A Plan
"OK," I said to myself this week. "It is time for a plan." I've been running now for about five weeks, trying to get back into the shape that I was before the pregnancy. I have made progress (measured by my times to the Blue-Door House) running several times a week (usually three or four; sometimes only twice). But now that I've sent in my registration for my first race, its time for a training plan.
With four weeks until my first race I am left with three weeks of hard training and a week of tapering before the race. The half marathon is a little further out at three months away, but all the training I do now for any races between now and then is building towards that half-marathon.
When I first started running I followed a simple 5K training plan that a running friend suggested. As I progressed to longer races (10K, Half-Marathon and Marathon) I found very helpful plans in Runner's World magazine. Occasionally, I still reference their training plans for ideas, but the basic training schedule is fairly similar no matter what the distance the race is (what varies are the long runs and pace of the speed work).
In general most training schedules are a combination of easy runs, speed work, tempo runs, cross-training, long runs and rest days. How they are combined is often up to you, but in general it follows this pattern: long runs on the weekends; speed work twice a week with a rest day, easy run or cross-training in between; two easy runs and at the very least one day of rest.
Since most races I plan to run are on Saturdays I've determined it to be my "long-run-day," I let the long run set the rest of my schedule.
SATURDAY: Long Run
SUNDAY: Rest Day
MONDAY: Speed Work
TUESDAY: Easy Run 30-45 minutes
WEDNESDAY: Speed Work or Tempo Run
THURSDAY: Cross Train or Rest day
FRIDAY: Easy Run 30-45 minutes
In the past anytime I've started a training plan for a race, carrying out that plan has been contingent on my own motivation. This time it will be different. Now that I'm a mom, adhering to my training schedule is not only dependent on my ability to get out the door, but also the availability of someone to watch Sophia (at least until it's warm enough for me to take her out in the BOB with me). The real test may not be the race itself, it may be the training that leads up to it.
