Bump

Time to add more....don't ya'll love my posts. Hehe...

Congrats again to all the new graduates. Sorry there are no physical diplomas and no anthem to march to, other than the screaming cheers of fans that line the finish lines of the races you will be attending. Now that you have passed on from novice to beginner, there are some terms you should become familiar with as you continue on with your training. Whether you chose to do Bridge to 10K or decide to improve your speed on 5Ks, these are terms you will find when you browse the many training plans that are available to you.

Fartlek> Builds Speed and Pace

It's true: fartlek is almost as fun to do as it is to say. "Fartlek" is Swedish for "speed play" and consists of bursts of speed in the middle of a training run. Essentially, it's an unstructured interval session, the track without the rules. Fartlek gets your legs used to a variety of paces and in the process gives you an enhanced awareness of your ability to keep up those paces at various distances.

After warming up, run at an easy training pace, throwing in bursts of speed for various distances throughout the run. Vary the speed and times of the speed sections, from as short as 15 seconds to as long as two or three minutes. Between these bursts, allow yourself enough recovery time to match roughly 2/3 of the effort time. The recovery pace, though, should be faster than the recovery jog you might do during intervals on the track; keep it moving at an easy training pace.

It's a good idea to pick out a landmark -- a tree or a fire hydrant or a bend in the path -- where a speed section will end before you start picking up the pace. In other words, you have to know how far you are running for each section. Because the idea is to keep up a constant pace until you reach that landmark, it is important to pace yourself at the beginning. Don't tear off so fast that you can't keep up the pace through the end of each speed section.

A fartlek session can be as easy or as difficult as you wish to make it. Use fartlek for anything from a light recovery run to a grueling workout. As always, however, start out easy. Your first fartlek sessions should contain distances and paces that you feel comfortable with and that you feel you can gradually increase in future sessions. A twenty to thirty-minute fartlek session should be adequate for most runners. There is very little reason for them to go as long as an hour.

Intervals> Builds Speed

The track. While most elite runners get their start there, the great majority of runners came to the sport by way of local roads, sidewalks and forest paths. For the average runner, the track seems all too intimidating, almost scary. Fact is, though, the track is not simply the domain of the elites. Any runner at any level can improve her performance with a little help from the 400-meter oval. This is what intervals are about.

Interval sessions are the most formal of speed workouts in that the distances and target paces are precisely fixed before you run. The idea is to run a series of relatively short repetitions over distances from 220 yards to one mile, with rest periods of slower running in between. Because of their very nature, intervals involve a shorter period of effort than your usual run of, say, 45 minutes at a steady pace. This allows you to run much faster than you usually do, adapting your body to higher demands and your leg muscles to faster turnover. Over time, you become more physiologically efficient.

Because of the clearly measured distances, the track is an ideal place to do intervals, but some may find the never-changing scenery to be, well, maybe just a little dull. In that case, you should feel free to do your intervals on the road, using permanent landmarks to measure distance.

The various distances, as you might guess, are each best suited to runners with specific goals. The 220-yard run (1/2 lap, or 200 meters) is best for short-distance training (5K and under) to improve speed. The 440 (one lap, or 400 meters) helps improve overall conditioning at slower paces, and at faster paces is good final race preparation. The 880 (two laps, or 800 meters) is used to develop speed when training for races 10K and under and to condition form and pace when training for longer races. Finally, the mile is used most often to train for longer races, from 10K to marathon, to help improve pace judgment and overall conditioning.

Tempo Runs> Builds Speed and pace

This is hands-down the least complicated variety of speedwork. There are no distances to keep track of, no split times to remember, no hassles. All you have to do is run faster than your usual training pace, somewhere right around your 10K race pace. Unlike most speedwork which consists of relatively short bursts of high effort, tempo runs call for a single sustained effort. The result is that your body learns race economy: running at a fast pace for relatively long periods of time. Tempo runs will give your top speed a boost, too. By running nearly at race pace, your body becomes accustomed to running close to its upper limit (though not exceeding it). In doing so, you actually increase that upper limit, and you become gradually faster.

After your usual warmup routine, run at your easy training pace for at least ten minutes. Then pick up the pace. As mentioned above, this speed should be right around your 10K race pace (around 80%-85% of maximum heart rate, if you use a heart rate monitor). The time, distance and pace of your tempo run, as with all phases of your running, depends on both your ability and your goals. For the distance you choose (3 and 5 miles are popular tempo distances), find a pace that is not so fast that you cannot sustain it for the distance, but not so slow that you do not feel challenged toward the end. Tempo runs should be tough, but not impossible. Depending on how you feel on any given day, how much spring is in your legs, and how far you are running, your tempo pace may vary from session to session. That's fine. The consistency that counts is the pace within each session. Try to keep your speed level for the full length of each tempo run.

Don't worry too much about figuring out the exact distance of your tempo run. It's really not terribly important. Three to six miles is probably a good range. The one value of knowing how far you are running, though, is that you are able to gauge your improvement over time. Still, this is easily done by doing most of your tempo runs on the same route. You may not know the specific distance, but you can still compare your times for that same fixed route.

Hills Build Strength

People often times think that the hills are what give you speed. Which yes, hills can help you with speed, it actually increases your strength. This in turn gives a stronger push off from the ground and can result in quicker turn over. Hills are another form of interval training, and each hill should have a form of recover after it. For example, you run a 200 yard hill at 5K pace, then walk back to start and repeat for however many times your training calls for.

