"Off season" -- how "off" can it be?
kristinegift
Posts: 2,406 Member
I am thinking ahead a bit for the summer, and I am planning to take some time off between my spring marathon on May 31 and beginning training for my fall race. I'll be attending an Arabic language program in Jordan for a month, and I am pretty certain I'd look very out of place dashing about the streets of Amman in shorts and a t-shirt, so I am planning to use that month as a recovery period... as in no running at all. I'll get a few miles of walking in every day in the city I'm guessing, and that will be about all the working out I'll be able to do for 30 days.
With this in mind, is it feasible to then come back to running in mid or late July intending to not only restart marathon training but also increase my mileage from the current training season? For this marathon cycle, my peak weeks are 40 mpw. This fall, I'd like to work up to at least 50 mpw (based on HH plan: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51141/Marathon-Advanced-1-Training-Program). Would it be wise to do this after taking a month off from running entirely? Note: I am planning on a marathon in late November, which gives me a larger cushion for training than an early fall race.
Any/all opinions are welcome so I can put my type-A, forward-thinking mind at ease (or not)!
With this in mind, is it feasible to then come back to running in mid or late July intending to not only restart marathon training but also increase my mileage from the current training season? For this marathon cycle, my peak weeks are 40 mpw. This fall, I'd like to work up to at least 50 mpw (based on HH plan: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51141/Marathon-Advanced-1-Training-Program). Would it be wise to do this after taking a month off from running entirely? Note: I am planning on a marathon in late November, which gives me a larger cushion for training than an early fall race.
Any/all opinions are welcome so I can put my type-A, forward-thinking mind at ease (or not)!
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You'll probably be fine but I personly would not be diving right into training picking up where I left off PLUS adding additional mileage after taking a week off. From ny experience, it takes me a minimum weeks 6 to build back to marathon mileage without feel like I'm going to get injured, burn out, etc from "off season". That's just my own personal experience0
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You'll probably be fine but I personly would not be diving right into training picking up where I left off PLUS adding additional mileage after taking a week off. From ny experience, it takes me a minimum weeks 6 to build back to marathon mileage without feel like I'm going to get injured, burn out, etc from "off season". That's just my own personal experience
That's a great point. I will probably have to do a couple weeks on my own before starting a training schedule even if the plans start low and ramp up (looks like they usually start at 25-30 mpw for the first 2-3 weeks).0 -
Why wouldn't you run in Jordan? .there are running groups that go to the track together in cities all over the world. Plan on making friends who can help you navigate through some of the challenges of finding clean safe areas to run (tracks and sports fields-not on roads) I hope you can make plans to experience running while you are abroad.
You can definitely take a month off and return to training to complete a marathon in November.0 -
If it's a college, there might be a decent area to run on campus...at least that has been my experience seeing colleges in Central America...which, admittedly is probably much different.
When is the fall marathon? If I stopped completely for 1-2 months, I'd probably do 4-6 weeks base, 2-4 weeks hills then the plan of 12 weeks.0 -
snowflakesav wrote: »Why wouldn't you run in Jordan? .there are running groups that go to the track together in cities all over the world. Plan on making friends who can help you navigate through some of the challenges of finding clean safe areas to run (tracks and sports fields-not on roads) I hope you can make plans to experience running while you are abroad.
You can definitely take a month off and return to training to complete a marathon in November.
Finding a club would be a good idea! I can certainly scope it out when I get there and find a track and see if there are other women running. I didn't even think of that because I never run on the track in the states. My main concerns about running are 1) the heat and 2) how much I'll be eating vs running since most of my time in Jordan will be during Ramadan. I'm staying with a host family, so I don't want to be insensitive regarding food during a month of fasting!Carrieendar wrote: »If it's a college, there might be a decent area to run on campus...at least that has been my experience seeing colleges in Central America...which, admittedly is probably much different.
When is the fall marathon? If I stopped completely for 1-2 months, I'd probably do 4-6 weeks base, 2-4 weeks hills then the plan of 12 weeks.
I'll be at an institute rather than on a university campus, and staying with a host family, which makes it a little more difficult. But I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for a public track that I can use, perhaps!
I'm strongly considering the Philadelphia marathon which is November 22. I would probably build back up over 2-3 weeks and then start a 16 or 18 week plan, which would start at lower mileage anyway. Perhaps some personalization to the HH Intermediate 2 instead of the advanced plan.0 -
I think you would be fine doing that! Especially if you at least found a place to run now and then. Loved Philly
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If you are on Garmin Connect, you can search for groups there. I found Garmin groups in my city and made some Garmin connections, to see other people's routes, ask questions, etc. you can also find routes on walkjogrun.net. With that said, even here in Greece, most of the connections I've found have been men, both because more men run and because they're probably more techy with gadgets and therefore on Garmin Connect. You might find it similar there. Also, you can spend some time doing some extra conditioning exercises like lunges, hopping on one leg, squats, run up stairs, calf raises, heel drops, etc.0
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If you decide to run, I would recommend not wearing shorts. My boyfriend is in Abu Dhabi and he has run outside on occasion (too hot usually), though he wears shorts, he mentioned he never sees women in them because it's a big no no except in the most tourist of areas.
