Help me with my Run training plan

juliemboyle · Jan 6, 2011

So, I am now bumping back up the running, doing it 4X week. "A" race is Big Lake Half Marathon on May 7th. My running plan is looking a little like this, let me know all your great ideas! 
 
Race Goal:
<ol><li>PR, Previous PR was set a Big Lake last May, 1:57:19</li>
<li>Ultimate Dream Goal: 1:55:XX</li>
</ol> 
Background:
<ul><li>Have done 12 Half Marathons</li>
<li>Body can only handle run 4X week maximum</li>
<li>Like tempo runs, but have to be careful about speedwork</li>
<li>Recent half in Nov on minimal training was 2:01:37 and it felt pretty easy</li>
<li>Will continue to do strength training 3X week</li>
<li>Will be doing trainer 1-2 days probably start adding swim in March</li>
<li>Due to work schedule I can run on Mondays, Wed or Thur, Fri and Sat or Sun</li>
</ul> 
I was thinking something like this:
<ul><li>Mon: 4 mile easy run</li>
<li>Wed: 3-4 mile Treadmill interval speedwork</li>
<li>Friday: 5-6 mile tempo run</li>
<li>Sunday: Long run</li>
</ul> 
You all have WAY more experience than me............so let me know what you think! Over time I can add some miles to the other runs but WARNING 4 miles is my max on the treadmill!

jroden · Jan 6, 2011

i'd wonder how a longer run during the week would work for you rather than the quality workout, maybe do tempo or intervals but not both and then a run of an hour on another day? Is that too much? Perhaps make monday something active but not running and tuesday is the hour?
 
Not that I now anything about running without hurting myself...

MBannon · Jan 6, 2011

What is a typical Sunday long run? If more than 8 miles, I think you are asking for trouble. I have had great results over the past 12 months, and feel very prepared for my upcoming HM, on this type of schedule:
 
M - 5
T - 7
W - 5
Th - 8
F - 0
S - 5
Su - 10
 
That is more mileage than you are probably ready for, but notice that my "long" run isn't really very long compared to my mid-week runs. This schedule has made 40 miles in a week feel very manageable, much more so than my old method of shorter runs during the week and a 12-14 miler on the weekend. You might consider something like:
 
M - 4
T - 0
W - 5
Th - 3
F - 0
S - 4
Su - 7
 
That's 22 miles per week and is one more run than you are used to, but with a 7 mile long run it shouldn't be too tough to manage. Over the next few months, work on adding 1 mile to each run to end up at 27 miles per week, maybe 28 if you bump the Sunday run up to 9.

hobey · Jan 6, 2011

I think a longer run midweek will really help as well as trying to go over distance for your long run. You can still run 4X/week and peak at 35 mpw trying to build up to an 8-9 medium LR during the week and a 14-15 LR. For the HM, I find that tempos at 10-15K efforts help the most. It may be more aggressive than you want to go but I would also try inserting up to 4-5 miles at HM pace during some of your long runs.
 
Also Julie, I've seen the paces you're running right now for easy runs and I think you're running them way too fast. 9 m/m is my marathon pace! You need ~8:40-8:45 m/m for a 1:55 HM and I would try to run your med-long and LR at 9:30 or slower. Alternating tempo and long interval track work every other week as well as some race pace efforts will get you plenty of speedwork.

Yo Sake · Jan 6, 2011

I am wondering two speedworks (tempo & interval) are way to go or not. But before sharing my thought on that, let me ask this - would your goal time be sort of in line with your 5k and 10k time (as some race time predictors say)? That might hint your strength is speed or endurance (I know this is oversimplied). 
 
Would it be possible to add 1 more mile to each run?

juliemboyle · Jan 6, 2011

Thank you everyone. I like the idea of the mid week longer run in place of the speedwork. The problem is that in the winter with the limited light combined with my work schedule I can't guarantee to get that it. I could only do it on a Wed or Thursday. It will probably work out as by late March/April there will be more daylight and I could fit it in before work.......

juliemboyle · Jan 6, 2011

Ok, so the other thing is that for me I need my long runs to be at least in the 10 mile range. I have done plans where you do several 12 and 11 milers, they made me feel ready. For my last 2 PRs I did plans that had more 10 mile long runs but they were fast finish with race pace mixed in and I think that worked well for me. So, based on your feedback, here are my changes, I just need help with pacing for each.
 
M 4 easy (building up to 5 or 6 by the end)
T XT
W Med-LR 6 (building up to 7 or 8)
T XT
F 5 Tempo run (building to 6)
S XT
S Long run (building to at least 10, probably alternate 10 and 12 during peak)

hobey · Jan 6, 2011

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by juliemboyle <a href="/forum/thread/72003/help-me-with-my-run-training-plan#post_1974462"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> Ok, so the other thing is that for me I need my long runs to be at least in the 10 mile range. I have done plans where you do several 12 and 11 milers, they made me feel ready. For my last 2 PRs I did plans that had more 10 mile long runs but they were fast finish with race pace mixed in and I think that worked well for me. So, based on your feedback, here are my changes, I just need help with pacing for each.
 
