After completing my first half marathon, the big question on my mind was where is the food?!?!?! what next? Even after registering for The Lost Dutchman 1/2 Marathon, I wasn’t really sure what to do with my training plan now that I already know I can run the distance. All I know is this time I’d like to run it faster, and soon I’d like to run one in less than 2:10, and maybe by next year in 1:XX:XX!!! Is that enough goals yet? Well, I’ve made a decision on one more, but I’ll get to that in a minute. The real question became
How do I get faster and more comfortable with the distance??
I read a lot of blogs. A lot of blogs. Those links are some fabulous ladies that are speedier than me and inspire me to work harder and run faster. I looked at the types of things they seem to do, and tried to copy. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! So, I made a plan, scheduled everything into my phone until race week, and aside from a couple skipped work outs due to sickness, I have stayed on track so far and it’s been going really well!
Here is my plan. It’s the same days every week so it’s easy to remember. Plus every morning my phone goes off and says things like “Yo, bitch! Do a speed run.” Okay, it doesn’t curse at me, but I kind of wish I would have set it to say that because it makes me laugh.
Mondays–Speed work. 3 miles with sprint intervals.
I only kind of thought I was going to die. Sprint intervals are hard, but I can already feel just how worth it they are! Sub 9 min/mi average pace?! That is speedy for me!
Tuesdays–Spin
This was seriously the sweatiest class ever. I hadn't felt like I'd gone to class and really given 100% in a while because I was taking it easy before the race and then I got sick, but yesterday I totally felt like I was back and resumed my flat road at gear 10!
Wednesdays–Tempo run with warm up mile, middle miles shooting for 9 min/mi, then a cool down. That is a tempo run, right? I’m still not sure I completely understand haha. These change distance. Today was 4 (well, 4 cut slightly short on the cool down–whoops), next week is 5, then 6, then 5.
Warm up at 10:17, then 9:01, 8:43 (yes!!!!), and a cool down at 10:02. Not too shabby.
Thursdays–off/upper body
Fridays–Long run. This Friday is 15 miles. Good lord. Anyone want to come along?? Even just for a few miles?? Please! Next week is 12, and then I don’t remember.
Saturdays–off/upper body–maybe if I give myself 2 possible days to strength train I will actually make one of them happen!
Sundays–Spin
I am really loving this so far because it gives every work out a specific purpose. If I just have to do a medium length run, it is easy to skip and say “Well, I know I can run 4 miles, so what is that really going to do for me? I’ll skip it today.” Today I didn’t feel like going. I wanted to be lazy. I laid around in bed for a long time being lazy, and you know what? It felt pretty amazing and I kinda needed it, but that didn’t mean I had an excuse not to make my run happen, and I knew if I had to do a 5 mile tempo run next week, I would be unprepared if I didn’t do 4(ish) miles today.
This will get me through to a hopefully awesome finish at The Lost Dutchman, and then I’m not 100% sure what is on the agenda. I was all but ready to sign up for the RnR San Diego full marathon, but then I was talking to my spin teacher about racing and wanting to sign up for a full and I mentioned San Diego and she told me it was miserable and slanted and humid and that she would NEVER do it again. She strongly suggested that I not do it for my first marathon, and I plan on taking her advice. I would really like to run a full this year, but it feels like the timing just will not be right, and like my best bet is to wait and do the full at PF Chang’s next year. That will give me perfect training weather and a lot of time in between to improve as a distance runner and hopefully complete more half marathons. I wish it wasn’t so far away, but it will be here before I know it and I’m sure I will have lots to do in the meantime!
I like your new training plan! I might adopt a similar one for Feb between my two half marathons – it seems like might help me get a little faster and reach my 2:00 goal for 2012!
I like the plan – spend some time enjoying the half marathon distance 🙂 I know you will be awesome when you decide to start doing training for a full!! You can do anything you put your mind to!
So…I am kinda glad you decided against San Diego…for selfish reasons tho 😉 To be honest I really want to train/run the full with you and I wasn’t sure I could commit to one so soon (with all the injuries I’ve had lately)…So AZ RnR full here we come?!? I need someone like you to keep me on track and keep me motivated! I can fake a half marathon, but you definitely cant fake a full – and lord knows I fail at all things training for running, so I’ll need you to whip my butt into shape!
I’m so glad you want to do it too, because to be honest, this training solo business is HARD and I can’t imagine running 20 miles without listening to you talk for at least 10 of them! And girl, if you let me be in charge, you know I will make us stick to a plan! PS: Can you help me understand google analytics someone? I am SO confused! PPS: Your race is so soon!!! EEEE!!!!
Haha awesome! I am looking forward to our insanely high mileage runs in the future 🙂 I am glad to have someone there to push me through it!
I’m not going to lie, I don’t fully understand Google Analytics – I just kind of click around and check things out lol but I’d be happy to show you what little I know 🙂
We leave tomorrow…Yay! Then only a few days till the race!
I am so glad you decided not to do the San Diego half. I have heard horror stories from about 20 of my running friends. Its a horrible course etc, parking is horrible. I was to run it two years in a row and injuries both time sidelined me. I took it as a sign. The 2nd time they even changed the course and I decided its not one i want to run! I would totally do the Surf City half!