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personal - HALF-MARATHON TRAINING 2006-7
Ok I've tried working to a schedule and it didn't work for me as you will know if you have read the details of my disastrous training for the half marathon 2006. Now I am going to rely on common sense training, over the course of a year, with some races thrown in and upping the pace as I go along. Hopefully, now that I have given myself sufficient time to prepare, I won't crash and burn!
My training MUST begin in July 2006 to have any chance of success
- Total miles listed relates
solely to roadwork.
Week One - 20/03/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Tu 30 min on the stepper.
We 30 min treadmill.
Th 60 min stepper.
Fri 30 min stepper. 5 min step.
Sa 60 min treadmill. 5 min cycle. 10 min
cross train
Total Miles = N/A
Comments: Beginning slowly but surely. Need more aerobic exercise. Stepper and step helps with leg strength but I need more cross training or treadmill work. Good start though.
Week Two - 27/03/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Mo 35 min on the treadmill. Rower - 2000m. 10 min step.
Tu 45 min treadmill. 10 min step. 10 min cycle
We 60 min treadmill.
Th 30 min fartlek. 10 min step.
Sa 30 min treadmill.
Su 90 min treadmill (long run)
Total Miles = N/A
Comments: Tried the rower for the first time. The result is an aching back. Won't try this again. I've also joined the Runners world forum for some advice and encouragement.
- 1: Pain in arch of right foot. Have experienced this before. Occurred after 90 min run
- 2: Pain between calf and ankle. Feels like a pull/muscle strain.
Week Three - 03/04/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Tu 30 min on the treadmill. 11 min step.
We 40 min treadmill. 10 min step.
Sa 4.5
45:12 10.03
Su 4.5
44:53 09.53
Total Miles = 9.0
Comments: Stabbing pain in right buttock on Tuesday and Wednesday. May be due to lack of warm-up. Stupid! May be trapped nerve. Sciatica me thinks! Will apply deep heat and see what happens. Also ran outside for the first time in ages following dental work to ease pain. Rubbed sensodyne on the tooth as well. Managed the run ok. Fingers crossed I only need to use treadmill for hill work.
Week Four - 10/04/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Tu 6.0
58:43 09.47
We 4.5
43:46 09.43
Fri 4.5
43:21 09.38
Sa 6.0
57:37 09.36
Total Miles = 21.0
Comments: Tried to fartlek the 6 miler on Monday. I couldn't gather sufficient speed for fartlek. Tuesday was a 'little' better and Friday better still-three spirts up hills. Should get better in time. My heals hurt a little when I start training and I felt the first twinge in my right butt cheek after 15 minutes of running. Sciatic nerve again? Need to be careful. Actually after Wednesday's run both my butt cheeks were aching...but not a nerve problem..more a muscle problem. it was actually a good problem. I got the feeling - whether rightly or wrongly - that that part of my anatomy was getting some exercise...not that you'd notice to look at it though! I've also begun to drink lucazade sport when running. It can't hurt and it's good to get used to drinking it now before any future races.
Week Five - 17/04/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Mo 10.2
1:41:16 09.56
We 4.5
42:26 09.26
Th 6.0
58:12 09.42
Fri 4.5
43:15 09.36
Total Miles = 25.2
Comments: Weighed myself. Only lost two pounds from last month. Disappointing. I know this isn't about weight loss, but still...
I'm going to try and add a degree of strength training. I believe it will
help with the running but that it will also assist in getting rid of the
'pooch'...the fat at the lower part of the abs that 'normal' abs work
doesn't seem to shift. I had hoped to do a long run on Sunday but social
events intervened. Doh!
Week Five - 24/04/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
We 6.0
55:57 09.20
Th 3.0
28:00 09.20
Su 10.2 1:40:27
09.51
Total Miles = 19.2
Comments: I was totally lazy, hence the lack of training until Wednesday. But the Wednesday run was fantastic. It felt so easy....! I hope I can duplicate it!! I actually tried to do some speed work on Thursday but couldn't get any speed out of my legs. I had a longer run on Sunday but could not run slower than 10 min mile for some reason. Should be a 12 minute mile for the long runs.
