Hard to get up and run when you are not getting much sleep! Hopefully I can get some miles in later this evening & thru the weekend to try to salvage a respectable mileage week - 2 miles in 3 days won't get it done! Sometimes there are much larger issues in life that dominate the mind though, & I am sure running will probably help me to get through some of those! I am working on putting together my 18 week training plan for my October marathon ... (re) reading a book by Brad Hudson & Matt Fitzgerald - 'Run Faster - How to be your own best coach'. I have never been a believer in cookie cutter training plans, as I think everyone has different strengths/weaknesses & responds to different training methods differently. This book give a great understanding of how to put together a plan based on one's individual characteristics & goals ... while also providing some basic guidelines. I think having a plan will help tremendously, I try to mix up my workouts a lot right now, but there is definitely little rhyme or reason as to how I approach it! Update: Another day with no run, but got some exercise ... and have first draft of my training plan ... still need to see how it looks detailed out over 18 weeks in a spreadsheet: I think I am going to go with:
Sun: Long
Mon: Rest/Spin Class
Tue: Track work
Wed: 6-11 tempo, progression w/ some MP
Thu: 4-8 easy
Fri: Hills & Fartlek
Sat: 4-8 easy/Spin Class
Obviously, that will alter some when I have Saturday races - but that will be my baseline - 3-4 Quality workouts, 2-3 easy, 1 day rest.
I am going to put estimated mileage/details for each workout in an excel spreadsheet to get a feel for mileage bulidup/taper, but only as a guideline. One of the things Hudson talks about is "Individualized training schedules must be adapted daily, based on the runners response to recent training and other factors that may affect the runners readiness for planned training."
One of my favorite paragraphs, goes on to state, "Training for a peak race is kind of like undertaking a long sailing trip. The shortest distance to your destination is a straight line, but the fastest way to get there will involve many zigzags. You will encounter unpredictable winds and currents on your journey. In responding to these factors, you may find yourself heading a little to the left or right of your final destination some days, but your overall progress in the right general direction will be much greater than it would be if you stubbornly insisted on heading straight toward your destination regardless of winds and currents."
The goal of the book is to help one understand how to make these adjustments, and the reasoning behind it.
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