Training Plan - Week 10

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 7 mile run
Thursday: 4 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 15 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: Half way home. You have nine weeks of marathon training behind you and nine more to go. After a stepback week, this is the beginning of another three-week cycle. I have long runs of 15 and 16 miles planned for you over the next two weekends. Your weekly mileage will also increase to 32 miles during this next cycle. As you rest today, contemplate the training behind and the training ahead. Are you well-positioned for the next push upward in distance? I certainly hope so.

Tuesday: Three miles followed by strength training if you choose. And don't forget to stretch after you run and stretch also between lifts. Warm up is important. Research shows that warm tissues stretch better than cold tissues. Many runners interpret this to mean that you jog 5-10 minutes before stopping to stretch.

Wednesday: Seven miles today. Our midweek, sorta long run. Do you know what pace you plan to run in the marathon? This might be a good time to practice it--at least in the middle miles. Running 7 miles on a weekday is not easy, and it does take time. These longish weekday workouts may be increasingly difficult for those of you with busy work schedules, not because of the extra training load, but because of the extra time required. Plan ahead. Make sure you allow yourself ample time for this workout. You can do it.

Thursday: Four easy miles. Make this an even easier workout than usual. Consider the fact that you have a 15-miler coming at you this weekend. That's a lot of running. By running easy today and resting tomorrow, you are loading the gun so you are assured of running well on the weekend.

Friday: On this day of rest before a weekend during which you have your longest run so far scheduled, pause and consider how far you have come since starting your marathon training nine-plus weeks ago. Have you begun to notice any improvements? Improvements are not always easy to measure day by day or even week by week, but think back to nine weeks ago. Or think back to nine months before then. You may not have lost nine pounds in the past nine-plus weeks. You may not have discovered muscles you didn't know you had. But you should begin to notice some improvements in your fitness level and some improvement in your overall ability to run. This training program is designed to help you to finish a marathon. Hopefully, your confidence has begun to grow.

Saturday: Run long. Fifteen miles. That's three-fourths of the longest distance (20) I'll ask you to run in this marathon training program. By now, you should begin to adapt to the rhythm of these long runs. Don't do them too fast. Take walking breaks if necessary. And remember: unless you're a speed demon, you're going to be running for a relatively long period of time. If the weather is warm, you will dehydrate. Take a good swig of water just before you start to run and if there are any water fountains on the course you choose, don't run past them. You might even consider carrying a water bottle. Dehydration becomes more of a factor the longer you run and the higher the temperature. If you can't find water fountains along your route, consider purchasing a belt for carrying fluids. Yes, you have a right to finish a 15-miler feeling tired, but you should not finish exhausted. Running steady pace is the secret to marathon success.

Sunday: Cross-training today. By now you probably have determined the cross-training routine that works best for you. But don't be afraid to vary it. Is rollerblading okay? Yes, if you're used to doing it and wear proper equipment so you don't get hurt if you fall down. But if you're new to the activity, or inexperienced, don't start now. What about soccer? Or tennis? Basketball? While they may be fun, sports that feature sideways or up-and-down movements are risky, particularly as the mileage builds. Choose your cross-training sport carefully. Remember that the day after a long run is a good time to do some extra stretching. Even a 5- or 10-minute swim at the end of a cross-training workout will help loosen you up.

Tip of the Week: Practice makes perfect. Practice not only running, but everything else related to race day. That includes equipment. Do you know what shoes you'll wear on race day? Buy a new pair now! How about shorts and singlet? Test your clothing in training to make sure nothing chafes or causes a blister. Do you expect hot or cold weather race day? Weather can be unpredictable. Will you be prepared if the temperature suddenly drops (or rises) 30 degrees on race day? Consider every scenario you might encounter.

I'm so proud of how far you've come, and can't wait to watch you go even further!!

Get outside and run girl!

Last week looked like this.

Tuesday - 3 miles at 11:30 pace treadmill

Wednesday 7 miles = 86 minutes treadmill

Thursday - felt really outta gas. Did 2 miles at 11:30 pace, 1 mile at 12:30 pace, 1 mile at 13:20 treadmill.

Sunday - 8.5 miles outside at approx. 11 minute mile.

Training Plan - Week 9

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 7 mile run
Thursday: 4 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 10 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Details soon...