Week six - 01/05/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
We 6.0
56:57 09.20
Th 25 min Treadmill; 10 min step.
Su 10.2 1:40:27
09.51
Total Miles = 18.2
Comments: Admittedly my social life has been a bit hectic, but it's too easy to find excuses not to go out for a run.
Week Seven - 07/05/06 to week sixteen - 03/07/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Total Miles = 0.0
Comments: Totally lazy. Admittedly I was on holiday in Italy for
two weeks and there was some considerable walking. But in all honesty, I
can't count this as exercise.
Week seventeen - 10/07/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Su 6.0 1:03:59 10.40
Total Miles = 6.0
Comments: I deliberately took my one training day slowly. Absolutely shattered even at this slow pace. Hips were hurting after three miles. But I'm back on the training track! Incidentally this is the slowest time I have run so far.
Week Eighteen - 17/07/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Tu 6.0
1:00:52 10.09
Th 6.0
59:54 09.59
Total Miles = 12.0
Comments: My heals are painful. I also went to a specialist running shop and was told that I run inwards. may account for the injuries I get.
Week Nineteen - 24/07/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Tu 6.0
59:05 09.50
Th 3.0
29:03 09.50
Fr Treadmill 25 mins - Stepper - 10 mins - cycle 10 mins
Total Miles = 9.0
Comments: I have 5 weeks left to Wolverhampton Half Marathon and need to up the pace. I asked for advice from
a forum and was given the following advice that I intend to take:
If you're doing 22 miles per week I presume you are
running 4 times. If you add 1.1/2 to 2 miles on your 6 mile weekend run each
week, you will be up to 12-14 miles by the end of the month, leaving time for a
steady / rest week before the race. Just try and push yourself to 9.20 pace on
these runs.(The pace you ran at Stafford). Make one of your 6 mile runs a "fast
one" i.e: First mile 9 min pace, 4 miles 8.30 pace, last mile 9 min pace. The
other two runs could possibly be a recovery one (9.30 pace) & a hill/fartlek
one? Wolvo is a fairly flat course and with the support of the crowd and the
other runners, plus the adrenalin I am sure you will do it. "The only way to run
fast, is to run fast" Good Luck.
Week Twenty - 31/07/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Mo Treadmill - 60mins - Strength training 15 mins
Tu 3.0
28:49 09.36
Su 8.0
1:23:56 10.30
Total Miles = 11.0
Comments: Left inner ankle pain on Tuesday and increased after Tuesday's run. Rested for a while. I am trying to push the pace a little for the shorter runs but it's not that easy. Also i had hoped to run 12 miles on the weekend but only managed 8. Not sure if 4 weeks is going to be enough for this half marathon.
Week Twenty-One - 07/08/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
We 6.0
58:49 09.41
Th 4.5
43:47 09.44
Sa 6.0
56:07 09.21
Su Stepper - 60mins
Total Miles = 16.5
Comments: Slowly slowly catchy monkey. Times, stamina and strength improving slowly. May get down to 9:05 min miles for the half
marathon in three weeks. Hopefully adrenalin and the crowds can get me round in my desired 1:59:59! I am going to try an increase my carb intake. I had a
vindaloo two days ago...NOT a good start! 
Week Twenty-Two - 14/08/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Mo 4.5
43:30 09.40
We 9.8 1:36:33 09.51
Fri 6.0
56:12 09.22
Su 4.5
42:06 09.21
Total Miles = 24.8
Comments: Monday's time is a guess. Forgot to set my damn stopwatch. When I realised, I swore out loud, much to the shock of an elderly man walking his dog! Wednesday was my long run at a slower pace.
