Category Archives: Training

01.08.14
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Yet another half marathon training plan!

After the WDW Half on Saturday(!!), the real half training starts! (I may die.) Every year, the East Nasty community does training for the Country Music Half, so I decided this would be a good way to incorporate some of my runs! At first, I planned on doing at least two runs a week with the group, including the long run each week. However, they want you to be able to run 5 miles without walking from the start, which I just can’t do right now (sigh!). So I’m going to do the speed workouts on Thursday nights (marked as 3rd runs below) with them and then maybe a few others, depending on how well I’m progressing. (So, please, no one invite me to do anything on a Thursday night in the next few months. I am easily swayed.)

I also plan on doing at least two runs on my own each week, with the first one usually including strides at the end. Plus I have the Hot Chocolate 15k coming up in February, so that will act as my long run for that week.

My goals for the Country Music Half:

  1. Finish!
  2. Get a PR.
  3. Try my hardest to do it without walking (except through water stops).

All runs are easy runs, unless designated otherwise. Pace times are listed below (and may be very optimistic because I know that’s not my current 5k pace).

Week 1st Run* 2nd Run 3rd Run** 4th Run Long Run
1.13-1.19 rest rest 6x short hill 5mi 5.5mi
1.20-1.26 3mi rest 8x short hill 5mi 6mi
1.27-2.02 3mi rest 2×10 min tempo 5mi 7.5mi
2.03-2.09 3mi rest 20 min tempo 5mi 9mi
2.10-2.16 3mi rest 5x long hill rest Hot Chocolate 15k
2.17-2.23 3mi rest 5x long hill 5mi 8mi
2.24-3.02 3mi rest 30 min tempo 5mi 9.5mi
3.03-3.09 3mi rest 30 min tempo 5mi 11mi
3.10-3.16 3mi rest 6x (800m 5k pace / 400m jog) 5mi 11mi
3.17-3.23 3mi 1mi goal pace 5x (1000m 5k pace / 400m jog) 5mi 12.5mi
3.24-3.30 3mi 2mi goal pace 4x (1200m 5k pace / 400m jog) 5mi 14mi
3.31-4.06 3mi 3mi goal pace 3x (1600m 5k pace / 400m jog) 5mi 12.5mi
4.07-4.13 3mi 4mi goal pace 3x2mi intervals 5mi 15k progressive
4.14-4.20 2mi 5mi goal pace 3mi goal pace 5mi 5mi
4.21-4.27 2mi rest 3mi rest Half marathon!

* 1st Runs will usually incorporate 8 strides at the end.
** 3rd Runs will be done with the East Nasty Half Marathon Training Group.

Pace Times:
Strides: 9:45-10:15 min/mi
5k pace: 10:15-10:45 min/mi
Tempo: 10:45-11:15 min/mi
Goal pace: 11:15-11:45 min/mi
Easy: 12:00-12:30 min/mi
Jog: 13:00+ min/mi

01.03.14
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2013: My First Year of Running

It’s been an interesting year. Although I started and stopped attempting to run in previous years, I consider 2013 to actually be my first year of running. I started on January 25, 2013.

2013 in review

Disclaimer: I didn’t start using Nike+ till mid-February, so some runs are not represented. Also, Nike+ has a tendency to record a longer distance than Garmin, so totals may not be in agreement with those below.

Stats

Number of runs: 142
Total distance ran: 410.9 miles
– on pavement: 336.2 miles
– on treadmill: 62.6 miles
– on trails: 12.1 miles
Total time ran: 88:48
Total elevation gained: 11,693 ft

January

Total mileage: 9.5 miles
Best week: 4.9 miles
Best mile: 12:36
I started off pretty slow. With my previous failed attempts at Couch to 5k, I wasn’t willing to just jump back into it. So I hopped on a treadmill in my old ratty Adidas sneakers and took off at my own pace. My first couple runs were a little over 2 miles each, averaging over 14 min miles. I tried running out on the pavement for some shorter runs, which I was able to do faster. Mostly, I was just trying to keep my runs around 30 minutes 3-4 times a week.

February

Total mileage: 20.9 miles
Best week: 6.4 miles
Best mile: 12:47
Best 5k: 41:51
Shoes Purchased: Skechers GoRun 2
This month was pretty similar to January, except I started throwing some 5k distance runs in the mix. I bought my first pair of real running shoes! By the end of the month, I could finish 3.1 miles in around 42 minutes.

March

Total mileage: 21.0 miles
Best week: 9.3 miles
Best mile: 12:39
Best 5k: 40:43
I kept my distance about the same in March, but worked on speed, doing things like hill repeats. Around the middle of the month, I achieved a best mile time of 12:39. The Color Run rounded out the end of the month.

April

Total mileage: 45.9 miles
Best week: 13.3 miles
Best mile: 10:26
Best 5k: 39:48
April is when I started to get serious. I had a 5k coming up in May that I wanted to do well in, so it was time for some mileage increases! I started back on week 3 of Couch to 5k. I doubled the distance I ran in March. I managed a best one mile effort of 10:26, and a best 5k effort of 39:48. I was running sometimes three or four days in a row, and I even attempted one six miler. Oh yeah, and I started this blog!

