Friday, May 31, 2013

The Plan

I created a 4 week half marathon training plan that will incorporate FGF at least 3 days a week (sometimes 4 days) and running 3 days a week. I used my book “Run Less, Run Faster” to come up with the actual workouts and paces. Since I haven’t raced a 5K on fresh legs, I don’t know what my exact paces should be. I am planning on attempting a 5K tomorrow so hopefully I will have a gauge of what I should start off with for paces. I tentatively have paces penciled in a 21:00 min 5K, although I hope I can faster than that.

 I have no intentions of running more than 35 miles a week for the rest of the summer. Realistically my mileage will hover around 30 miles. My training plan will start the day of the Helvetia ½ Marathon on 6/8 and will end on 7/6 at the Negative Split ½ Marathon. I think that the 4 week test run will give me a good idea of what I can tweak if something isn’t working. After the Negative Split ½ I will come up with another plan that will get me through Spokane to Sandpoint.

I created three rough drafts for my training plan. I am still not sure which one I will go with.

Option number one sticks to the same training cycle that I have previously used, but swapping my Long Run to Sunday versus Saturday:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Long Run
FGF
FGF
Intervals
FGF
Tempo
OFF


I think option two enables even more recovery time:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
OFF
FGF
Intervals
FGF
Tempo
FGF
Long Run
(FGF?)


However, I do like the looks of draft number three:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
OFF
FGF
+ Easy run 3-5 miles
AM: Intervals
PM: FGF
Easy run
3-5 miles
AM:
Tempo
PM: FGF
OFF
Long Run
(FGF?)


I felt pretty good when I doubled up my run and FGF a couple of times during Windermere training. The only bad thing is that I am awful at waking up early in the morning to run. I hit snooze for at least an hour and that isn't a joke.

Here is a list of some tentative races:
6/8 Helvetia ½ Marathon (Portland)
7/6 Negative Split ½ Marathon (Spokane)
7/14 Missoula ½ Marathon (Missoula-tentative)
8/10 SeaWheeze ½ Marathon (Vancouver-tentative)
8/23-8/24 Spokane to Sandpoint Relay (running on a female ultra team)
9/15 Sandpoint ½ Marathon (Sandpoint)
10/5 Leavenworth ½ Marathon (Leavenworth)

Those are the “big” races at least. I think my “A” races will be the Negative Split and Sandpoint. I ran Sandpoint back in 2011 and know the course. I am also going to sprinkle in the occasional 5 & 10K distances.

Questions for you:
Do you make your own training plan?
Which plan would you select from above?

--Tasha

20 comments:

  1. I'll be running helvetia too! My first time! Good luck!

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    1. Good luck to you too Kayla! It is one of my favorite half marathons. Run with Paula always does such a terrific job putting on events.

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  2. I have grown to not really be a fan of training plans, and I just enjoy doing my thing. But when I am training, I need the structure, so I even make it or find one online!

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    1. I usually need to have a plan for the structure and so that I don't over train myself. I do like to just do my own thing so if I at least have guide lines then I am good.

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  3. I've put together a plan before but usually enlist a running coach friend to help tweak it. You could be a half fanatic!

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    1. I qualified for the half fanatics years ago, but I just never had the desire to be one officially. :-)

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  4. I've always put together my own training plan, gleaned from different sources of course.

    I think all three have their benefits. It all depends on how you are feeling. The last one is going to tax your body the most, as you know. I would caution having a long run and FGF on the same day. Not sure if that is what you meant above as a possibility on the last two options for Saturdays? Just speaking from my own experience. You know your body best :)

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    1. I like the third plan because I actually did better when I did the double days. That way an easy day was truly easy. If I am sore I can skip the run and ride my bike or only run 2-4 miles. IF I had my Saturday LR completed by 9:30 or 10:30 then I could do FGF. I realize that won't happen every week. :-)

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    2. I'm excited to see which plan you choose and how your body feels! :)

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  5. I like your 3rd plan, too. And I'm a fan of the Run Less Run Faster = Much needed rest days :) You could even make one of them an active rest yoga day. I just put together the majority of my marathon plan and I'm doing 3 run days for the first few weeks to get my mileage up a bit and then upping to 4 days but one is an optional intervals/hills - has a Yoga/active rest on M, LR on Sat, a cross train on Sun, and a full off day Fri. Running 5 days a week would put me in injury city.

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    1. I like the sounds of you marathon plan. I think that running 3 days per week is perfect. It is definitely ideal for me. I usually take either Friday or Saturday or even Sunday off. Right now I have decided against plan #2 so it will either be #1 or #3. The problem with #3 is getting my rear out of bed in the morning...

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  6. I'd go with plan #1, but that's because I'm so paranoid about injuries that I'm afraid to run more than 3 days a week, and I prefer Saturday long runs! I usually try to run M,W,Sa so that if something gets off in the schedule I can still get my long run in on Sunday with always having a full recovery day. All of these plans should be just fine though! :) I didn't see any triathlon plans on the schedule though....

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    1. I am leaning towards #1. #2 is already tossed. So many decisions!

      Not sure about a triathlon this summer. I got too busy and couldn't find one that would work with my schedule. Boo.

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  7. Have you tried out McMillan's calculators for paces also? I think my next training plan will combine that with Run Less, Fun Faster....which is definitely a GREAT book! I like to swim and lift weights too, so running 5 days a week is not always appealing to me!

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    1. Yes I have used McMillan's running calculator. I have utilized it a lot previously. It is a really handy tool. I love the RLRF book too!

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  8. Wow! That is a fun race schedule! How do you create your training plans? I find this confusing. And I COMPLETELY hear you on the snoozing for an hour :)

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    1. I use Run Less, Run Faster and look at my old training schedules to come up with new ones. Tweak what worked and didn't work. :-)

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  9. I like seeing your plan with cross-training because I only have 3 runs in my workout week (long run, temp, intervals) and cross train the other days. I always worry I'm not a 'proper' runner if I'm not running more days than not but it just works better for me, and for injury prevention!

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    1. Cross training should be included in your running schedule because it makes you a stronger runner and does help with injury prevention. I am always shocked that more people don't incorporate it with their running. I am glad that you do, your running will benefit from it in my opinion. Running 3 days a week is perfect for me and helps me fight off fatigue. You are definitely a runner even if you only run one day a week. At least in my opinion.

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