The February 2016 Running Challenge

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  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    2/1-3 slow miles + lots of yoga
    2/2-5.4 miles+ strength training
    2/3-7 miles
    2/4-rest day
    2/5-3.6 miles hill sprints +strength training
    2/6-6.3 miles
    2/7-12.2 miles
    2/8- 3.3 easy miles + yoga
    2/9-4 miles speedwork on treadmill+yoga
    2/10-7 miles
    2/11-3.5(?) miles +yoga
    2/12-strength training
    2/13-12 miles
    2/14-rest day
    2/15-3.4 miles treadmill intervals

    exercise.png

  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Elise4270 wrote: »
    @Stoshew71 and anyone else that has insight. I have a training question:

    I love having my regular runs up to 7+ miles. I know every other week I need a long run. But I've added a group run 3 out of 4 weeks, which is at a faster pace for me, probably wouldn't be inaccurate to say about race pace.

    Should I abandon my long run? Or use it the one week I can't make the group until I get conditioned? What are my option here? I think I'm in a good spot, taking it up a notch, but don't want to over do it.

    I'm shooting for 25-28 miles a week this month, March is scheduled for 150, ~34 miles a week (will prob add lots of walking in the transition). I'm considering adding a day (5 days) and splitting the mileage where a 7 miles run is now 2, 4-5 mile runs easy pace. (Speed work is hit and miss with my hip, not pushing it.)

    Thanks. I am here -->7miles x 3days plus group run 6-8 miles, increased pace.

    Before group run... 6*3, and 1 long run (last one was 11 miles, adding 2 miles every other week). Be 13 or 15 this week.. Per HM training.

    I have more questions than answers. :-)

    What are your goals? Why a long run every other week? How much more increased pace is this group run?

    Here is what I shoot for for my goals.
    2 quality workouts plus a long run with the rest of my runs being easy or recovery paced.
    Goal is to have only 20% of my weekly mileage be in the faster than easy pace range.

    A quality workout would be a medium long run (10 miles that takes me ~90 minutes) a tempo paced run, an intense hill workout, or if I did any kind of speed workout. I used to do way too many medium long runs during the week just because i was trying to hard to fit in my weekly mileage early in the morning. I have been doing a better job lately breaking that up into multiple runs per day which I find much more successful to manage and recover from.

    Your first option 7 miles x3 plus a group run 6-8 miles faster pace. To me, that is just 4x 7 milers with one of them being a faster paced. That's 25% faster paced and that is lumping 1 quality workout per week. To me that is not a good option. Long runs are bread and butter workouts. I believe you need one each week. (90 minutes minimum -2.5 hours maximum for easy paced running non-stop or at least very short breaks to get the maximum benefit). The next important workout in my opinion is a tempo or lactate threshold run. There are different ways to do it but the most popular is a 20 minute run at Lacate Threshold. but there are also 1 mile or 2 mile cruise intervals at LT, or 40-60 minute runs just a tad bit slower than LT. Then you got other choices for your second quality workout. A medium long run, hills, VO2 max short intervals, neuromuscular repeats or another tempo workout.

    The idea is to spread your more quality workouts around between your weekly mileage. So if I was planning a 25 mile week, this is what I would do.

    Right off the bat segregate my long run. So long run maxes out at 33% of the weekly mileage. 8 miles for 25 mile week or 9 miles for a 28 mile week. If you are looking to do a long run of 13 eventually, then you need to build up to 39 weekly miles.

    So back to a 25 mile week. 8 miles set aside for my long run. Boom. leaves me with 17 miles left to play with.
    I have 2 quality workouts plus the remainder to add easy paced and recovery runs.

    20% of a 25 mile week is 5 miles. So I have 5 miles to plan 2 quality workouts.

    I could do 2x 2.5 mile tempo runs (plus warm-up and cool down).
    So if I do 1 mile warm-up and 1 mile cool down, each tempo run is 4.5 miles. 9 miles planned.
    I have 8 miles to play with for easy runs are recovery.