Enjoy the trip, sounds exciting.0 -
skippygirlsmom wrote: »If you decide to run, I would recommend not wearing shorts. My boyfriend is in Abu Dhabi and he has run outside on occasion (too hot usually), though he wears shorts, he mentioned he never sees women in them because it's a big no no except in the most tourist of areas.
Enjoy the trip, sounds exciting.
Oh yes, I know! I've been on the lookout for some on-sale heat gear leggings, though I SHOULD have been checking sites over the winter if I wanted the best prices. Hmmph.
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kristinegift wrote: »skippygirlsmom wrote: »If you decide to run, I would recommend not wearing shorts. My boyfriend is in Abu Dhabi and he has run outside on occasion (too hot usually), though he wears shorts, he mentioned he never sees women in them because it's a big no no except in the most tourist of areas.
Enjoy the trip, sounds exciting.
Oh yes, I know! I've been on the lookout for some on-sale heat gear leggings, though I SHOULD have been checking sites over the winter if I wanted the best prices. Hmmph.
Old Navy. UA outlet0 -
I hear you. I have done this while on vacation in India. Not that people don't run in Indian cities but I was on a hectic travel schedule and I was mainly in remote areas where nobody runs. The month off running took it's toll though. I had to come back and spend 3-4 weeks getting back into it.
Btw, are there air conditioned gyms in Amman? If possible try and hit a treadmill to keep your training base.0 -
I hear you. I have done this while on vacation in India. Not that people don't run in Indian cities but I was on a hectic travel schedule and I was mainly in remote areas where nobody runs. The month off running took it's toll though. I had to come back and spend 3-4 weeks getting back into it. .
Really? I'm glad I read this. I will likely be spending August on a remote island, where the weather pivots between suffocatingly hot or else temperate but with winds that will nearly knock you over. It's also just one big steep mountain. I saw two people running in the mornings or evenings last year, right down the middle of the road, so cars wouldn't push them over the edge. I'm not sure if I'm up for it, but don't want to lose all that time getting back up in September. (Last year I was grounded, to heal my Achilles, so it was not a dilemma.)
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FromHereOnOut wrote: »I hear you. I have done this while on vacation in India. Not that people don't run in Indian cities but I was on a hectic travel schedule and I was mainly in remote areas where nobody runs. The month off running took it's toll though. I had to come back and spend 3-4 weeks getting back into it. .
Really? I'm glad I read this. I will likely be spending August on a remote island, where the weather pivots between suffocatingly hot or else temperate but with winds that will nearly knock you over. It's also just one big steep mountain. I saw two people running in the mornings or evenings last year, right down the middle of the road, so cars wouldn't push them over the edge. I'm not sure if I'm up for it, but don't want to lose all that time getting back up in September. (Last year I was grounded, to heal my Achilles, so it was not a dilemma.)
It must be where they filmed this commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2RphMjScQM 0 -
I hear you. I have done this while on vacation in India. Not that people don't run in Indian cities but I was on a hectic travel schedule and I was mainly in remote areas where nobody runs. The month off running took it's toll though. I had to come back and spend 3-4 weeks getting back into it.
Btw, are there air conditioned gyms in Amman? If possible try and hit a treadmill to keep your training base.
There may be, but the program I'm attending made it sound like the gyms will be expensive/difficult, especially since I'll only be there for a month. Fingers crossed our sibling institution will have a gym or track maybe, or my host family can hook me up
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FromHereOnOut wrote: »I hear you. I have done this while on vacation in India. Not that people don't run in Indian cities but I was on a hectic travel schedule and I was mainly in remote areas where nobody runs. The month off running took it's toll though. I had to come back and spend 3-4 weeks getting back into it. .
Really? I'm glad I read this. I will likely be spending August on a remote island, where the weather pivots between suffocatingly hot or else temperate but with winds that will nearly knock you over. It's also just one big steep mountain. I saw two people running in the mornings or evenings last year, right down the middle of the road, so cars wouldn't push them over the edge. I'm not sure if I'm up for it, but don't want to lose all that time getting back up in September. (Last year I was grounded, to heal my Achilles, so it was not a dilemma.)
It must be where they filmed this commercial.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2RphMjScQM
Bahahaha!!!
Actually, the people and music (and Porsche) were wrong, but the scenery and steep cliffs look like it really was filmed there!
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