April 2016 Running Challenge

kristinegift

Stoshew71 wrote: »

kristinegift wrote: »

WhatMeRunning wrote: »

Question about the doubles while it is on topic.

I was planning to start adding in some doubles a few weeks from now as I continue building up from my current 42 mpw to 60 mpw. My reasoning for the doubles is that during this base building phase my workouts are long runs and by that point I will be doing 2 to 3 long runs (90 to 180 minutes) per week. There gets to be a point where it is impractical to add distance to the long runs due to either total running time (pushing 180 minutes) or time in regular life (2+ hour mid-week runs are very difficult to fit in). Likewise my non-long runs can't go any longer because at that point they would go well past 60 minutes each and start creeping towards 90 minutes which would make them long runs technically. So my plan was to take some of those non-long run days and do doubles so I can get the added mileage without making them too long. They would be between 35 and 60 minutes each run on these double runs.

Does that sound right or am I incorporating doubles inappropriately?

@WhatMeRunning That sounds right to me! All my runs are 6 miles or more these days (~48-54 mins minimum), and then I do a 10 mile (~85-90 min) run midweek, another 7-10 Saturday (60-90 minutes) and then my long runs (150-180 minutes) Sunday. I break up my midweek runs for a few reasons, but mostly because running more than 90 mins on a weekday morning takes way too much time. That's why I add in the other ~50 mins later in the day. It's much more managable that way. Plus in the middle of the week, I do 4 runs (~30 miles) in less than 48 hours, and that is great fatigue training! There's no way I could do 60 mpw without running doubles, and it sounds like you're in the same boat.

I think your reasoning for doubles is right on track! Gotta get to that 60 mpw somehow!

As for timing, I usually do Wednesday morning, Wednesday afternoon (thank God for a grad student's flexible schedule), Thursday morning, and Thursday evening. I hate doing evening-morning rotations... my legs are just too dead if I run at 6 pm the night before then 6 am the next morning.

Edit to add: To clarify on the midweek miles, 10 is just the long run which is not broken up; 10 is part of a longer day total of 15-17 once you add in the afternoon run, then I also have Thursday speedwork and a Thursday group run. In case anyone was wondering why the math seems off... I was just listing my 60-90+ min runs. THERE ARE TOO MANY NUMBERS/RUNS TO KEEP TRACK OF! lol

I used to do ~60 miles a week doing the following schedule:

M10, T10, W6.2, Th10, Fri 6.2, Sat 15

But I couldn't keep up with that long term. Between getting up super early in the morning for those 10 milers, and hitting 20 miles between that Mon and Tue, I just felt like by the time I get through the second 10 miler, my body just broke down halfway through the run. It was like that second half of that Tue run was just a waste of time. After I started breaking up my runs, I would complete all of them in good time, had more energy to complete. And I didn't feel like I was in a rush to get them done so I could keep an easier pace. Trying to fit in a 10 miler and then get home so I could get ready for work, I felt like I had to run like between a tempo and easy pace which is not always good to do all the time.

Now, if I know I am supposed to run an easy pace, I can manage that with a shorter run.

@Stoshew71 I think when I start working real people hours after I graduate, I'm going to have to get creative with my mileage to avoid rushing through runs midweek, like you mentioned. I am so over being a grad student, but I am going to be so sad to give up this leisurely schedule!

MNLittleFinn

Thanks for the analysis and explanation @Stoshew71. What you said about LT pace jives perfectly with the numbers I put in the McMillan running calculator, using my 5 mile run time. The calculator put my vLT at 9:35, and I was using their numbers and run paces.