Week Twenty-Three - 21/08/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Tu 8.0
1:17:47 09.43
Th 4.5
41:48 09.17
Fri 6.0
56:22 09.24
Total Miles = 18.5
Comments: Tuesday's run was slow. I am disappointed. Also I've found out that I don't need to carb load for a 1/2 marathon. That accounts for the increase weight! I also think I am kidding myself if I really believe that I'll do the 1/2 marathon in under 2 hours. It's the law of diminishing returns. I just can't sustain the pace at the moment. Addendum: I've decided to use Hal Higdon's Training guide to improve my time for the Stafford Half Marathon in 2007.
Week Twenty-Four - 28/08/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
Mo 4.5
42:47 09.30
We 1.0
09:18 09.18
Th 4.5 Failed to record a time - est: under 43 mins
Su 13.1
2:19:05 10.30
Total Miles = 26.1
Comments: Well this is the week leading towards the Wolverhampton 1/2 marathon. True to form, I'm starting to have knee and ankle problems. Light training is the order of the day. My final run was on Thursday but I failed to set my stopwatch. Maybe that's a good thing. I was actually nervous running...how silly is that. I think it's because I don't want to make a total prat of myself in Wolverhampton.
Well I'm been back home, wincing at my friction burns and hobbling due to blisters. I ran...walked...jogged...the half marathon today in a slow time of 2:19:05. So much for my sub 2 hour time! {Full results available here}
I went running with m'old mate John Burdett who incidentally finished in a time of 1:58:10. This is how the day went for me.
- Issue 1: I made wrong assumptions about the weather and wore too much...a thick tee-shirt, running vest and tracksuit bottoms. Who'd have thought it would be so sunny after the torrents the day before.
- Issue 2: I managed to drop my MP3 player in one of the chemical loos. I tried to fish it out, but it was covered in the unmentionables. I had to throw away the case covering it.
- Issue 3: I tried to keep pace with a running buddy John, who did his best to drag me along at a good pace. Alas, his pace was too much for me.
- Issue 4: I looked down rather than ahead when running. (I didn't want to be put off by visions of long climbs ahead.) Consequently I missed a water station! Gah!
- Issue 5: I got to 9 miles and just couldn't run anymore. No idea why. Just dead on my feet. No rhyme or reason for it. {pout} Walked two miles and jogged the rest.
- Issue 6: I got home, pretty disappointed. No aches and pains in my legs so that's a good thing. Just multiple blisters and friction burns. Glad I finished it though.
Ok... there's no running for me for at least a week. My feet won't allow me to! Very painful. But I will start training for the Stafford Half marathon soon and WILL get my sub 2 hours!
Week Twenty-Five - 04/09/06 to Week twenty-seven - 18/09/06
Day
Miles
Time MPH
No training these weeks. Resting
Total Miles = 0
Comments: Total rest - swollen toes need time to recover. The next level of training begins week twenty-eight. I've established a 24 week training schedule which you can see on page 3/3.
Explanatory Notes
- Treadmill incline always set at a minimum of 1%.
- Recline cycle used, set to level 3 resistance and with minimum target of 86 revolutions per min.
- The stepper is a home Dynamix stepper.
- The step is a gym based step machine (with a floating footrest) set to a minimum resistance level of 5.
- Hill Training - using the treadmill. Two miles at 1% elevation and 7.5 speed. Then sprint for 1 minute at 6% elevation and 11 speed. 2 minute rest at 1% elevation and 6.0 speed. (Treadmill can't simulate downhill alas.) Repeat hill section 6-8 times. Legs should feel wobbly. Two miles at 1% elevation and 7.5 speed.
- Fartlek - using the treadmill. Normal run, interspersed with bursts at 12 speed - no less than 30 seconds.
- Long run - using the treadmill. 7.0 speed with 1% elevation. Emphasis on duration not speed. Long runs outside to be run at 2min/mile slower than the average pace attained during that week.
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