May

Total mileage: 46.0 miles
Best week: 13.0 miles
Best mile: 10:06
Best 5k: 35:59
Shoes Purchased: Saucony Kinvara 3
I started off the month doing 6.4 miles worth of intervals around Boise, Idaho. On May 12, I bettered my 5k time even further by running 3.1 miles in 36:40. By the time of the Law Enforcement Memorial 5k on May 17, I felt pretty ready. I ended up running it in just over half an hour, which I was elated with. The course was slightly short, but I still count it as my best 5k race time. I also achieved a best mile time of 10:06 during the race. But all was not well. I had slightly hurt my left ankle early in the month, but pushed through it. Now my right calf was starting to ache. On the 27th, I went out on the greenway and ended up limping back to my car.

June

Total mileage: 31.8 miles
Best week: 11.9 miles
Best mile: 11:02
Best 5k: 37:03
The month I “graduated” from Couch to 5k! I did a few easy runs early in the month to not anger my calf muscle, but this month was mostly spent preparing for a 10k in early July. My mock 10k that I ran midway through the month put me at a time of 1:17:44. I felt okay until a couple days later when my left hip starting hurting, and I couldn’t even get through a mile run. I took a week off and saw the doctor, who confirmed that I wasn’t broken and to take it easy until after the 10k, when I should take a month off. I stiffly and gingerly made it through the rest of the month.

July

Total mileage: 9.7 miles
Best week: 9.7 miles
Best mile: 9:44
Best 5k: 34:22
Shoes Purchased: Pearl Izumi Road N2 (for long runs)
I only ran twice in the month of July. A quick 5k run on the 2nd and then the Music City Fourth of July 10k on the 4th. Despite my injuries, I exceeded my expectations for the race. I officially finished in 1:14:37 and even got best 5k (34:22) and 1 mile (9:44) times. The next few days were spent in agony, though it was worth it.

August

Total mileage: 40.5 miles
Best week: 11.6 miles
Best mile: 10:56
Best 5k: 39:16
I started back doing intervals, averaging around 12-13 min miles. By the middle of the month, I ran my first complete mile since getting injured.

September

Total mileage: 45.7 miles
Best week: 12.3 miles
Best mile: 8:48
Best 5k: 33:28
But the best month of my running career so far? Probably September. I started off the month with a marathon relay, in which I, again, bested my mile time with an 8:48 mile (that still stands today). Just a few days later, I managed to run 3.1 miles without walking (a first!) and less than a week after that, I achieved my best 5k time of 33:28! I ran a 5k while on vacation in Seattle and also started half marathon training. Out of all my runs that month, only a couple averaged over a 12 minute mile. I really felt like I was getting better and faster!

October

Total mileage: 45.9 miles
Best week: 13.7 miles
Best mile: 10:15
Best 5k: 35:19
As I continued with half marathon training, it soon became apparent to me that I was getting burnt out. The long runs were zapping my energy for my weekday runs and my weekday runs were wearing me out for my long runs. My times began to become slower and slower. I did manage an awesome 5k at the Go Commando 5k in mid-October, where I did the whole thing without walking (my goal).

November

Total mileage: 35.7 miles
Best week: 16.0 miles
Best mile: 11:32
Best 5k: 38:24
The days were getting colder and shorter. Colder days meant my asthma was acting up more. Shorter days meant more time on the treadmill and less on the pavement. After an 8 mile run on the 9th, I couldn’t walk. Something had happened to my left ankle. Yes, another injury! I took two weeks off to nurse it back to health, but ended up walking The Mo Run, which made my right hip start hurting due to the limping I had to do.

December

Total mileage: 60.2 miles
Best week: 22.8 miles
Best mile: 11:54
Best 5k: 38:33
Shoes Purchased: New Balance WT110 (for trails)
The month started with some 15+ min/mile treadmill runs. So slow. The goal for the month? Just push through the long runs, run/walking at whatever intervals I can to get through the distance so I could still do the half marathon in January. I did my first trail run, which was really a glorified hike. By the end of the month, I was running a 5k in 40 minutes, about where I was at in March.

11.20.13
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Restructuring the training plan…

My ankle is feeling a lot better, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to run on it by the weekend! With this in mind, I went ahead and restructured the remaining 7.5 weeks of my training plan.

The first thing I did was cut down on the weekday runs. Previously I was running between 9-13 miles during the week. However, with the way my schedule kept falling, I kept missing them, and the weeks when I could do all of them meant that I was increasing my mileage too much and possibly overtraining. So now weekday runs are kept to two 30 minute runs a week (approximately 5-6 miles) and one 30 minute walk.

Next, since I haven’t been running, and I want to ease back into it to avoid reinjury, I had to cut the mileage on my long runs coming up and ramp them back up to an appropriate distance. This has me starting at 2 miles (if I feel I can run by this weekend) and upping the distance 2 miles until I hit a max of 12 miles. Then I get one recovery week before the half marathon.