    So this may be how I would plan my week.

    Mon Cross Train
    Tue 4.5 miles (1 mi w/u, 2.5 LTP, 1 mi c/d) (Quality Day)
    Wed 4 mile recovery paced
    Thu 4.5 miles (1 mi w/u, 2.5 LTP, 1 mi c/d) (Quality Day)
    Fri REST or Cross Train
    Sat 8 mile Long Run
    Sun 4 mile recovery paced
    25 miles 80% is easy paced or recovery & only 20% is faster than easy pace.
    2 quality workouts plus a long run.


    ^^^^ This is just an idea, not suggesting you actually do this. But just trying to explain how you plan a weekly workout. If you are trying to build up mileage for HM training, then it would be ideal to build up to 39 weekly miles (100% easy paced or slower as you are building). Base building or mileage building is an entire quality week. The 2 quality workout/week rules should come into play only after the mileage is already built.

    I was actually going to write a blog about my complaints against some of the HM and Marathon Plans that are out there. Many of them break so many rules and set a lot of people up to failure and injury in my opinion. While the plans are better than "winging" it, they are still not so safe.




  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    @Elise? Is it possible only to run the faster paced with the group for only 2 or 3 miles and then slow down to more of your easy pace for the rest of the route?

    I find a lot of people in my running group actually run way to fast for themselves. I get caught up very easy. Some times if the wrong person is leading the pack for our saturday long runs (i.e. Alex who is like 28 and very fast) I end up starting my long run 30 seconds/mile too fast. I don't feel it until like mile 8 or 9, but then it's too late for the second half.

    Most of the people in my group run only half the weekly mileage that I do and just gun it because... they can.
    I love my group runs, but sometimes I just break off from them if I feel like I need to. I may start with them for the first couple of miles, then I go a different way and meet them after I am done for coffee.


    Here is the danger. You run the runs that are supposed to be easy way too fast. So when you are supposed to run a quality workout, you are too tired to hit the speed you are supposed to hit. So your fast runs are actually ran too slow. So all of your runs migrate to this mediocre middle ground. You run hard enough to feel tired, but not hard enough to make a difference, or you end up pushing it too hard to make up for it and get injured.

    That is why you have the 80/20 rule, and the 25-33% long run rule. That is why you have cutback weeks and rules while you are building mileage. That is why you learn about the energy systems so you know how to target each one with different workouts. Know the purpose of each workout or run you do.

    (I am already having ideas floating in my head for the next blog I am going to write).
  • brandiclemmer
    brandiclemmer Posts: 6 Member
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    exercise.png

  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    @Stoshew71 ha-ha, there's a lot for me to digest and reread. My ultimate goal is to increase distance and speed, where a HM is a good comfortable distance. (I cant promise a full is/isnt my plans- no goal there). I am potentially facing surgery later this year or next. I'm slow, the group helps me focus, we also take water breaks. I don't think I'm in over my head as long as I don't require too much of myself during the week.

    The HM training plan alternates speed work/long run. I'm hit/miss on speed work. No cross training with the hip issue.

    I'll think on his more. I do enjoy the 7 mile runs. 4-5 miles will feel like I never got going..

  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
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    @juliet3455 love the cartoon so true
    @kristinegift you go beat @stoshew71 's miles I'm team Kristine LOL
    @instantmartian yo-yo man - you are just killing me I want to run on the treadmill next to you so we can talk about everyone ha ha I ran last week on the TM that had a TV screen, just like home I was flipping on all the commercials. The gym I go to has a bunch of TVs across the front of the gym and I think there are 7 or 8 channels you can watch.
    @wendy1FL sweet baby picture in your profile. Wow on the trees
    @morningghost14 that is snowy and dark. ugh
    @whatmerunning I can't see your picture :-( the company is blocking it, are you posting "those" kinds of pictures :blush:
    @karllundy thanks for asking - she seems okay now, from time to time she'll say she's feeling a bit dizzy but it passes quickly.

