Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Simplicity needed

8 miles, 51:33

There are days I am very thankful that my Dad introduced me to running years ago. Without a doubt its caused me some upsets down the line, but all are extremely trivial when compared to the events of the last couple of days. However, running does offer me the chance to clear my mind more than any other activity, and without it I'd probably have gotten lost somewhere along life's paths long ago.
Todays run was maybe a little quick, but yesterday's run was a solemn slow recovery run and the legs benefited from it, and were feeling good today.
Yesterday was 20 weeks till marathon day. I'm finally going to practice what I preach and follow some of the information I've gleaned from my studies, and implement five 4 week cycles or 3 weeks on, 1 week recovery. I've got 3 races of increasing distance (5, 10, 13.1) interspersed nicely throughout, and am basically working on the following general idea:

Mon: Slow recovery run, 5-6 miles + weights/core
Tue: Easy run, 8 miles increasing in distance to 10-12 as I advance through training
Wed: Day off
Thur: 'Workout day' although not for another 3-4 weeks or so. Workouts will be tempo runs at slightly faster than marathon pace (~6:00pace) of 5-6 miles increasing to 12-14 miles in length or 3x3 miles (Jokin, I like your style)
Fri: Recovery run of 5-6 miles + weights /core
Sat: Easy run, 8 miles increasing to no more than 10
Sun: Long run, starting at 12 miles, and increasing to 20-22 miles, with the last of these 3 weeks out from the 'thon.

The recovery weeks will not include workouts, and mileage will be about 75% of the previous weeks work. Obviously given my body's love of all things stress related, there will be a great deal of variation to allow for recovery from niggles/injuries and will use this as a general guideline that is open to day to day interpretation. I am excited however, to have gotten to this point. As many times as I've thought/bluffed about the marathon, I'm at a point where its a realistic possibility, and feel that the above program can get me round in sub 2:50 despite the relatively low mileage volume. Thoughts, undoubted criticisms all welcome.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

i like the week's set up. sounds like you are being smart too. 2:50? don't be a punk, how about 2:42!

Anonymous said...

Right now all I care about is beating the old man's time which is 2:50 (although it's hard to even take much pride in that if I do it since he was 50 at the time)...I will revisit the time goal after the 1/2 either up or down depending on how the training goes

Coste said...

back of the envelope math says you'll top out at 70-75 miles. back of the shin math says that will give you a stress fracture.

looks a little aggressive given past history...

Anonymous said...

My math put it at topping out at 68, and that was with 6's on the recovery days. I'm guessing 65, and think I can manage. Granted history is on your side.