New year New challenge

hyg99

Lost 5 stone in 2014 with the help of diet and exercise
2015 saw that exercise increase and for the first time ever completed some 10k races and my first HM. Successfully maintained my weight with the help of mfp.
2016 I've booked another 10k, hm and a full marathon in September.

I'm currently running 4x a week, from 4-8 mile. A total of 22mile a week.
Have done a bit of research and think I need to be doing 45+ and my eventual long run 20mile but now need to work towArds that.. eek!

So me, I'm work full time, have 3 teenage girls and my husband is also my running partner.

My question is, does anyone have a similar challenge? Or have advice on how to achieve this huge goal?

MobyCarp

Time will be the biggest challenge. I was able to run 45 miles a week on a 4 day schedule, with an easy pace in the 8:00 to 8:30 per mile range. But I'm an empty nester, and even that sometimes created inconveniences finding the time to get groceries and enough sleep, with a 5 day work week. Slower runners will need more time to get that many miles in, and of course having a family means more obligations on your time. On the plus side, having a runner as a spouse means you can talk about the time issues and plan together so that you each get enough time to get your running in.

I assume from the need for a 20 mile long run that you're planning to eventually run a marathon? If the longest race in your planning horizon is a half marathon, training up to a 16 mile long run would be good enough. No matter how you slice it, those long runs need a large chunk of a day.

hyg99

Thanks Moby, yes end goal is marathon in September. I suspect the mileage would be more of a problem if your partner / spouse isn't as committed so feel very lucky. We use the time to chat, catch up and be together. Unfortunately we are slow so I'm quite concerned about the 20 mile training which I know is far off but no way could we achieve in 3 hours. Frustratingly we are now getting out at the weekend till 10am as dropping daughter at work first and not awake early enough to fit in beforehand.

hyg99

Just to add managed 33miles this week. Longest today and was 9.5.

rrcoffey

Time is definitely a challenge . . . I have 2 school-aged children and work a full-time out of the home job. My plus is that my work schedule includes weekdays off, so I use the time that my kids are in school for my long runs (I'm ready to go when they are, so as soon as the bus pulls away, I'm off). Summers get a little tricky, but, like you said, a supportive spouse makes a huge difference!

I'm training for a half now (ran 2 last year, planning to run 3, possibly 4 this year). 2 of the halfs I'm planning are in the late Spring . . . I will parley those into full training. My goal is the RunDisney Marathon January 2017. It's my 40th birthday present to myself!

hyg99

I treadmill run twice a week whilst they are at swimming and music lessons, it's a juggle!

Is the Disney a hm or full? Sounds like a fab goal.

rrcoffey

Disney has both, but my goal is the full. Go big or go home, right? LOL! They also have categories like the Goofy Challenge, which is running BOTH the half and full and the Dopey Challenge, which is (I believe), running the 5K, 10K, half, and full in the same weekend. What's crazy is those challenges sell out within minutes of registration opening! I kinda wish I were that crazy, though

lemurcat12

I went from being sure I'd never want to do a marathon again last year (while enjoying the HM distance a lot, my one marathon was back in 2005) to deciding a few months ago that I was excited about the idea. So I'm training for one (just to finish) at the end of February, with the idea I wouldn't be able to use the weather as an excuse to slack off on running with that goal coming up. If I continue to enjoy the process and the race I'll probably do another in October.

hyg99

That sounds brilliant rr, yes would love to be that crazy!! But still feeling slightly crazy with our own goal of a marathon so hopefully we will both get there!

Same lemur, determined to just finish. Love the cat btw, I have a ginger tom and also a huge ginger and white one which I call my big boy!! He is so ridiculously soft & such a baby!

corinne1977

My 2016 goals are to get faster and increase mileage. Perhaps do another HM at the end of the year along with my 10Ks.

hyg99

Yes. I have a different goal depending on day of week. Tuesday and Wednesday at gym as daughters swim or music so very time limited so goal is speed. Other days its distance.