    8hxwqasvy5vp.jpg
  • ddmom0811
    ddmom0811 Posts: 1,878 Member
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    Feb 1 - 4.27
    Feb 2- repairing/recovery day.
    Feb 3 - Strength training 4.5 miles
    Feb 4 - rest
    Feb 5 - Strength training
    Feb 6 - 34 mile bike ride
    Feb 7 - 13.1 HM - New PR 2:18:57!!!
    Feb 8 - 3.05 mile recovery run.
    Feb 9 - 1 hour spinning class
    Feb 10 - Strength training
    Feb 11 - 6 miles
    Feb 12 - recovery day
    Feb 13 - 34 mile bike ride
    Feb 14 - 36 mile bike ride
    Feb 15 - 7.5 miles
    Feb 16 - 3.6 miles


    exercise.png



    3/3 Orlando City Soccer 5K
  • AdrianChr92
    AdrianChr92 Posts: 567 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Flu is gone and today was 20 degrees (C) and went for a long run. Ran 10 k for the first time. I went slow (7 min/km) and was really enjoying. Didn't even had to focus on the breathing.

    I was attacked by hordes of flying spiders and saw 2 deer with white butts.

    ......Date................Distance.................Dead animals...................................Alive animals
    February 15.................0
    February 16.............10 km..........2 cats, 1 dog, 154 spiders..........2 deer, 532 spiders, 5 angry dogs
    February 17
    February 18
    February 19
    February 21


    exercise.png

  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
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    Flu is gone and today was 20 degrees (C) and went for a long run. Ran 10 k for the first time. I went slow (7 min/km) and was really enjoying. Didn't even had to focus on the breathing.

    I was attacked by hordes of flying spiders and saw 2 deer with white butts.



    Sounded great until here....here I would die.

  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited February 2016
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    @Stoshew71 OK, I think I understand, I don't want every run to be 7 miles. I'd like to do 6-8 with the group, but not sure I want that to be my long run, just yet. They run the road, I'm usually on the trails. They will go 14+, some of us just pick up sections with them. But I can turn that into my long run if I back down the mileage during the week and work on slow steady pace without walk breaks.

    I'll work on the quality runs. Thanks. I'm gonna follow your example.

    Oh the group pace is 9:30-10, I can totally hang, I'm just learning to omit walk breaks an pace properly- not gunning it at 8- 8:5 or 7's

    Edit-what would a base building week look like? Like what I'm doing, long slow miles?
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
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    After a long weekend off, ran just 4.5 today. It was slippery and slushy and foggy. After a couple of uncomfortably close calls with cars going too fast and not paying enough attention, I decided to call it short. It was too bad because I was feeling good and would have liked to run longer, but was getting too nervous.
    41.5 down, 58.5 left to go. I'm a little behind for the month, but hoping I can catch up a bit this week.
  • CariTJR
    CariTJR Posts: 343 Member
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    Missed Running Club last night and felt really bad about it, so went out and did a little bit tonight, 2.48 miles to add to the total.


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    [/url]
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
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    @juliet3455 love the cartoon so true
    @kristinegift you go beat @stoshew71 's miles I'm team Kristine LOL
    @instantmartian yo-yo man - you are just killing me I want to run on the treadmill next to you so we can talk about everyone ha ha I ran last week on the TM that had a TV screen, just like home I was flipping on all the commercials. The gym I go to has a bunch of TVs across the front of the gym and I think there are 7 or 8 channels you can watch.
    @wendy1FL sweet baby picture in your profile. Wow on the trees
    @morningghost14 that is snowy and dark. ugh
    @whatmerunning I can't see your picture :-( the company is blocking it, are you posting "those" kinds of pictures :blush:
    @karllundy thanks for asking - she seems okay now, from time to time she'll say she's feeling a bit dizzy but it passes quickly.