Kickin it up a notch

So today I ran a solid 3 miles and it felt good. I kicked up the pace on the treadmill to an 11:00 pace which is still slow but the fastest time for me yet. I did some sit-ups after too. Looking forward to getting outside this weekend. I think it is supposed to snow tomorrow.

Saturday 12.5 miles 2h 45 min.
Sunday cross trained. Lots of walking and some basketball
Monday Rest ahhhhhhh
Tuesday 3.0 miles 33:22

It's March already

Well last week was pretty uneventful except for the fact that I did my longest run yet. 12 miles on Saturday and you know after mile 7 I just kept going and it wasn't that big of a deal. Also key in the equation were the bananas, power drink and GU that helped me through the over 2.5 hour run. Did the 3,6,3 runs respectively last week too. Goal for the week keep better track of the times this week. Busy week this week with conferences etc. in the evenings. It will be tough to get the workouts in but that is why it is called workouts not playouts.

Training Plan - Week 8

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 6 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 13 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: Rest day. You'll need it, because the mileage continues to climb this week--subtly, though inexorably. You have seven weeks behind you; you have 11 weeks ahead of you. Your total mileage this week is 25, just short of the distance you'll cover in the marathon itself. Your long run will be 13 miles, half the distance of the marathon. Looking ahead, you may wonder: Will I really be able to accomplish what I set out to do? Yes, you will. Look back at where you were when you started this program. Think of all the progress you've made so far.

Tuesday: Three miles at your usual comfortable pace. On these midweek workouts, run at a time convenient for you, a time when you will feel comfortable running.

Wednesday: Six miles. If so, you might want to run a nudge faster this day. Don't push too hard at the start, but see if you can pick up the pace the last mile or two. The fact that you're moving at a slightly faster pace over a slightly longer distance doesn't mean you can't hold a conversation with a partner while running, but allow yourself the luxury of getting slightly out of breath. Important to success in any sport is a distance base, and that is one of the purposes for running a bit longer today.

Thursday: Another 3-miler. Comfortable pace. You may get a bit bored running the same, or near-same, distances day after day, week after week after week. There are a lot of short runs of 3 to 5 miles in this program. If it's an out-and-back course, your options are limited, but if it's a so-called "loop" course that goes in a circle, running it in the opposite direction will result in a needed change of scenery. Use the opportunity to do something different, when it suits your purpose, and don't be afraid to jump in a car occasionally and pick some scenic route you never have run before as a mood booster.

Friday: Preparing for the weekend's double-pronged endurance activities, claim a day of rest. Let's talk a bit about food... Frequently, when people become runners or run more, they find that they begin to eat differently. This is partly conscious and partly subconscious and reflects the fact that carbohydrates are the most efficient form of energy. People who embrace fitness routines discover this through their reading, but often it happens naturally. Runners crave carbs; their bodies tell them that breads and grains and fruits and vegetables are the best foods for fitness and for good health. You'll often find us in an Italian restaurant the night before long workouts or marathons.

Saturday: Run 13 miles, a significant distance, since it is half the distance you need to run in the marathon itself. You may finish this workout wondering how you'll ever be able to run twice as far. Trust me! You're not yet halfway through your training program. In another ten weeks, you'll be standing on the starting line at NMC well-trained and ready to roll. Use these long runs to practice your race strategy. You should begin to think about what shoes you'll wear on race day and also what outfit to wear: shorts, singlet and a cap to keep the sun off your head. Don't leave anything to chance. And continue to practice drinking as well, both water and the replacement drink you plan to encounter in the marathon.

Sunday: Cross-training. An hour of aerobic training. Don't push yourself too hard the day after your longest run so far. Go for a walk. Smell the flowers...er...snow. Listen to the birds..er..wind howling :). Take a bike ride. Swimming is a particularly effective way of loosening your muscles after a long run the day before. Next week is another stepback week, a change to gather your strength. In cross-training, you don't need to limit yourself to a single activity. Think like a triathlete: Combine sports. Follow a half hour on a bike with a dip in the pool. Walk for 45 minutes, then stretch for 15. Innovate. The most important point of cross-training on Sundays is that you not only train easy to recover from the long run the day before, but also you prepare for more of the same in the coming week. If you cross-train on Saturday before a long run on Sunday, don't train so hard that you compromise your long run.

