you can probably handle, so I'd think about something like 1 mile warmup, 2x4 min tempo pace with 4 min active recovery, then a mile cool down. Eventually, I still say you can build to where you're doing a 25 mile week, then a 27, then a cutback to 19.

              Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn

              FreeSoul87


              Runs4Sanity

                If you're mostly worried about adding that 4th day, I'd think about it in terms of 10% of your mileage for that week - essentially 2 miles. That's a little low given what you can probably handle, so I'd think about something like 1 mile warmup, 2x4 min tempo pace with 4 min active recovery, then a mile cool down. Eventually, I still say you can build to where you're doing a 25 mile week, then a 27, then a cutback to 19.

                 

                You confused me, lol.

                First, thanks srlopez, I might try a 30-40 minute tempo run rather than worry so much about the mileage. I do plan on having weeks that are kind of recovery weeks, like after the first 27 mark, I might drop the following week to 19 or 20 or something like that. Again, this is a set plan but something I would like to go by, while keeping it flexible. I do want to focus this year on staying around the 25 mile mark without injury and without burning myself out so there will definitely be weeks with mileage around 19 or 20.

                *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

                PRs

                5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

                10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

                15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

                13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

                 26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

                Love the Half


                  I started doing a version of tempo runs soon after I could run 3 miles.  I'd do a half mile warm up, then run 2 miles fairly hard, then do a half mile cool down.  Does that fit the standard definition of a "tempo run?"  No.  First, and probably most importantly, the warm up isn't sufficient.  If I were doing it again, I'd run a mile warm up and then 2 miles tempo and skip the cool down as cool downs don't really make a difference in terms of injury prevention unlike warm ups.  Second, that 2 miles didn't get me 20 minutes even then and that's kind of the lower limit for traditional tempo runs.  For some people though, 2 miles run fairly hard might get them 20 minutes.

                   

                  Even so, I think I benefited from those runs.  I started learning how to keep running faster even after I was uncomfortable and that may be the most critical lesson learned early when doing tempo runs.

                  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).

                  FreeSoul87


                  Runs4Sanity

                    I started doing a version of tempo runs soon after I could run 3 miles.  I'd do a half mile warm up, then run 2 miles fairly hard, then do a half mile cool down.  Does that fit the standard definition of a "tempo run?"  No.  First, and probably most importantly, the warm up isn't sufficient.  If I were doing it again, I'd run a mile warm up and then 2 miles tempo and skip the cool down as cool downs don't really make a difference in terms of injury prevention unlike warm ups.  Second, that 2 miles didn't get me 20 minutes even then and that's kind of the lower limit for traditional tempo runs.  For some people though, 2 miles run fairly hard might get them 20 minutes.

                     

                    Even so, I think I benefited from those runs.  I started learning how to keep running faster even after I was uncomfortable and that may be the most critical lesson learned early when doing tempo runs.

                     

                    Yeah, if I do add a tempo run to the week that I don't have one, it will most likely start at 3 or 4 miles first.

                    *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

                    PRs

                    5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

                    10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

                    15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

                    13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

                     26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)

                    MA runner girl


                      I would say you should be fine adding a 4th run on your 3 day weeks. If you're worried about 3 days in a row at this point, can you just switch your plan to run Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday every week?

                      PRs: 5k - 21:22, half marathon - 1:39:43, marathon - 3:37:16

                      FreeSoul87


                      Runs4Sanity

                        Hmmm...... maybe.......

                        *Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*

                        PRs

                        5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace) 

                        10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)

                        15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)

                        13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)

                         26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)