    8hxwqasvy5vp.jpg

    @skippygirlsmom I appreciate the vote of confidence. And love the meme :) Also I'm glad your knee is feeling better -- slowly but surely!
  • smilelaughlove17
    smilelaughlove17 Posts: 134 Member
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    exercise.png

  • smilelaughlove17
    smilelaughlove17 Posts: 134 Member
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    I'm a bit behind due to the -16 below temperature with -33 windchill, of course today its 50° but I am going to play catch up the rest of the month. Stupid weather!
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Elise4270 wrote: »

    Oh the group pace is 9:30-10, I can totally hang, I'm just learning to omit walk breaks an pace properly- not gunning it at 8- 8:5 or 7's

    Edit-what would a base building week look like? Like what I'm doing, long slow miles?

    If you plan to do the long run with the group. Is a 9:30-10 a nice easy comfortable conversational pace? because that is supposed to be the pace for your long run.

    Yeah, base building is basically all your runs are like your long runs. Nice easy comfortable conversational pace. Or slower like your recovery days. I would suggest, if you never ran a certain mileage before, then you have no business doing tempo or speed work until you get used to the new mileage. Building mileage is a workout in of itself.

    @skippygirlsmom tsk tsk tsk ...and I thought you were my friend.



    ...maybe I need to keep track of the living things I encounter on my runs. Especially angry dogs.
    I seen a weird looking blue jay yesterday. I pass by cows in the greenway and the jogging path on post. I got goats in the neighborhood next to mine. I seen a couple of albino squirels before on my run.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,493 Member
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    Forced rest day today. That knee tendon I tweaked Sunday night is much better but there's just a hint of something there and it just seems like something I need to be conservative with.

    The time is actually pretty good. I have a group run that I'll have to miss tonight, but I was torn between doing the group run or going to my son's basketball game (yeah, I know, that's a no-brainer and I'd come to the right decision, but only after I wallowed in self-torment). This way I can watch the game and not feel (as) bad about missing the run.

  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    Stoshew71 wrote: »
    Elise4270 wrote: »

    Oh the group pace is 9:30-10, I can totally hang, I'm just learning to omit walk breaks an pace properly- not gunning it at 8- 8:5 or 7's

    Edit-what would a base building week look like? Like what I'm doing, long slow miles?

    If you plan to do the long run with the group. Is a 9:30-10 a nice easy comfortable conversational pace? because that is supposed to be the pace for your long run.

    Yeah, base building is basically all your runs are like your long runs. Nice easy comfortable conversational pace. Or slower like your recovery days. I would suggest, if you never ran a certain mileage before, then you have no business doing tempo or speed work until you get used to the new mileage. Building mileage is a workout in of itself.

    Okay, I'm all set then..I made a plan. Thanks!

  • karllundy
    karllundy Posts: 1,490 Member
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    Stoshew71 wrote: »
    Elise4270 wrote: »
    @Stoshew71 and anyone else that has insight. I have a training question:

    I love having my regular runs up to 7+ miles. I know every other week I need a long run. But I've added a group run 3 out of 4 weeks, which is at a faster pace for me, probably wouldn't be inaccurate to say about race pace.

    Should I abandon my long run? Or use it the one week I can't make the group until I get conditioned? What are my option here? I think I'm in a good spot, taking it up a notch, but don't want to over do it.

    I'm shooting for 25-28 miles a week this month, March is scheduled for 150, ~34 miles a week (will prob add lots of walking in the transition). I'm considering adding a day (5 days) and splitting the mileage where a 7 miles run is now 2, 4-5 mile runs easy pace. (Speed work is hit and miss with my hip, not pushing it.)

    Thanks. I am here -->7miles x 3days plus group run 6-8 miles, increased pace.

