Runners - What do you do to maintain?

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ThickMcRunFast
ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm just coming off a successful Chicago marathon, and don't have another big race on the schedule until March, which leaves me with a little bit of time off. I have a typical 'maintenance' plan (4 runs a week, totaling 20-25 miles and heavier strength training) but am curious as to what other people do to keep up their speed and endurance.

Replies

  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
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    I normallly focus on improving speed / stamina. Mid distance training is perfect for this. Have you tried training for a half before? Or even focusing on improving your 5k or 10k time?

    For me personally, my maintenance miles are higher but I keep at least 3 quality workouts per week in there; speed (track type of stuff), endurance / strength (hills, longer tempo), and of course a long run of at least 10 miles.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    Had I not been struck by injury finishing my marathon last Sunday, and am stuck in rehab instead, I had planned on running 1x per week and doing a mix of insanity and P90X2. I've ordered Combat and will start that in December and run 1x per week until I begin training again, hopefully for a March marathon.
  • timboom1
    timboom1 Posts: 762 Member
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    I work on base building up to 3 or 4 months (depending on how I am going to train) before the next race, I usually drop the quality stuff to once a week, and slowly build up on my weekly base miles. I do cut down the long runs to between 10-15 miles and do more mid distance 8-12 miles runs.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I tend to do a little more cross training for a few weeks then it's time to start training all over again.....I try to space my races out over the year. This coming year I have a half-marathon in January (training program officially starts next week) followed by a couple of easy weeks and then into training for a marathon in May. (Followed by a triathlon the 1st week of August, a charity ride & shorter race in September.....rinse and repeat!)
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    I like to stay in "half marathon shape" all year long (keep my long run up ~ 15 miles or so). That way it is easy to ramp up when the next marathon is rolling around.

    If I'm feeling good, I can be ready for a marathon in 6 or 8 weeks.

    After a marathon, I like to essentially do my taper in reverse to help recover. I'll be back out running a day or two after the race, none of this "take a month off running" crazy talk.
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
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    Congrats on running the Chicago Marathon. You must be syked.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    I try to maintain a strong aerobic base year round and do speedwork appropriate to the race coming up. Since my Marathon last Nov I have averaged 67 miles per week. During the spring and summer I was running 5Ks and did track intervals once a week. SInce Aug I have focused on a weekly tempo and marathon pace runs for a Marathon next month. Long runs of various distances are year round.

    I have only been running consistently for 20 months so it took until this spring before I could handle both the mileage and quality speedwork. After this marathon in Nov I am going to try and incorporate both a track workout and a tempo once a week along with moderately increased mileage. (I may change that plan depending on how my marathon goes)
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    I normallly focus on improving speed / stamina. Mid distance training is perfect for this. Have you tried training for a half before? Or even focusing on improving your 5k or 10k time?

    For me personally, my maintenance miles are higher but I keep at least 3 quality workouts per week in there; speed (track type of stuff), endurance / strength (hills, longer tempo), and of course a long run of at least 10 miles.

    I've thought about doing some other distances, I know my 10k time is around 40-42 min depending on the weather/course, but I have no idea what my 5k or half time would be. My last half marathon was in 2005, so I am totally in the dark on what my PR would be. I ran a 1:38 half in Chicago without feeling it (that is, until around mile 20), so I may find a January half and try to train for speedier time there. As far as a 5k goes, I also have no idea, but thankfully its almost turkey trot season! Maybe this will just be a time to set my baselines and go from there.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    I like to stay in "half marathon shape" all year long (keep my long run up ~ 15 miles or so). That way it is easy to ramp up when the next marathon is rolling around.

    If I'm feeling good, I can be ready for a marathon in 6 or 8 weeks.

    After a marathon, I like to essentially do my taper in reverse to help recover. I'll be back out running a day or two after the race, none of this "take a month off running" crazy talk.

    I'm with you, I'm all about active recovery. I'd go stir crazy with a month off.
  • ejwme
    ejwme Posts: 318
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    I have run various distances in the past, and have never found anything I can manage to "maintain" for a long period of time after or between races. I need to have a training goal, I need to have a plan, all the time. I just finished a half on Sunday, and was planning on taking 12 weeks to build a better base ("maintain" before starting up marathon training (coincidentally December 31 is our first real "training run"). The base was planned to include a simple 25 miles a week, with one long run and one speedwork run.

    Well, two days into this base building plan, and I've scheduled 5 races in that time, between 5k and 25k in distance, mostly with friends. The difference for me is whether my goal is to simply finish, or set a new PR. All the races I've planned, I'm just going to finish, or keep pace with friends who keep a slower pace than I know I can do. I might substitute a full push 5k for an interval one week or two, just for reference, but mostly I'm just incorporating the events into my base.

    When I don't have races scheduled, and I'm not actually training for a big race, I get mind numbingly bored and my attention wanders away from running. That never ends well for me, so now I just keep the schedule full. I've got races for the next year planned.

    Training with friends has also been instrumental in keeping me focused. When I think another race is a great idea, I run it past them. Usually they like my ideas, but sometimes they're the missing voices of reason. They also nudge me forward and give me great ideas when I get scrambled or putter unproductively.

