Greetings friends! My days are all thrown off since we were off Monday. Can’t believe it’s Wednesday already! Not that I’m complaining or anything. So, today I wanted to talk training plans with you. I know there are SO many different options and opinions, so why not give you mine, right?
Everyone loves giving opinions. Don’t you want to hear mine?!
I am going to have a RWS “honestly moment” and share a little tidbit with you. I have NEVER followed one training plan all the way through. I have taken plans, thrown them together and come up with “my own thing” a few times….and here’s the deal….
50% of me saying that is because I didn’t fully like one plan so I mashed two together to get something agreeable.
50% of me saying that is because I can get lazy and complacent and so when I don’t feel like doing a hard workout I can chalk it up to “well I am doing my own training plan so I don’t really have to do this run today.” Lame-o I know, but true.
Can anyone relate? Am I the only one guilty of doing this? Well, this time it’s going to be different!
That being said, I am DETERMINED to, just for one training cycle, follow ONE plan all the way through and see where it takes me. The only changing I will be doing is switching a day here or there, or adding in more strength training because I don’t want to give that up. But the running, yup. Gonna do it. YOU ARE MY WITNESSES! I need you friends. My race is September 2, and it is going to be hard for me to get in some of these long runs in the heat.
This is briefly what my Smart coach plan from Runner’s World looks like:
Running: 4 x’s a week. Easy run, tempo run or speed work, easy run, long run.
Cross Train: It says “rest/XT” on 3 days. I will take at least one full day of rest, XT the other 2 and weight lift on my XT days and my easy run days.
Apparently, if I follow this plan, I can shave a good 11 minutes or so off my time which would be awesome. I am very curious to see if this actually works. We will find out soon enough eh? I can do this, I NEED to prove to myself I can follow through with that.
QOTD: Do you follow a training plan when you are preparing for a race, wing it, mesh plans together, or something else?
Anyone notice my new social media icons on my sidebar under my picture? Check out all the different ways you can follow me! (Wow that sounded kind of stalker-ish!) Anyway, be sure to check out the cute new icons and links.
I’m with you. I may take a plan but I usually combine it with something else and am always moving the days around to fit my bust schedule. Hey, it works. Right?!
In the past for my halfs and full marathons I have made a plane based on a few others. I only did maybe a few speed workouts when training and I think that is what I am really missing.
I’m using a plan from Runner’s World for the MCM! Good luck with your training; you’ll do great! I know I say this all the time but holler if you ever want some running buddies. There’s a (rapidly growing) group of us that meets every Saturday and we all run at different paces.
I’m using a training plan from Runner’s World for the MCM! Good luck with you’re training; you’ll do fine!
OM all about the new tweaked plans these days too.
Oh. And I aready stalk you 🙂
bahaha!
Great post! I just did a “summer goals” post today and one of the things on my list is to stick to my next big race’s training program which begins in a few weeks. It has runs everyday except rest days on Mondays and Fridays. Saturdays are long runs and Sundays are walk/cross training days. Good luck!
good luck! I burn out and get injured if I run more than 4 days a week!
I usually make my own training plan and am usually pretty good about following it. I always do the long runs but sometimes I don’t do the speed work like I should. Cross training is a different story. I do NOT do that like I should. I think if I had a plan for cross training I might do better with that. I NEED a plan lol!
I hear ya lol!
I try to follow plans but fail miserably! I mean sometimes your body just doesn’t feel like speedwork, or a long run, etc. You just have to listen to your body. I think as long as you run 3-4 times a week and do some cross training, and put in a reasonable number of miles, you should be okay- at least if you’re just a recreational runner and not trying to hit certain times or running on a team. With that said, some people just *need* a plan to tell them what to do and motivate them.
I say give it a shot and see what happens with your time. You never know, you might like the plan and it might work well, you could see lots of improvement. Never hurts to try something new and change it up, right 🙂
I “loosely” followed a Galloway plan for RnRNOLA. I say loosely only because I used my road runners club’s winter series races as my Sunday long runs. It worked, but I think I need to be a little more stringent w/the Philly Marathon in Nov. I’m like you – I give myself lame excuses sometimes but I want to improve and I think following a set plan is the only way to do that. So, starting in July I’m going to choose one of the Higdon plans and stick to it!
Higdon is the one I usually mix in with smart coach!
I am structured kind of girl. I take my plan, hang it up on the wall beside my t.v. (to motivate me when I’m being a couch potato), and I highlight the workout when I finish it. It totally keeps me accountable and when I get to race day, I have no doubts that I am ready because I followed my training schedule to a T.
good idea!
Oh wow, that is a lot of time to knock off! I hope this training plan works!!
Good luck! I know you can do it! I always follow training plans b/c I’m so anal, but I ignore the paces for all runs except tempo/ interval runs. So hmmm… maybe that means I don’t follow the training plans at all either! haha 🙂
And omg Wednesday?! I keep thinking it’s Tuesday! I’m so going to miss a deadline ugh.
Good luck!
I have followed plans in the past, but mostly I “mash” a few up and create my own. I look over a few highly recommended plans, understand the nuts and bolts of WHY the plan is set up the way it is, and then create something similar that fits my schedule. Oftentimes a plan as written just doesn’t fit with our lives and so it’s nice to have something custom tailored.
yes you are right if only life were more simple haha
I’m thre same way. I never really follow a strict plan except to make sure my long runs build 2-4 miles each week as I get closer to race day. Not weekly milage, just my Saturday runs. 14, then 16, then 18, 20, etc. Who knows how good I could be if I actually trained. We are in the same boat.
I’ve never done a race, but I’ve tried using training plans before to increase my mileage and hated it haha. Like you said, it was probably because I wanted to be able to do my own thing, especially when there was a harder workout that I didn’t feel up to doing!
I have loosely followed Smart Coach before with a little of this and that thrown in. I just committed to following one plan all the way through for my next half. Good luck with your plan!
good luck to you too!
Good luck with the plan! I’m in the camp of loosely following or mashing plans together! 🙂