Tuesday 15 January 2013

Marathon training - a start...

Last week I had a really good week of proper marathon preparation. I had a plan, and I managed to complete it. This is how it went:

Monday: Strength - 40 mins of core and upper body work
Tuesday: Easy run - 3.7 miles
Wednesday: 'Long' run - 7 miles
Thursday: Cross training - 10m bike ride + Strength - 30 mins core work
Friday: Speed training run - 4.1 miles of intervals
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Tempo run - 3.1 miles + Strength - 30 mins core and upper body work

Total: Ran 18 miles, Cycled 10 miles, 3 sessions of strength.

Wow, that looks so good. It felt really good too, especially as I finally managed a longer run without any problems, and felt that my fitness was returning. I've been doing strength training for a couple of weeks, having failed to meet that goal all last year, and I've even been stretching every day since 1st January.

I liked that training plan, which was adapted from various books, and I was going to stick with it. However, things have already changed. This week I have been asked to teach every morning to cover a teacher's absence at a nearby college. I'm enjoying it and it's great to have some extra income, but it's messed up my training!

My plan was based on the fact that I could get most of it done during the week when the kids are at school, so as not to spoil family weekends, and so we can still go away for weekends and have visitors. But this week it's proving tricky. Between getting back from work and picking the kids up from school, I only have time for a 4-5 mile run at most. I've been too tired to fit anything in in the morning (sleep is also an important part of my plan!), and by the time Pete gets home from work, it's so cold and dark out that I don't fancy a long run. (I've also been a bit sniffly and the temperature has dropped to friggin' freezing).

I'll have to fit it in somewhere though. After this busy week, I've been asked to teach Mondays and Wednesdays for another 4 weeks, which should be more manageable and fit in with my training. I liked the layout of runs, cross-training and strength in that first week, so I hope I can go back to that, or just adapt it a little bit.

I realise that I'm very lucky to be able to do most of my running during the week and during the daytime. Maybe I'll think about getting a proper job after the marathon - I've got my priorities right!

8 comments:

  1. Look at you go with all the training. Good luck figuring how to balance it all. Family weekends and traveling sound great!

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  2. Training and work and family don't always fit together too well. I was having a great time over the last couple of weeks with my training - run and then rest all day - which came to an abrupt end on Monday when I started work again. I wish someone would pay me to train.

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  3. Solid week of marathon training! I started a new job and it's really throwing a wrench in balancing the days out with everything. But it all works out; I find I'm a lot better at not wasting time now!

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  4. Great training, well done! I am training for the Comrades Marathon on 2 June and it takes a lot of weekend time as I have to run at least 2 marathons and 2 ultras of 50 and more km as training. I have to make time for family and friends between it all. Luckily all my friends are runners as well.

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  5. I always find these training schedules complicated. My mind blanks when I see all that complex training stuff. For me running, really is just about putting one foot in front of the other. That's all I can handle.

    But hey, I do thát six times a week.

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  6. Wow you are on the roll!! Great week! Which marathon are you planning to run?

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  7. Excellent - what a great week combining running with strength & cross-training! I hope next week is just as successful! (no pain?)

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  8. That's a super week. Well done. Too bad we have to work and can't just run all the time :))
    Barbara
    My Running Shortz

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