Tip of the Week: To improve your ability to concentrate, visualize your race during workouts, particularly during marathon pace runs. "Put yourself into an emotional marathon mode," says Bob Williams, a coach from Portland. Oregon. "Picture different parts of the course." One workout, practice cruising miles 8-12; the next, rehearse miles 12-14. If you're running a hometown marathon, run specific portions of the course during practice for familiarization. If it's an out-of-town course, and you've run it before, replay the memory. Running Boston: Is there a hill similar to Heartbreak Hill near where you live? "Training on terrain similar to that on which you plan to race is essential," emphasizes Williams.

Still running

So it looks like some excuses here but I dio understand the purpose of the consistency here and feel that I am starting to get in the groove. 3 miles to me is not a big deal anymore. 5 is starting to be not as big a deal. Now I need to get over the 7 mile hurdle. Below is last week's progress.

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile (check)
Wednseday: 5 mile (check)
Thursday: 3 mile (OK I'm honest...got home from school at 8:00 pm. This is the first workout I've skipped)
Friday: rest
Saturday: 7 mile (Did 6 here because the time of day got away from me)
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.) Skiing at Crystal

Training Plan - Week 7

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 6 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 12 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: With six weeks behind us, you now have completed one-third of this 18-week marathon training program. Twelve more weeks to go! This is a day of rest. You'll need it, because the mileage continues to build toward your marathon goal. The long run at the end of this week is 12 miles, meaning you're getting up in distance. Add to that 12 more miles run during the middle of the week, and you're up to 24 miles run for the week. You are definitely making progress!

Tuesday: Three miles at a comfortable pace. The mileage for the Tuesday workouts remains consistent, but will change too as we get further into the program. While running your 3-mile easy run today, evaluate how your training is going. Today's workout should feel real easy to you, particularly after diminished mileage the week before plus yesterday's rest day. Resist the temptation to do more or run faster. So relax and enjoy today's run. I'm going to ask you to run somewhat more tomorrow.

Wednesday: Six miles today, a step upward from last week. As these midweek workouts continue to climb, you may need to budget more time out of your schedule.

Thursday: Three easy miles. Assuming you do some strength training in combination with this run, as you move from exercise to exercise, don’t rush and don’t waste time watching the TV. Stay focused on your workout by stretching in between. "It’s very important while strength training to have a stretching routine," warns personal trainer Cathy Vasto. "You don’t want to lose your flexibility, which can happen if you forget to stretch. Eccentric contractions (which occur when lowering the weights) actually can tighten the muscles." Stretching while strength training provides a double dose of conditioning in a minimum of time.

Friday: Rest today will provide just that extra dose of recovery necessary for you to have a good weekend of workouts. While the focus on this training program is increasing the quantity of your training, you can't achieve either quantity or quality in your workouts unless you come into the days you run hard well rested. And "hard" is what I have scheduled for you tomorrow, considering the distance. You'll be able to accomplish tomorrow's long run much more successfully if you are rested and ready. This means getting a good night's sleep tonight too. Social considerations aside, you probably don't want to hang out all night, then be forced to get up the next morning and train hard. What's important in life to you? Make that decision and follow up on it.

Saturday: Run long. Twelve miles. You have now doubled the distance of your longest run in the previous six weeks. Make certain you don't run this workout too hard. Running long workouts too fast is a major training error. Be conservative in your approach to training, and you're more likely to succeed. Don't be embarrassed to stop and walk briefly. You may need to do so in the marathon. The trick is to walk before being forced to.

Sunday: Cross-training today. Walk, bike, swim: your choice. But before we end this week of instructions, let's talk briefly about calorie burn. Running will help you maintain or lose weight. You burn the same number of calories (about 100) walking a mile as you do running a mile. That seems unfair, but calorie burn is related to foot-pounds: how many pounds you push over so many feet. Since you lose 1 pound for every 3,500 calories burned, theoretically by running 24 miles this week you will have lost the equivalent of 2/3 pound compared to if you hadn't run. That assumes your eating habits didn't change. You can lose weight faster by combining diet and exercise, which is the best way to lose weight as well as keep it off.

Tip of the week: Marathoners need to learn the value of strength. If you plan to win the marathon, running is not enough. Most top runners head to the gym two or three times a week to pump iron. That's good advice for anybody. Machines and barbells work for the elite, but you can stay in shape with push-ups and sit-ups in your own basement. Then you can flex your muscles while crossing the finish line on May 23rd.