Week 1st Run 2nd Run 3rd Run Walk Long Run
11.18-11.24 rest rest rest 30 mins 2 miles
11.25-12.01 30 mins 30 mins rest 30 mins 4 miles
12.02-12.08 30 mins 30 mins rest 30 mins 6 miles
12.09-12.15 30 mins 30 mins rest 30 mins 8 miles
12.16-12.22 30 mins 30 mins rest 30 mins 10 miles
12.23-12.29 30 mins 30 mins rest 30 mins 12 miles
12.30-01.05 30 mins 30 mins rest 30 mins 5 miles
01.06-01.12 30 mins 30 mins rest 30 mins 13.1 miles!

I always knew that I would be taking this half marathon pretty easy, so all the hardcore training didn’t really make any sense and was just making me burn out. The real half training will start after the Disney half, when I start training for the Country Music half, where my goal is to run the whole thing without walking. But for now, it doesn’t make any sense when I plan on doing some walking and stopping for photos along the course.

10.10.13
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Am I overtraining?

Wikipedia says, “Overtraining is a physical, behavioral, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual’s exercise exceeds their recovery capacity. They cease making progress, and can even begin to lose strength and fitness.”

I mentioned last week that I was concerned I was getting burnt out and how I was needing to use counting meditations as a way to get through even what should be easy runs. Before I started half marathon training, I was running about 3-4 times a week, roughly around 10-12 miles per week. Starting training did not really change that. My first week of training I ran 4 times or 12.3 miles. I’ve slacked off a bit since then. Last week I ran 3 times, or 10 miles. So it’s hard for me to believe that I’m overtraining, when I haven’t been doing anything differently, and especially since my mileage hasn’t even started to climb.

Yet I never feel recovered on my runs anymore. Maybe it’s because I’ve been to four concerts in the last week, all of which I spent several hours standing. Plus October is busy wedding season. All I know is that my legs feel tired. All. The. Time. When I got done with a two mile run yesterday (that I walked part of), I nearly collapsed because my legs ached so bad. Stretching and foam rolling helped some, but I really don’t think I’ll be ready to run again tomorrow.

My half training looks like this (though the days can vary depending on my schedule):
First run (typically Tuesdays): 3-5 miles [currently at 3.5 miles]
Second run (typically Wednesdays): 2-3 miles [currently at 2 miles]
Third run (typically Fridays): 3-5 miles [currently at 3.5 miles]
Long run (typically Sundays): 3-14 miles [currently at 4.5 miles]

The long run is the most important, obviously, because it’s what increases my endurance to be able to last for 13.1 miles. I’m thinking of turning the week’s short run (the second run) into speed work. Those two being my hard workouts of the week, that means the two medium runs between them should be recovery runs. My current thought process is those are the ones I should skip if I don’t feel totally recovered when it’s time to do them. And at any time in any run if I’m feeling as achy as I felt during yesterday’s run, giving myself permission to stop. Overtraining will only lead to injury, and I definitely don’t want to be there again.

Who else has had to combat overtraining?

09.12.13
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It’s almost time…

Next week I officially start half marathon training! Eek! Per week, that means four runs (three easy runs during the week and one long run on the weekends), one day as a walking cross-training day, and two rest days.

My plan is mostly based on the Hal Higdon Novice 1 Half Marathon Training Plan. I extended it a bit, putting in a recovery week every fourth week and by making my longest run greater than the half marathon distance (similar to Galloway’s plan). Strength training is also to be done twice a week.

I’ll be comparing this table to my actual runs in my weekly updates to keep on track.

Week 1st Run 2nd Run 3rd Run Walk Long Run
09.16-09.22 3 miles 2 miles 3 miles 30 mins 4 miles
09.23-09.29 3 miles 2 miles 3 miles 30 mins 4.5 miles
09.30-10.06 3.5 miles 2 miles 3.5 miles 30 mins 4.5 miles
10.07-10.13 3.5 miles 2 miles 3.5 miles rest 3 miles
10.14-10.20 3.5 miles 2 miles 3.5 miles 40 mins 5 miles
10.21-10.27 3.5 miles 2 miles 3.5 miles 40 mins 6 miles
10.28-11.03 4 miles 2 miles 4 miles 40 mins 7 miles
11.04-11.10 4 miles 2 miles 4 miles rest 3 miles
11.11-11.17 4 miles 2 miles 4 miles 50 mins 8 miles
11.18-11.24 4.5 miles 3 miles 4.5 miles 50 mins 9.5 miles
11.25-12.01 4.5 miles 3 miles 4.5 miles 50 mins 11 miles
12.02-12.08 4.5 miles 3 miles 4.5 miles rest 3 miles
12.09-12.15 5 miles 3 miles 5 miles 60 min 12.5 miles
12.16-12.22 5 miles 3 miles 5 miles 60 min 14 miles
12.23-12.29 5 miles 3 miles 5 miles 60 min 10 miles
12.30-01.05 5 miles 3 miles 5 miles rest 3 miles
01.06-01.12 4 miles 3 miles 2 miles 15 min 13.1 miles!