Where to begin?

[Kelli]

Okay, so I have been reading through all of these posts for about an hour and I have read a ton of good advice.  I have read the articles on running, but I am a slow learner.  Where do I start AFTER I have begun???

I run.  I have no rhyme or reason to what I do, I just run.  My husband runs with me and he runs FAST.  I try to slow him down, but after 3 miles I eventually catch him and then he chases me for the rest.  We both want to get better, but we have read so much contradictory advice (books, websites, magazines---you name it).  We have both run halfs and a full marathon (VERY under trained) and did okay.  We are running two halfs in the next month and I am sure we will fare okay, but we could do better.  We are LUCKY enough to be running the St George Marathon (we have connections), and we will once again run under trained---but we will love every minute of it. 

So, AFTER this fall season of races, where do we begin so that next year we will not be under trained?  I get that the mileage is more important than the speedwork initially (which is honestly something I did not know until two days ago---I would have called them equal).  But is there like a PLAN somewhere that we can follow over the winter?  Did I miss it on this blog?

I know I am annoying, but I am just that kind of person that needs everything laid out for me in detail.  My husband keeps telling me that I frustrate him because I could be a great runner if I would just train.  So, I am going to TRY to train and make him proud.  HELP ME OUT!!!

Are there any books or websites or theories or methods that I can follow day by day?

[Jeff Linger]

Kelli, I'm going to let the experts on this blog handle the details of a plan. I will start the discussion though by saying 2 things. 1. The most important aspect of training, especially for longer distance races, 1/2 and full marathons, seems to be your aerobic base (did I spell that right?). This is done by longer slow distances. You can probably be adequately trained for most marathons through this alone. I'm sure there's some serious mathematical formulas and labratory tests you could do to find that exact speed, but I think probably you're looking at 30-45 seconds slower than marathon race pace. Obviously you will want to do some runs at race pace as you move closer to your marathon. 2. If you're moderately trained just remember that its probably better to be undertrained than overtrained.

[Josse]

The most important thing in building base is consistancy.  Start by running six days a week, even if you only run 3-5 miles a day and work up from there.  It is hard to tell you where to begin becuase I cannot look at your training, but I would start doing that right now.  Get in the habit of going out daily.  Then after you do a reverse taper after your fall marathon and feel fully recovered start back with the six days a week through the winter and this will build a good base for summer racing.

[Kelli]

Thanks for your input.  I will work on the 6 days a week thing for now and I am trying to slow down!  Since I have not really run a race in a year (I did WBR, but I did not wear a garmin because I just wanted to enjoy it), I do not really know what my race pace is.  I need to spend more time (and $$$) doing the smaller races so I can get a grasp on my race speed.  I really have no clue.  All I know is that I am running training runs about a minute faster than I was last year (and, again, I am not sure that is GOOD).

I will just muddle through these two halfs (maybe 3) and then the St George, and then begin my trek to become a serious runner who has at least some clue what to do!

[Sasha Pachev]

If you do not have cash for a race, you can always ask somebody to pace you during their "uneventful" run. If you are up to coming to Provo in the morning some day, we can do it.

For your training - run 6 miles a day 5 times a week at 9:30 pace or slower if it feels right. For your long run (6th days), 10-12 miles at the same pace. At this point the goal is to go the maximum possible distance over the week that you can handle safely - no injuries, no overtraining. Learn to go to bed early and get up early. Bedtime curfew is a good idea. Also makes it easier to enforce it with the teenager if you are doing it yourself.

[Kelli]

If you do not have cash for a race, you can always ask somebody to pace you during their "uneventful" run. If you are up to coming to Provo in the morning some day, we can do it.

For your training - run 6 miles a day 5 times a week at 9:30 pace or slower if it feels right. For your long run (6th days), 10-12 miles at the same pace. At this point the goal is to go the maximum possible distance over the week that you can handle safely - no injuries, no overtraining. Learn to go to bed early and get up early. Bedtime curfew is a good idea. Also makes it easier to enforce it with the teenager if you are doing it yourself.

Is it normal that that pace is painfully slow to me---like I have a hard time doing it??  Do I just need to get used to it?  I seriously feel like I am dragging at that pace, and talking my husband into it might be difficult (when he runs that slow at the beginning, he has a hard time finishing)!  However, you are the expert, so I will try it for the rest of the week and see if I can get a feel for it.  Thanks for your input, and i will be asking for much more once I get more training logged (and past these 3 races).

[Sasha Pachev]

It will start to feel natural once you start experiencing the fatigue of the mileage. I do not think of 8:00 pace as dragging, even though I can run a marathon at 5:40 pace on the same terrain.