I just checked my print out from them again, and it looks like I fell in the fast end of what they say would be my Easy Run pace range. Run today felt good though, so maybe I was just trying to justify to myself going faster than I thought I should.

kbown

4/1: 1.35 Miles (Walk during lunch)
4/4: 1.35 Miles (Walk during lunch)
4/5: 3.1 Miles (Run)
4/6: 1.15 (Walk during lunch)
4/7: 1.17 (Walk during lunch before the rain; expecting to go for a run tonight if it stops raining)

instantmartian

skippygirlsmom wrote: »

@instantmartian you had me laughing about getting lost. Hey I work in an office park that the main street is a big cirlce and I got lost out here running one day. I made a turn that spit me out not where I thought it would and it took me a while to figure out where I was. I always like to at least drive a race course so I can see it, my boyfriend's son said to me one time "it's not like you'll be in the front and need to know where to turn". Ugh stab me why don't you. LOL He doesn't get it, it's us in the middle and back that need to know we don't have a police car leading our way!

You are so right! We're the ones who are most likely to get lost!

CChen8520

did it again!

nicolemarie999

Dealing with two sick kiddos today, my youngest was exposed to croup at his daycare on Monday. Here's to hoping he doesn't get croup and I don't get sick too!

4/3 - 5 mi
4/4 - 3.5 mi
4/5 - 3.5 mi + weights
4/6 - rest
4/7 - 2 mi + plyo

14/60

ROBOTFOOD

4.5mi easy run with speed bursts. pace range 8:50 - 5:40/mi. That concludes this mini training cycle. 25k trail race in 2 days! Feel really good! Had to force myself to slow down today haha.

4/1 - Easy 10.1mi @ 8:25/mi
4/2 - rest.
4/3 - 1mi fun hike for views of SLC. 400ft vertical.
4/4 - Snowboard 41.8mi 30,000ft, descent (not counted on April total), 55.8mph top speed.
4/5 - 7.3mi mountain (steep) run. About 2,000ft vertical, 14:31/avg. Medium effort.
4/6 - Rest
4/7 - 4.5mi easy w speed bursts 8:50 - 5:40/mi

April total - 22.9/153mi

zoe2434

Oh no! My daughter got croup once and it was horrible. Best of luck!

nicolemarie999 wrote: »

Dealing with two sick kiddos today, my youngest was exposed to croup at his daycare on Monday. Here's to hoping he doesn't get croup and I don't get sick too!

4/3 - 5 mi
4/4 - 3.5 mi
4/5 - 3.5 mi + weights
4/6 - rest
4/7 - 2 mi + plyo

14/60

nicolemarie999

@zoe2434 thank you!

Ohhim

Figured I'd get in a final speedwork session with enough time to recover for my Ironman 70.3 on Sunday so I went out for a session mid-day today. Ended up surveying the neighborhood for damage as a waterspout (i.e. tornado) came ashore early this morning about a block north of my place, but mostly just took out a handful of trees and fences (with only one tree seeming to hit a house).

4/1 - 0.5 mile (pre-lift warm-up)
4/2 - 6.5 miles (speedwork - 6 x 5 min threshold/1 min rest)
4/3 - 20 miles (8 super-easy, 7 easy, 5 mid-hard)
4/5 - 4 miles
4/6 - 8 miles (w. 6x1km repeats at 10K pace in middle)

Total: 39 miles
Goal: 160 miles
Remaining: 121 miles

Upcoming races:
4/10 - Ironman 70.3 Florida
5/1 - Pittsburgh Marathon
9/25 - Ironman 70.3 Augusta
10/9 - Chicago Marathon (lottery TBD)
11/5 - Ironman Florida

@ROBOTFOOD - I've done the vegas half the last few years, and have only encountered a handful of folks who continued on for the full. Still, conditions have been awesome for the race, but for running a 3:05, you'll be with about 20 runners max and the crowd support dies off once you get past the split at mile 10. I would have tried using that race (and joining you) for my fall BQ attempt, but I'm racing Ironman Florida 140.6 the week before and will need more recovery time, and Chicago would likely be my preferred race given timing and support. Likely just in for the Vegas HM or 10K given proximity to IM Florida.