Long Run Builds Endurance

This is the one thing that scares beginners the most. They get into a training routine and then see a dreaded 6 mile run at the end of the week. People forget that they can walk in this and that the pace for this is easy. This should be at the same speed as an easy or recovery run is at. Your long runs are what build up your aerobic endurance. The long runs help you to create a long distance stride and allow you time to practice using any gadgets you get. For example, you bought a new jogging bottle...do not use it race day without having practiced with it first! Same with water stations....you can practice running and gulping, especially if you are like me and either end up with a shower or end up drowning as you inhale at the same time you try to swallow. Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.

There you go, a short and easy break down of what all those things mean when you see a training routine. Ultimately your biggest tool that will help you improve will be distance and time. The longer you run the better you will get. Enjoy and happy running!

Couch to Half Marathon

Week #1 Mon: 2A Tues: Off Wed: 2A Thurs: Off Fri: Off Sat: 2A Sun: Off Total: 6
Week #2 Mon: 2B Tues: Off Wed: 2B Thurs: Off Fri: Off Sat: 2B Sun: Off Total: 6
Week #3 Mon: 2C Tues: Off Wed: 2C Thrus: Off Fri: Off Sat: 2C Sun: Off Total: 6
Week #4 Mon: 2D Tues: Off Wed: 2D Thurs: Off Fri: Off Sat: 3E Sun: Off Total: 7
Week #5 Mon: 2F Tues: Off Wed: 2F Thrus: Off Fri: Off Sat: 3G Sun: Off Total: 7
Week #6 Mon: 3G Tues: Off Wed: 3G Thurs: Off Fri: 2F Sat: 3H Sun: Off Total: 11
Week #7 Mon: 3H Tues: Off Wed: 3H Thurs: Off Fri: 3G Sat: 4I Sun: Off Total: 13
Week #8 Mon: 3H Tues: Off Wed: 2 Thurs: Off Fri: 3H Sat: 4I Sun: Off Total: 12
Week #9 Mon: 2 Tues: Off Wed: 3J Thurs: Off Fri: 2 Sat: 5K Sun: Off Total: 12
Week #10 Mon: 2.5 Tues: Off Wed: 3J Thurs: Off Fri: 2.5 Sat: 5K Sun: Off Total: 13
Week #11 Mon: 2.5 Tues: Off Wed: 4L Thurs: Off Fri: 2.5 Sat: 5K Sun: Off Total: 14
Week #12 Mon: 2 Tues: Off Wed: 3 Thurs: Off Fri: 2 Sat: 5M Sun: Off Total: 12
Week #13 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 4N Thurs: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 6O Sun: Off Total: 16
Week #14 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 4N Thrus: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 6O Sun: Off Total: 16
Week #15 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 4N Thurs: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 7P Sun: Off Total: 17
Week #16 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 4N Thrus: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 7P Sun: Off Total: 17
Week #17 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 4N Thurs: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 8Q Sun: Off Total: 18
Week #18 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 5R Thurs: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 8Q Sun: Off Total: 19
Week #19 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 5R Thurs: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 9S Sun: Off Total: 20
Week #20 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 6T Thrus: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 9S Sun: Off Total: 21
Week #21 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 6T Thurs: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 10U Sun: Off Total: 22
Week #22 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 8V Thrus: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 10U Sun: Off Total: 24
Week #23 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 6T Thurs: Off Fri: 3 Sat: 12W Sun: Off Total: 24
Week #24 Mon: 3 Tues: Off Wed: 3 Thurs: Off Fri: Off Sat: 2 Sun: 13.1 (Race) Total: 21.1

INSTRUCTIONS
A: Warm up with a 5 minute walk, then jog 30 seconds and walk 60 seconds until you’ve gone 2 miles.
B: Warm up with a 5 minute walk, then jog 60 seconds and walk 90 seconds until you’ve gone 2 miles.
C: Warm up with a 5 minute walk, then jog 90 seconds and walk 90 seconds until you’ve gone 2 miles.
Jog 90 seconds and walk 60 seconds until you’ve gone 2 miles
E: Jog 90 seconds and walk 60 seconds until you’ve gone 3 miles
F: Jog ¼ mile, walk ¼ mile – repeat 3 more times for a total of 2 miles.
G: Jog ¼ mile, walk ¼ mile – repeat 5 more times for a total of 3 miles.
H: Jog ½ mile, walk ¼ mile – repeat 3 more times for a total of 3 miles.
I: Jog ¾ mile, walk ¼ mile – repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 miles.
J: Run 1 mile, rest 3 minutes – repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 miles.
K: Jog ¾ mile, walk ¼ mile – repeat 4 more times for a total of 5 miles.
L: Run 1 mile, rest 3 minutes – repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 miles.
M: Jog 1 mile, walk ¼ mile – repeat 3 more times for a total of 5 miles.
N: Run 2 miles, rest 3 minutes – repeat 1 more time for a total of 4 miles.
O: Jog 1 mile and walk 1 minute until you’ve completed 6 miles.
P: Jog 1 mile and walk 1 minute until you’ve completed 7 miles.
Q: Jog 1 mile and walk 1 minute until you’ve completed 8 miles.
R: Run 1 mile, rest 2 minutes – repeat 4 more times for a total of 5 miles.
S: Jog 1 mile and walk 1 minute until you’ve completed 9 miles.
T: Run 2 miles, rest 2 minutes – repeat 2 more times for a total of 6 miles.
U: Jog 1 mile and walk 1 minute until you’ve completed 10 miles.
V: Run 2 miles and rest 3 minutes – repeat 3 more times for a total of 8 miles.
W: Jog 1 mile and walk 1 minute until you’ve completed 12 miles.