Oh yes, I know I've asked before. I'll probably keep asking all the way up to the race! You're okay with that, right? You get to see all the pretty red X's for runs I've done already. It's exciting!
So here's the thing...
I'm terr-i-fied. Let me clarify...I'm terrified of long runs. I ran 8 miles, my longest run, this summer, and then I was out for nearly two months with an injury for pushing it. I am so worried that I'll get injured as I up the miles again. Anything 8 and above just makes me shudder.
Anyway. I changed things a little because where you see the "7" on the blue, was going to be a 5K race but I decided I didn't really want to do that race. It's pretty expensive and the one review from last year didn't look promising. So, I had to start upping my miles and I decided that a half a mile each week might work? I know Galloway (I don't do run/walk, but have looked at his training programs) bounces around each week, only doing long runs every 2 weeks, but I'm worried that might actually be harder on my body than just upping it a half a mile each week.
I did make it a little shorter twice, once before I do 9 and 10 mile runs and then again before I do 11 and 12 mile runs. Help! Is this ok? I marked off the .5 on my 12 mile run because I'm positive I do not want to run 13 in training, I want the first time I run 13 to be the half, and again, want to make sure I don't get injured...AGAIN. How does my taper look? Is 7 too long or too short a week out from the race?
I know those of you reading this are not doctors, but I guess I just need your training experience, especially those of you that are prone to injury. I've already cut my weekly runs to 3x a week vs. the 4x a week I was doing over the summer when I got injured. I think that has helped and it gives me more time to recover.
EDITED: Ok, here is what I came up with modified. It's more like Galloway with every other week going up. It seems like a little less mileage than I thought it should be, but I can always add in an extra 3-4 mile run on those weeks if I feel like I'm not getting enough training. I'm thinking this will help me from getting injured.
I don't know, maybe I'm just paranoid because I've been injured so many times on this journey. I know it's not going to help me to worry about it so much, I need to be positive about it. Worrying won't change whether I get injured or not.
Suggestions? Words of wisdom?
i would not choose to up by half a mile each week. but that is just me and the mileage may vary by the runner. programs like galloway work because you are adding in mileage then technically having a mini taper in there the week between to let your body recover. if there is one thing i have learned in this running journey, it is that your body NEEDS rest.
ReplyDeleteI know you are concerned, but you are doing great and you can do this. adding only half a mile in there per week wont make too much of a difference in the long run, but i worry that not having adequate rest can actually exacerbate any underlying issues that havent fully healed yet.
So what would I do? Do a shorter run in between weeks and then up by a mile every two weeks?
Deleteand how much shorter? Galloway jumps 1.5 miles every 2 weeks, but in between he just has you do a 4 mile run for the long run. Is that enough????? I'm worried I will either be overtrained & injured or understrained!
DeleteI think what you have written down right now looks really good. Gradual increase in long runs and topping out at 12 is good. I have heard a lot of plans that top out at just 10 - personally, I did 12 because I wanted to be 100% sure that I felt comfortable up to that point. Just my 2 cents :0) Most importantly though, always listen to your body!
ReplyDeleteI'm so confused at this point. The different in the Galloway plan and other plans is massive. It's HALF the mileage if I only run long every other week and that feels like undertraining, but then again, I'm concerned that I will overtrain too. Maybe I could modify to do 6 miles in between each longer run? Sigh. I'm having a bit of a freakout about this. LOL
DeleteTrust me I get it - figuring out the best training plan for you is hard!! If it helps, my marathon training does not hop up and down at all. I go up by about 1 mile each Saturday until I top out at 20 (this is like 3 weeks before the race) then go back down for tapering. I think a very progressive increase is smart so you aren't upping your mileage by 10+% every couple weeks. That is what helped me feel very comfortable with my plan.
DeleteHonestly, I think your plan looks just fine! You'll feel so much better once you get up to 12 miles (actually, I remember feeling pretty confident after 10!) and your taper is what's going to help get you to that finish line uninjured on race day, so I wouldn't worry about that. You've got this! As far as long runs, I've found that it really is totally mental -- just keep telling yourself you can do this, and take it slow and steady. Do whatever you have to do to get yourself through the next few long runs (I like to make sure to run out as far as I can so as to ensure I HAVE to cover the miles I need to get back home, haha), and I promise, the confidence you'll feel will carry you through the end of your training plan. :-D
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer! I'm already trying to figure out where to do my longer runs. I have a 4 mile loop around my house and so I know the 8 and 12 will be covered, but some of the other long runs I'm thinking out and back...but I live in a rural area, so I'm going to have to do some research on where I want to run to!