    Before group run... 6*3, and 1 long run (last one was 11 miles, adding 2 miles every other week). Be 13 or 15 this week.. Per HM training.

    I have more questions than answers. :-)

    What are your goals? Why a long run every other week? How much more increased pace is this group run?

    Here is what I shoot for for my goals.
    2 quality workouts plus a long run with the rest of my runs being easy or recovery paced.
    Goal is to have only 20% of my weekly mileage be in the faster than easy pace range.

    A quality workout would be a medium long run (10 miles that takes me ~90 minutes) a tempo paced run, an intense hill workout, or if I did any kind of speed workout. I used to do way too many medium long runs during the week just because i was trying to hard to fit in my weekly mileage early in the morning. I have been doing a better job lately breaking that up into multiple runs per day which I find much more successful to manage and recover from.

    Your first option 7 miles x3 plus a group run 6-8 miles faster pace. To me, that is just 4x 7 milers with one of them being a faster paced. That's 25% faster paced and that is lumping 1 quality workout per week. To me that is not a good option. Long runs are bread and butter workouts. I believe you need one each week. (90 minutes minimum -2.5 hours maximum for easy paced running non-stop or at least very short breaks to get the maximum benefit). The next important workout in my opinion is a tempo or lactate threshold run. There are different ways to do it but the most popular is a 20 minute run at Lacate Threshold. but there are also 1 mile or 2 mile cruise intervals at LT, or 40-60 minute runs just a tad bit slower than LT. Then you got other choices for your second quality workout. A medium long run, hills, VO2 max short intervals, neuromuscular repeats or another tempo workout.

    The idea is to spread your more quality workouts around between your weekly mileage. So if I was planning a 25 mile week, this is what I would do.

    Right off the bat segregate my long run. So long run maxes out at 33% of the weekly mileage. 8 miles for 25 mile week or 9 miles for a 28 mile week. If you are looking to do a long run of 13 eventually, then you need to build up to 39 weekly miles.

    So back to a 25 mile week. 8 miles set aside for my long run. Boom. leaves me with 17 miles left to play with.
    I have 2 quality workouts plus the remainder to add easy paced and recovery runs.

    20% of a 25 mile week is 5 miles. So I have 5 miles to plan 2 quality workouts.

    I could do 2x 2.5 mile tempo runs (plus warm-up and cool down).
    So if I do 1 mile warm-up and 1 mile cool down, each tempo run is 4.5 miles. 9 miles planned.
    I have 8 miles to play with for easy runs are recovery.

    So this may be how I would plan my week.

    Mon Cross Train
    Tue 4.5 miles (1 mi w/u, 2.5 LTP, 1 mi c/d) (Quality Day)
    Wed 4 mile recovery paced
    Thu 4.5 miles (1 mi w/u, 2.5 LTP, 1 mi c/d) (Quality Day)
    Fri REST or Cross Train
    Sat 8 mile Long Run
    Sun 4 mile recovery paced
    25 miles 80% is easy paced or recovery & only 20% is faster than easy pace.
    2 quality workouts plus a long run.


    ^^^^ This is just an idea, not suggesting you actually do this. But just trying to explain how you plan a weekly workout. If you are trying to build up mileage for HM training, then it would be ideal to build up to 39 weekly miles (100% easy paced or slower as you are building). Base building or mileage building is an entire quality week. The 2 quality workout/week rules should come into play only after the mileage is already built.

    I was actually going to write a blog about my complaints against some of the HM and Marathon Plans that are out there. Many of them break so many rules and set a lot of people up to failure and injury in my opinion. While the plans are better than "winging" it, they are still not so safe.




    @Stoshew71 - Is this gonna be a blog post? This is right where I need to be. Good info I want to be able to find.
  • karllundy
    karllundy Posts: 1,490 Member
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    On a not serious note, I am guessing most of us are pulling for @kristinegift to beat @Stoshew71 in that everyone wants to see the teacher get beat sort of way.