This is my current running regime to keep my fitness up while I decide on my next challenge. I've been reading some spring marathon training plans, and have particularly liked the advice of Liz Yelling, who suggests at this stage to just build up time on your feet gradually. So this is my current plan:
Monday: 30 minute run
Wednesday: 30 minute run
Friday: 60 minute run
Sunday: 90 minute run
It seems very simple and indeed it is! I figured it's a nice mix of short and long (although when training for the Big M a long run was about 3 hours!) to keep my fitness at a reasonable level. I still do some strides and some hill work, and it's mostly road but I try to do Friday's run on the trails. But overall I'm focusing on just running, and on enjoying it. I hope I haven't lost too much fitness since October - I had a week off after the Royal Parks and then planned to get back to it the week after, but then was sick! My body physically feels fine, no aches or pains, but I've been having trouble with my breathing and find myself wheezing a lot after a run, so I need to keep an eye on that.
I'm making the effort to go running first thing, mostly because it's getting dark so early these days (!), but also because there's really nothing like a run on a clear, sunny but frosty late autumn morning, hearing the crunch of your feet moving through piles of leaves, feeling the cold air on your face. Sometimes (well, often!) it's an effort to get out the door but once I'm out there I wonder why on earth I didn't get out there sooner :)
What's your training regime at the moment?
Hey Phil, I am also following a similar base training schedule, to get me through the next few months, before diving into my next spring marathon plan. I've got a 10K race in December, so have been incorporating 2x speedwork sessions - sub 45 or bust!
ReplyDeleteWhich marathon are you doing?
Liz @4races4cities
Sub 45?! You are a machine, Ultra Liz!
DeleteI haven't picked a marathon yet...I've just started realising that I won't be able to say I ran London last year for much longer :) I'm sure I'll find something!! I'm just keen to keep the fitness up at this stage x
I have my first ever half marathon in March so I'm slowly building up to that. I have a couple of 10k races dotted in between to keep me in check. To be honest though, the largest part of my training is time spent trying to get me out of the door into the dark cold! x
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about being out there when it is cool- so refreshing at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of that plan, but I am so slow that the running to time plans were never any good- my longest run for marathon training took me 4 hours, because I did 20 miles, whereas all the plans suggested max of 3, which would have only been about 16. Not sure if I could have mentally coped with 10 miles of unknown running at the end of the marathon. I need to speed up! :)
Thanks for sharing your plan - I'm struggling with the 'what nows' after my half, and finding the motivation to get out there when it is so cold and dark (what?! No one EVER told me it was going to be like THIS!).
ReplyDeleteI think your 30-60-90 could be just the ticket to help me keep up my fitness while I am deciding on what next.