Sun - Dec 28
Pre Run Core Work: Crunches, hanging reverse crunches, 8 min of continuous planks (front, back & sides)
Recovery Run: 8.5 miles@8:45 pace (ran simulated Half-Marathon the day before)
Post Run Upper Body Work: Push ups, pull ups, TRX straps, and hit heavy bag for about 10 min
Mon - Dec 29
No Run
Core Work: Crunches, hanging reverse crunches, stability ball work, 12 min of continuous planks (front, back & side)
Upper Body Work: 30 min of chest and shoulder light weights, pull ups, and light arm work
Plyometrics: 30 min of box jumps & speed toe taps, TRX strap work, burpies, speed skaters
Tues - Dec 30
Pre Run Core Work: Crunches, hanging reverse crunches, stability ball work, 12 min of continuous planks (front, back & side)
Slow Run: 10.5 miles@8:22 pace
Post Run Leg Workout: 30 min of light leg strengthening - hips, quads, hamstring focus
Wed - Dec 31
Core Work: Crunches, hanging reverse crunches, stability ball work, 12 min of continuous planks (front, back & side)
Slow Run: 10 miles@8:30 pace (-15 degree wind chill in Iowa City, miserable run)
Thur - Jan 1
No Core Work
MARATHON PACE Run: 11 miles total, 8 miles@7:09 pace
PM Walk: 1 mile
Fri - Jan 2
No Run
Core Work: 30 min of crunches, hanging reverse crunches, stability ball work, 12 min of continuous planks (front, back & side)
Sat - Jan 3
No Core Work
Long Run: 20 miles@7:45 pace
Total Miles For Week: 60 total, 8 marathon pace, 52 slow & easy
Sun - Jan 4
Pre Run Core Work: Crunches, hanging reverse crunches, stability ball work, 12 min of continuous planks (front, back & side)
Treadmill Recovery Run: 8 miles@8:00 pace
Post Run Upper Body Work: Push ups, pull ups, TRX straps, and hit heavy bag for about 10 min
Mon - Jan 5
No Run
Core Work: Crunches, hanging reverse crunches, stability ball work, 12 min of continuous planks (front, back & side)
Upper Body Work: 30 min of chest and shoulder light weights, pull ups, and light arm work
Plyometrics: 30 min of box jumps & speed toe taps, TRX strap work, burpies, speed skaters
Tues - Jan 6
No Core Work
Treadmill TEMPO RUN: 11 miles total, 8 miles@6:37 pace
Post Run Leg Workout: 30 min of leg strengthening - hips, quads, hamstring focus
PM Walk: 1 mile
Wed - Jan 7
Pre Run Core Work: Crunches, hanging reverse crunches, stability ball work, 12 min of continuous planks (front, back & side)
Treadmill Recovery Run: 10 miles@8:18 pace
PM Treadmill Slow Run: 3 miles@8:50 pace
Thur - Jan 8
Pre Run Core Work: Crunches, hanging reverse crunches, stability ball work, 12 min of continuous planks (front, back & side)
Treadmill MARATHON PACE Run: 9 miles total, 5 miles@7:10
Fri - Jan 9
No Workouts or Runs
Sat - Jan 10
No Core Work
Long Run: 22 miles@7:38 pace
PM Walk: 1 mile
Total Miles For Week: 63 total, 8 tempo pace, 5 marathon pace, 50 slow & easy
For this coming week, the peripheral workouts remain the same, except I'll add one more leg strengthening day, for a total of two. I'll also up the mileage a little with double runs on Tues & Thurs, and increase the Tempo, Speed, and Marathon Pace work - this will be one of my most high intensity weeks, then I'll recover next week
Sun - Jan 11 ... 10 mile Recovery Run
Mon - Jan 12 ... No Run
Tues - Jan 13 ... 12 mile Tempo Run, 8 miles@6:30 pace ... PM 4 mile Recovery Run
Wed - Jan 14 ... 10 mile Recovery Run
Thurs - Jan 15 ... 8 mile Speed Work - Track Repeats ... PM 4 mile Recovery Run
Fri - Jan 16 ... No Run
Sat - Jan 17 ... 18 mile Race Simulation, start slow and then build to 14 miles@7:00'ish
Total Miles For Week: 66 total, 8 tempo pace, 5 speed pace, 14 marathon pace, 39 slow & easy
So that's my basic monthly formula. I didn't add in a fourth week, because I was sick the week prior to this schedule and only ran 23 miles before being in bed for four days, but it looks similar to the second week listed here. Over the years, I've basically only posted results from Tempo, Marathon Pace, Speed, and faster Long Run workouts - I mean who wants to read about a slow recovery run??? And admittedly, this probably gives the impression that I do ALL of my runs at a faster pace. And accordingly, I've received about 1,000 comments over the years that go something like, "Hey idiot ... you're running too fast ... you're 80/20 ratio is waaaay off ... you're working too hard ... you're going to burn out ... you need to slow down your long runs ... blah, blah, blah" no disrespect intended of course! Well, as you can see, I obviously don't run all of my workouts up-tempo. I pretty much do it like everyone else, except with a little more core and strengthening work, and a little faster on the long runs a little more often. And as plain and simply as I can put it ... this is what has worked for me over the course of 10,000 miles and 30 marathons the past few years. If you have a different plan, knock yourself out. But based on all the INJURY FREE mileage (knock on wood) and the increasingly faster races I've put up all while advancing in age post-40, I wouldn't think I would have to explain that. But I can understand how the message gets misconstrued a little. All in all, I really do try to watch how many miles I run at faster paces. I mean, I'm 46 years old, my legs need plenty of rest, ha. Anyway, there's my training ... hope your training's going well too.