@9voice9 - I've been doing doubles occasionally as of late, mostly to hit 60+ mile goals for weeks (without needing to cut off a rest day), and occasionally so I can do an easy run with friends who just want to go out for 4-5 when my plan calls for more than that. Usually one run is a speeedwork/interval session, and the other an easy session, so they generally aren't too ugly.

trbilbao

Got in 3 yesterday although had to spilt it up.

ROBOTFOOD

@Ohhim I've ran either the half or full since '08. But ya, I know it dies down out there, but it's really going to depend on if the temps are cool enough for me (under 65f) and minimal winds. That's why I put 3:20 on my predicted time. I can always run another downhill marathon to BQ. There is one in Oct that I'm running. I will decide if I want to go for a BQ on that or Vegas. It has over 5000ft of descent!

Elise4270

@MobyCarp @stoshew71 @kristinegift @robotfood @ohim

All this BQ talk makes me want to do it...
http://www.runnersworld.com/boston-marathon/first-lady-of-boston

Of course, I have a long way to go

SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage

I'm a little late to the party, mind if I join?

ROBOTFOOD

@Elise4270 Great story! Thx for the link! And definitely go for it! Here are the BQ standards for this yr. It changes. http://www.baa.org/Races/Boston-Marathon/Participant-Information/Qualifying.aspx

lillymacki55

Running to beat my March total of 127.71:

04/01 3.36
04/02 8.26
04/03 8.38
04/04 4.82
04/05 5.07
04/06 3.51
04/07 7.53

Total 40.93
GOAL = > 127.71

Elise4270

SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »

I'm a little late to the party, mind if I join?

Come on in! We're just getting started.

Elise4270

ROBOTFOOD wrote: »

@Elise4270 Great story! Thx for the link! And definitely go for it! Here are the BQ standards for this yr. It changes. http://www.baa.org/Races/Boston-Marathon/Participant-Information/Qualifying.aspx

Hahaha! If I get my half time down below 2 hours, I'll seriously consider it. Until then, I'm rooting for you all!

laschnei

I will join in late for April. Goal of 32 miles with the first two done April 5th.

AdrianChr92

@SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Is never to late to join, welcome
@laschnei Welcome.

8 km today. It was supposed to be a tempo run at 5 min/km but I met some friends and ran with them and there goes the tempo run. Also we took a 10 min break in the middle but It still counts as 8 ) . Tried to do 5 min in the second 4 km but one person couldn't keep up with us and we slowed to around 5:30. It's amazing how much difference can 10-20 seconds per km make when you are near your threshold

@MNLittleFinn I find that the best way to actually find your tempo pace is to run a 10k race. That's around an hour or a little bit less for most people. When I entered my 10k time in any calculator it gives me a speed that is close to my 10k speed. It worked for me. I know my threshold is around 4:30 min/km. My muscles start to burn if I stay there for a little bit and I am forced to get back to 4:50. My tempo range is between 4:50 and 5:20 per km right now. My easy runs are at 6 min and slower, and intervals and reps at 4:30.

Also for people here that do strides, at what speed should I do them? Should I go as fast as I can while concentrating on form?

Date.......Distance...Pace (min/km).........................Sarcastic tips from someone who ran since December
April 1 - 3 km...........(7:30)..................................Your cotton shirts will do just fine. Your nipples won't bleed
April 2 - rest
April 3 - 10 km.........(4:51).................................Go fast first miles in a race, you won't bonk near the end
April 4 - 5.2 km........(7:35)..........................................................Buy all the shoes
April 5 - 4.8 km........(6:30)...........................Seriously. You only need 2 trail pairs, 2 road pairs and 1 race pair.
April 6 - rest(xt)
April 7 - 8 km...........(5:30).................Cotton clothes will make you faster because if you are slow the sweat will get you



03/04: Bucharest 10k and Family run (registered) 48:37, 188/1010
16/04: Color Run Bucharest (registered)
17/04: Forest Run (registered)
15/05: Bucharest Half Marathon or 10k, depends.