DeleteI think the important thing to remember is that it isn't set in stone. If the runs start getting longer and you feel like they are harder than they should be (but you aren't showing signs of injury), then you can adjust things to run more during the slow weekends or an add extra run during the week. Just keep re-assessing and know that you'll get there. The Galloway plan is drastically different than all of the others I looked at in terms of weekly mileage, I agree, but he does manage to get a lot of people across the finish line. I think the weekend runs get so much longer in his plan than the others because the weekday runs stay pretty short, but that's just a guess. Just pay attention to your body (and know that you have lots of people to chat with along the way for feedback!). I added my training plan as a page on my blog today, if you want to see what I'm doing. - Jess
ReplyDeleteThanks Jess! I will head over and look at yours too. I'm starting to feel better about it, but I hate feeling like I don't have a solid plan, ya know?
DeleteSo you'll probably think this is funny because I am currently injured. But my injury is work related and not from running even though its keeping me from running. Anyhow, I have been a distance runner for years, and I have never actually gotten injured from adding miles.. As long as you do it gradually, I say no more than 2 more a week, you'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I say I have not been injured while actually running, I have had dozens of injuries. But this is what I learned, and this is just me and my thoughts, not science. But when I get injured it is because I have done something stupid. Like starting up new stretching programs mid training, stretching too much, or before I run, switching shoes... If you do what you know and what your body is used to adding the miles will be no problem. I've just found it's been when I've added stupid things to my daily life or routines that have brought on injuries... Crazy, but it's been true for me.
Another quick note, 10 miles is really the most you'll have to get in. Do a few of those, but there is really no need to go further. One thing I have noticed after 6 miles its easy to go 8, once you hit 8, 10 is no problem. Once you can do 10, 13.1 is in the bag:)
Just do what you feel works, and don't add any crazy things to your life and I bet you'll be injury free and confident for that 13.1... Happy Training!
Thanks Kristy! My injuries have been more running related, but one of them was from stupidity, jumping in mileage 2 miles. LOL. I just tend to push myself more than my body can handle sometimes. I guess I should be happy I'm mentally strong...but not necessarily physically strong. ;)
DeleteKaren- I found that long runs every other week was the way to go for me too. I did 6 miles, 7 miles, 8 miles, 10 miles, 5 miles, 8 miles as my long runs every other week. I wanted to go to 12 before the race, but it didn't happen. So the longest I had run was 10 before the half. I finished & that's what's important. I will say that I was doing OK till 10 and then last 3.1 were VERY hard for me during the race..so in hindsight I do wish I pushed to 12 before the race. But it is what it is.... I was running through injuries as well & so that week 'off' a long run was important to my body to recover. I typically kept anywhere between 3-4 days of 2-4 miles in my 'off' week. And then my long run week I did what I wrote before along with a long run on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nicole!! I have found that I need to force myself to do less, usually, so my gut tells me that long runs every other week will be better for me in the long run. I will definitely get that 12 mile run in though, if anything for my brain. I think if I know I can do 12, then I'll be able to do 13. :)
DeleteDon't be scared of the long runs, just be sure to take them nice and slow. I think of them as almost a leisurely pace. I never thought I could run more than a 5k and I've since run 3 half marathons, and am in training for my first marathon. Your body will surprise you as long as you take it slow, and it looks like you are!
ReplyDeleteThanks Stephanie! I was never scared of them before until I did an 8 miler and had a heel bursitis/achilles injury that took me out of service for almost 2 months! I will be sure to slow my pace down and just enjoy...that's one of the things I love most about long runs!
DeleteWhen I was training for PHM last year, I had a really really bad six mile run and I was so freaked out when I got up to that distance again, so I understand your anxiety. It's hard to know which method will work best for you, but I think that either method you should be fine. Just listen to your body. I like the Galloway every other week method, but I'm really injury prone (I got tennis elbow after one six-week tennis class) so I think I need the two weeks in between long runs.
ReplyDeleteThanks April! It really helped me feel better after I talked to you and found out you used Galloway for your first half. I won't go up to 14 like he does, but I think the every other week for a long run is going to be best on my body. I'm pretty sore (knees and feet) this evening after a 6 mile run today and that's making me realize that I need to make sure I listen to myself and don't push it too much.
DeleteWow, look at all those red X's! That's awesome, Karen! In my most recent running journey I haven't gone beyond 6.2 miles in any given run but before my knee debacle, I trained much like you have your plan here. I like a gradual increase as well. Having said that, now that I'm past a few major injuries I'll train more like the Galloway method because I know my body needs that extra rest and just doesn't function well without it. But remember, even though you have your training plan so nicely planned out, you can always change it if your body needs it...as you know, the number one rule of running is always "listen to your body".
ReplyDeleteIt is so inspiring to see you approach this part of your training. I wish you luck in your long runs. Like someone else already said, take them easy! Happy running! :)
Thanks Jewell! Yes, definitely listening to my body as it's very opinionated! LOL! ;)
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