M 4 easy (building up to 5 or 6 by the end)
T XT
W Med-LR 6 (building up to 7 or 8)
T XT
F 5 Tempo run (building to 6)
S XT
S Long run (building to at least 10, probably alternate 10 and 12 during peak)
</div>
</div>
 
Fast finish and race pace efforts are awesome and I would start throwing those in about 8 weeks before the race into both your MLR and LR but not in the same week. If you do speedplay in one, make the other steady state. Consider progression runs for MLR and LR - start easy then slowly build every few miles until you're finishing the run between HM-10K pace. I've already given some input as far as pacing but this is what I would do.
 
M 4 easy (building up to 5 or 6 by the end) - Run these EASY. 9:45-10:30 pace or slower, however your legs feel. I always find that at the beginning of the training cycle, I feel bouncy and run faster paces but as I add on the load, I slow to where I need to be
W Med-LR 6 (building up to 7 or 8) - 9:30-10 SS, do your FF at 5K pace, insert HM pace efforts, add some strides (6-8 30 second pick ups with at least 2-3 min rest in between) on some runs to work on form
F 5 Tempo run (building to 6) - 10K pace
S Long run (building to at least 10, probably alternate 10 and 12 during peak) - 9:30-10 SS, do your FF at 5K pace, insert HM pace efforts

juliemboyle · Jan 6, 2011

Thank you! I think the only reason I have been doing my "easy" runs so fast is I have only been running a few days a week and pretty low mileage. Once I start this, I'm sure I will enjoy the easy pace and it won't be a problem! 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by hobey <a href="/forum/thread/72003/help-me-with-my-run-training-plan#post_1974492"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by juliemboyle <a href="/forum/thread/72003/help-me-with-my-run-training-plan#post_1974462"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> Ok, so the other thing is that for me I need my long runs to be at least in the 10 mile range. I have done plans where you do several 12 and 11 milers, they made me feel ready. For my last 2 PRs I did plans that had more 10 mile long runs but they were fast finish with race pace mixed in and I think that worked well for me. So, based on your feedback, here are my changes, I just need help with pacing for each.
 
M 4 easy (building up to 5 or 6 by the end)
T XT
W Med-LR 6 (building up to 7 or 8)
T XT
F 5 Tempo run (building to 6)
S XT
S Long run (building to at least 10, probably alternate 10 and 12 during peak)
</div>
</div>
 
Fast finish and race pace efforts are awesome and I would start throwing those in about 8 weeks before the race into both your MLR and LR but not in the same week. If you do speedplay in one, make the other steady state. Consider progression runs for MLR and LR - start easy then slowly build every few miles until you're finishing the run between HM-10K pace. I've already given some input as far as pacing but this is what I would do.
 
M 4 easy (building up to 5 or 6 by the end) - Run these EASY. 9:45-10:30 pace or slower, however your legs feel. I always find that at the beginning of the training cycle, I feel bouncy and run faster paces but as I add on the load, I slow to where I need to be
W Med-LR 6 (building up to 7 or 8) - 9:30-10 SS, do your FF at 5K pace, insert HM pace efforts, add some strides (6-8 30 second pick ups with at least 2-3 min rest in between) on some runs to work on form
F 5 Tempo run (building to 6) - 10K pace
S Long run (building to at least 10, probably alternate 10 and 12 during peak) - 9:30-10 SS, do your FF at 5K pace, insert HM pace efforts
</div>
</div>

namhela · Jan 6, 2011

I will throw this out, just something you to consider. But do you want to do any hill work? or replace 1 workout to do a hill workout. You don't have to, just something to think about. Even if the race doesn't have hills in it, it could still help you out some.

juliemboyle · Jan 6, 2011

The race has lots of rollers and fortunately (or unfortunately) I live in a very hilly area. I can't even leave my house without hitting big hills, so all my runs have hills worked into them. I know this is not the same as hill repeats but I have a lot of the hill under my belt. May toy with replacing the tempo on occasion with hill repeats.......hmm 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by namhela <a href="/forum/thread/72003/help-me-with-my-run-training-plan#post_1974580"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> I will throw this out, just something you to consider. But do you want to do any hill work? or replace 1 workout to do a hill workout. You don't have to, just something to think about. Even if the race doesn't have hills in it, it could still help you out some. 
</div>
</div>

hobey · Jan 6, 2011

YMMV but I've never actually done a true hill workout but I do seek out varied terrain and am lucky to have hills around me to work in my runs. Some of my friends say that hill repeats are intervals for people who hate the track but I can't deny that hills are a good thing to do. Do as I say and all....<img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif">

Help me with my Run training plan

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