Three Amigos, Training Week #3:

Last week was a great test of commitment for our trio!  Snow, snow, snow, and cold, cold, cold!  One of the great benefits of training for a spring race is the toughness runners develop by starting off with the most challenging weather of the year.  There is less daylight, and less road to contend with and in the end, the runner develops a mindset of “if I can get through these weeks, I can get through anything”.

All of our 3 Amigos made it through week 2, and once again prove the importance of following a schedule and seeking a coach’s advice.

February 18 – 24 Marathon Training for Marc:

Marc had another great week and showed us just how committed and tough he really is.  Hand surgery one day, on the road the next!  Seriously, Marc had hand surgery to repair a damaged tendon in his hand, and he did not skip a beat with his training plan! 

As a coach, I advise runners to  “let pain be your guide” when it comes to training.  Usually, an injury that comes about through activities other than running will not put a stop to the program.  I coach the runner to “test” the other injury by asking them to determine if it hurts when they run. 

Marc had a great running week, and his long run of 12 miles went exceptionally well.  It was a great lesson in the benefit of slowing down the pace for the week’s longer run.  Marc was coached to do his longer run at about 45-90 seconds slower per mile than his goal pace.  The result was a 12 mile run that felt easy!   I want to see if the same thing happens this week with another 12 mile run.  If he has a similar experience, I will make some adjustments in his plan.

Training for week of 2/11/13:

Tuseday:       4 m run

Wednesday: 7 mile at pace – not faster!

Note:  Resist the urge to run faster than 7:26 pace Marc, which is your goal pace for 26.2 miles.  You will thank me for this suggestion later.   

Thursday:     5 mile run

Friday:           Prehab

Saturday:      6 mile run

Sunday:         12 mile run, at about 8:15-8:30/mile   

Lauren’s Treadmill and Week 3:

Lauren had a great week, despite lots of fun stuff to plan around.  Lauren, like many runners, has access to a treadmill.  Treadmill training is a great alternative when you can’t get outside.  Use of a treadmill illustrates an important training concept called “specificity of training”, referring to the reality that if you want to improve your running, you have to run!   Doing other activities has merit and can supplement and enrich your running, but ultimately nothing replaces running. 

When you use a treadmill, it is best to set the elevation at a 1% to match the workload of running on land.  Much study by scientists has offered this comparison.  On the other hand, because you’ll sweat more using a treadmill, be sure to replace the extra fluid loss after the run.

Lauren miscalculated the distance of her long run, and ended up with a bonus mile, so I I’m having her run 9 miles again for her long run.  She also is increasing her pace ruyn to 5 miles, and will try to run it a7 her goal pace of 9:09 per mile.

February 11 – 17 Half Marathon Training for Lauren:

Monday: Prehab         

Tuesday: 4 m run       

Wednesday: 5 m pace            (9:09)

Thursday: 3 m run      

Friday: Prehab

Saturday: 8 m run       

Sunday: cross

About Pace for both Marc and Lauren:

Marc and Lauren both have many days where pace is not indicated.  On these days, I want them to “run how they feel”, and not feel slave to a dictating schedule.  They should simply “get the miles in” on these days.  In my own training, I call these days “lemonade” days, using the phrase, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”  So, if they feel good, they can cruise along and test things out, and if they feel bad, they can just go at the most comfortable pace and put the time in on their feet.

Anne’s 10K training and dealing with illness:

Anne will continue to run 4 days a week.  Her first two training days are sandwiched with a rest day, and I’m having her focus on running non-stop. 

Anne was sick toward the end of the week leading in to her weekend runs.  I want to congratulate Anne for getting out and testing, even though she felt pretty awful.  Many runners wonder about illness and what to do.  It is hard for a coach to say, since we all deal with both pain and illness differently.  The general rule is that when sickness is congestion-based, from the neck up, an easy run will be fine and may even loosen up congested sinuses.  From the neck down, where congestion is settled in the chest, a run may not be advised.  Also, if a headache becomes worse with activity, hold off.  Of course, if you are running a fever, you probably don’t feel well enough to even think of a run.

Studies have shown that regular aerobic exercisers are sick far less than compared to their inactive peers.  Theories center on the way aerobic exercise elevates core temperature, and that this may have something to do with fighting off infection.

Anne, who is in her twenties, and a beginner, will be just fine if sickness keeps her from training for a few days.  We have some wiggle room because of a 16 week training schedule.  Long story short, Anne need not worry about her little setback.

Once again, we’ll use this week to see how Anne holds up to two days running in a row.  I also want her to keep track of how long her Saturday and Sunday runs take.  This will help later on as we establish a goal time for the 10K event.

Monday: walk or XT, Prehab, hip strength

Tuesday: run 15-20 min         

Wednesday: Prehab, hip strength     

Thursday: run 15-20 min        

Friday: walk or XT, Prehab, hip strength        

Saturday: 1.5 miles    

Sunday: 1.5 miles