    Cross training also helps stave off boredom for me, though it's not putting miles on the feet.
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
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    I've thought about doing some other distances, I know my 10k time is around 40-42 min depending on the weather/course, but I have no idea what my 5k or half time would be. My last half marathon was in 2005, so I am totally in the dark on what my PR would be. I ran a 1:38 half in Chicago without feeling it (that is, until around mile 20), so I may find a January half and try to train for speedier time there. As far as a 5k goes, I also have no idea, but thankfully its almost turkey trot season! Maybe this will just be a time to set my baselines and go from there.

    Nice job! I ran with a friend from 12.5 on - I would assume you were a ways ahead of us as she was supposed to be in Corral D but got locked out (due to porto john issues and the second wave people being inconsiderate) and had to start with the charity peeps.

    I must say, pacing vs. racing is a whole different experience. I greatly enjoyed myself :)
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    I've thought about doing some other distances, I know my 10k time is around 40-42 min depending on the weather/course, but I have no idea what my 5k or half time would be. My last half marathon was in 2005, so I am totally in the dark on what my PR would be. I ran a 1:38 half in Chicago without feeling it (that is, until around mile 20), so I may find a January half and try to train for speedier time there. As far as a 5k goes, I also have no idea, but thankfully its almost turkey trot season! Maybe this will just be a time to set my baselines and go from there.

    Nice job! I ran with a friend from 12.5 on - I would assume you were a ways ahead of us as she was supposed to be in Corral D but got locked out (due to porto john issues and the second wave people being inconsiderate) and had to start with the charity peeps.

    I must say, pacing vs. racing is a whole different experience. I greatly enjoyed myself :)

    Yeah I started in B, sorry your friend got locked out, I remember last year the start corral issues were bad, it was pretty good in A and B this year, but there was one wall of port-o johns that volunteers were directing us to, and then a whole other line that was completely unused. Way to be a great friend and pace! It was a beautiful morning for a run.
  • hummus40
    hummus40 Posts: 72
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    I like to stay in "half marathon shape" all year long (keep my long run up ~ 15 miles or so). That way it is easy to ramp up when the next marathon is rolling around.

    If I'm feeling good, I can be ready for a marathon in 6 or 8 weeks.

    After a marathon, I like to essentially do my taper in reverse to help recover. I'll be back out running a day or two after the race, none of this "take a month off running" crazy talk.


    agree
  • muddyventures
    muddyventures Posts: 360 Member
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    Bumping, just to be apart of the discussion. :)
  • RunXstrong
    RunXstrong Posts: 73
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    I maintain a base of at least 30 miles a week which includes a slow long run of at least 15 miles. I work on speedwork and short 5K and 10K race distances. This year I am empasizing weighlifting. It's important to take breaks from the marathon distance if you plan to set PRs and improve your speed, but you need to maintain a solid base. I'll start a 16 or 18 week training cycle in November to get ready for the Boston Marathon in April.
  • stingrayinfl
    stingrayinfl Posts: 284 Member
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    I usually try to run 3 days a week, tempo run, alternate speed work/easy run/yassos every 3rd week and a 13-15 mile run on Sat., about every 4th week, I may do a longer run. I also do the elliptical after my runs and do the elliptical 2 to 3 other days a week. Ride the bike, do a class or 2, lift weights 2 to 3 times a week, add in crossfit workouts some weeks and in Dec or Jan , will take swimmimng lessons. I try to vary it up, but the one consistentcy is my 3 runs (unless I have a serious injury. Everyone is different, but I try to stay in reasonable shape.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    I am always in some phase of training during the year, regardless if there is another race that I have registered for. Most of the year, I'll maintain a base that ranges from 45 to 65 miles per week. The only training cycle where that weekly mileage goes above that is for a few weeks during HM training and quite a bit during marathon training.

    Depending on what type of race is on the schedule, the quality of those sessions changes. For 10 mile and longer, I'll do more tempo type of work. If I trying to dial in a 5K, I'll do faster sessions, but the total mileage and the actual mileage of the quality will remain pretty consistent.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
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    Thanks for all the responses! My March race is a trail marathon, which will be a little different training than I am used to. I really want to do well in that without losing my road speed, so I think I will intensify my speed/tempo/track workouts while doing my long runs in the mountains, and signing up for some 10ks and a half along the way.

    Those of you who lift weights - do you see gains even while doing catabolic long runs? I mostly do body weight stuff, plyo etc, but I was thinking of adding some weights in there.
  • hjfischer
    hjfischer Posts: 250
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    I like to stay in "half marathon shape" all year long (keep my long run up ~ 15 miles or so). That way it is easy to ramp up when the next marathon is rolling around.

    If I'm feeling good, I can be ready for a marathon in 6 or 8 weeks.

    After a marathon, I like to essentially do my taper in reverse to help recover. I'll be back out running a day or two after the race, none of this "take a month off running" crazy talk.

    This is what I do. My 'long' run are between 14-19 miles. If I decide to run a race, I am pretty much ready, give or take a week or two.

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