... Be Great Today!
thanks for sharing. major kudos to you for a) getting up that early EVERY day like that and b) getting out there EVERY day in that temperature. I've never been a morning runner, but seeing this I might just have to modify my post work habit. good work.
ReplyDeleteI'm really trying to focus on more full body strengthening again this year Will, I let it lapse a little last year - the getting up early thing is simply due to my schedule, not preferable, ha
DeleteI don't mind reading about your boring recovery runs. It's just a line item entry. I just look for workouts and motivation from other runners. If you are getting faster and you post your logs, I or your readers might be able to learn from it.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't pay too much attention to the naysayers. You know your body best. There are guys who do near weekly marathons and still go sub 3 hours in most of them. They certainly break most of the rules in terms of racing and training.
In short, if you are making gains, staying injury free and happy with your progress, then keep doing what you are doing.
Either way, glad to see your logs. I can definitely see your dedication to the sport.
Eddie
Yeah, that's one of the things that has always bugged me Eddie. I LOVE constructively talking about workouts with guys like you, but so many times I get "You're doing it wrong" in my comments section or even in private emails, from folks who don't put up half of the numbers I do - and I'm in no way talking about race results. (Speeds all relative, so I could care less about a person's finishing time) I mean, I certainly don't have all the answers to running, but I've studied this stuff for 15 years ... and by study, I mean it has become an intimate part of my life and almost my only social activity besides my family and Royals baseball. I eat, sleep, and breath running and physical fitness. And I work really hard to refine my workouts to make myself better. And at 46, I've fortunately never been hurt, and my performances have gotten consistently stronger and stronger. So I must be doing something right. If folks want to discuss their ideas, I absolutely love listening. But when people criticize me just because I do something that breaks the norm, or doesn't match their training, I kinda hits me wrong.
DeleteI couldn't run all my runs at a high pace so generally there are only two of my four done at a high intensity. That's because my body breaks down if I push too hard too often. You know your body and how much it can take and from reading your blog I know that it bounces back quickly so you can do a higher proportion of your running in the intense zone.
ReplyDeleteYeah over the years Char, I've really learned to listen to my body a little more, and give myself rest when needed. If I feel like I'm fatiguing more than normal, I'll skip one of the strengthening workouts
DeleteWow. Not just your pace, but your amount of training is seriously impressive. Im always interested in seeing how people train and how different things work for different people. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteNo problem Kate, I love reading other training logs too, not only for new ideas, but also to find out if I'm doing too too much or not enough
DeleteThis is exactly what I was looking for! I really feel like I MUST get more full-body work in - you are doing easily four times what I do normally, and that includes my permanent PT exercises for my hip (now both hips!). I guess part of my problem is just timing - I need to either get up earlier, or not spend so much time in the morning reading the paper and eating muffins (I'm mentally 86 years old). It's time for a change I guess.
ReplyDeleteI really think the total body strengthening is paying off Grace - if nothing else, just being more fit at the starting line will give me a mental boost, but I have no doubt there will be several metaphysical results as well
DeleteThis is terrific, thanks for sharing and all the details! It's great to see someone doing the additional strength work. I do some, but need to do more, may follow your pattern. Interested - do you do any flexibility/mobility/stretching work, or yoga? I try to do Wharton Active Isolated Flexibility/Stretching 5-7d/wk and I've found it really helpful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting! Ya know I'm pretty religious about stretching, but not in a program. I've thought about it and would probably definitely benefit from a structured regimen, but at this point all I really do is fairly consistent deep tissue leg massages, and A.R.T. when necessary, and of course about 15 min stretching after every run
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