My training for the Country Music Marathon starts today!
For all you experienced marathoners, Smart Coach on runnersworld.com only has me running 3 times a week. Is that enough?? I have a 3 miler, 5 miler, and 8 miler this week. The other four days are Rest/XT. I plan to finally integrate a spin class in there and continue with a little upper body and Pilates/ab work.
My half-marathon plan had me running 4 times per week (but the race is closer). I'm chucking that plan and moving on to the marathon plan.
Are there any other running plans you'd recommend? I just got Hal Higdon's book on marathoning for Christmas, and I think it has 4 or 5 runs per week.
I just want to do this RIGHT.
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13 comments:
I am not sure what the right answer is. I think a good thing to do is look at several plans and devise one that works for you. In the beginning, three days might be fine so you avoid injury. Our plan was four days a week and we did suffer a little burnout after a while. One of my running partners suffered an overuse injury as well.
I like the RW Smartcoach plan because it has specific paces to shoot for. I also have a Higdon plan printed up for reference too.
Good luck in your training! You are a few weeks ahead of me so I'll be watching you :-)
I would recommend my running plan, but I think we both know that wouldn't be helpful. I am so excited for you, though! You will do great!
I agree with Lisa about not knowing the answer. Everyone is different and every trains different. I ran A LOT when I trained for my first, and hardly XT. I think 3 days a week is enough, but if you are feeling like it wont be, then maybe you can still do his plan but add one day where you run a nice easy 3-4 miles just to help with the mental side of it all. I am so so so excited to run this marathon too. We need to plan to meet up and start together. What is your main goal? do you have a time in mind? How far are you from Nashville? Why don't you email me and we can chat about thing that way... or I guess on Facebook.
janni329@yahoo.com
Good luck
Woo Hoo... I can't wait to follow you in this journey!!! I have nothing to offer advice wise, but just do what feels right :) Best of luck!
Woo hoo!!! Official Marathoning Training!!!!
I'd say it depends on your goal. If you just want to cross the finish line... then yeah... you could probably get by with 3 days a week.. but I think maybe incorporating an extra day wouldn't hurt. If you feel like it's too much, then I'd scale back... but you definitely want to be prepared come Marathon Day.
I'm so excited for you! Good Luck and I can't wait to follow your progress!
You have already received some good advice so I won't say too much. However, as I approach my first marathon this week and have spent the last several months training I will offer this: as a mom, time is limited - there is no way around this. I did my best to adhere to the 4-5 times a week training schedule but sometimes, live happens and when you are responsible for little lives as well, it is that much harder. I would do what you think works best of you and your family so that you don't lose sight of why you are doing it...to be a balanced person who can be a mom, a member of a family and a runner.
That's all I have for advice and I am very excited to hear more about your traniing!
What great advice!!! Thanks to you all. I think I might add in a short extra run a couple of weeks out of the month or do a "brick" with a short run and a bike ride.
Everyone is different. I have always used Hal Higdon's plan. I run 4 days a week, and if I am feeling an injury looming I will take off one of those days as well. I never ran over 18 miles before a marathon (before this year) I figure if I can run 18 miles I can run 26.2! Good luck with your training! That is so exciting. I am looking forward to reading about it!
Smart Coach determines how many times per week you run based on what you answer to the "You Currently Train" question. It also changes the plan depending on your response to the "How hard you want to train" question. Fool around with different combinations of responses to see the different plans Smart Coach develops.
Personally, I think Hal Higdon's plans have too many "junk" miles. Running 3-4 miles does NOT train one for a marathon -- and rest would probably be better.
You've gotten some good advice already so I don't have too much to add. I'm training, too, and I looked at a bunch of different plans and created my own. I agree w/Lana about junk miles. I'm trying to focus on more quality workouts along w/more rest. I think that w/my schedule that will work best.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!
You didn't post any vacation photos?! I was hoping to see what SGI looked like!
A good point about running more days is that maybe you can spread the weekly miles out and not run quite so many miles each day because the number of weekly miles you run is something you want to think about, too. So, I'd vote for at least four days.
There is no perfect plan - they will all get you across the finish line in some shape or form. Stick with the plan you've started. i think 3 days a week is fine - and maybe a 4th now and again. Remember to make your miles 'quality' miles and that rest days are as important as run days.
You could do what my wife did for her first marathon... planning to run just the half and decided that she may as well run the full. She finished in 3:58. ;D
I don't recommend that approach but I do think you should relax a bit with your plan. You're bound to miss a run now and again. Don't sweat it.
Lots of great advice! My two cents: I think 5 days of running a week is too much and too hard on the body. Better three or four days of very focused training runs.
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