Today at least I did spin AND run again - so far this week I'm on track with my plan (tomorrow I'm supposed to swim). My running buddy isn't training as much as I am, but she has stuck with our little program of adding 15 seconds to each running burst - we're up to 3/1 now, and we've added a couple of minutes to the total. I need to do some math to figure out how much I really need to add each week to get up to a total of 2.5 hours of running (what I think it will take me to do a half - marathon) by November. (Pause while I go do some figuring - meanwhile riddle me this: Is it better, once I get to the point when I can run 30 minutes without stopping to walk, to keep adding to that with the goal of running it straight, or should I continue to extend my long runs with run/walk intervals, with the goal of doing that in the event? )
OK while you answer that question, here's what I came up with:
If I increase my long run by 5 minutes per week, dropping back on the 4th week of each month and then increasing again as follows, I should be there just in time. Some months have a fifth week so this gives me a little wiggle room, but not by much. Those of you with real experience, how does this look?
March:
1st week 35 minutes
2nd week 40 minutes
3rd week 45 minutes
4th week 40
April
1st week 45
2nd week 50
3d week 55
4th week 50
May
1st week 55
2nd 60 minutes - etc. - by this schedule I hit two hours on the 2nd week in November, leaving 2 weeks to taper. If I added six minutes instead of 5 per week, that gets me up to about 140 minutes by the 2nd week in November - probably closer to where I need to be. It's very intimidating to see that, by June I need to be running over 74 minutes on my long run! But I suppose it's only by planning it out this way that I'll really make it. Is this kind of slow and steady increase appropriate? Can I do this with only three runs a week?
6 comments:
Jenny- I'm so glad I clicked over to your blog! Ok, I'm not a runner (although I secretly have dreams of trying.) but I think I'll use your schedule of minutes to get myself back on the treadmill.
p.s. You and I are at about the same weight mark. I can't believe how much running you're doing. I'm way passed inpressed! There may be hope for me yet!
sounds like a good plan to me :)
From my experience of 3 v slow half marathons, you don't need to be doing the whole distance in training. Your plan sounds good - just as long as there's leeway for 'reality' to strike without you beating yourself up! As for the weight - so many things can fluctuate and cause those scales to mess with your head! Have you taken measurements? I do mine every 4 weeks and they are usually much more gratifying than those rotten scales (pouts).
Also maybe get some blood tests? Thyroid iron and hormones can all mess with your metabolism.
You're doing a great job darl. I'm finding you very inspiring in the slump I'm in right now :)
BTW I never run more often than 3x week and I've done 3 half-maras and am aiming for my first full marathon (EEEK!) in July.
So glad to have found your blog! Here's my two cents from completing my first (and only)(so far) half marathon:
I got to the point where I could run eight minutes and walk one for pretty much as long as I wanted. That worked great for me - although it would have been easier on my math skills if I could have gotten to nine and one.
Best of luck - I'll be checking back.
Oh Lord! This makes my plan look waa--aay over ambitious. Now I'm a bit worried.
I'm in a similar boat to you. I have about 30 pounds to shift. And am planning to do my first triathlon in the late summer, as well as my first half-marathon in the early autumn/fall.
My plan reduces time/mileage in the fourth week much more than 10%. Simply because I find that I am whacked by the fourth week. And taking it easier then, allows me to push forward in the fifth week. Does that make sense? So it would go something like 35-40-45-15-50.
But like I say I'm no expert, I'm just trying to listen to my body.
Sadly, it mostly tells me to lie down and have some cake. Maybe its not to be trusted. :o)
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