Can anyone else believe we are officially less than a week away from Christmas? Thank goodness I used some of my time this weekend to finally buying all our gifts!
I don’t know what got me so behind this year, but I’m so happy that all I have to do now is get everything wrapped. It will all be worth it to be home and with family for Christmas. There is just nothing to beat that.
My first week wrapped up with my running coach, and I have to say I absolutely love it. There was no guessing, I knew exactly what I needed to do each day from the run all the way down to the strength work. There I just another level of accountability when you know you have someone to report to.
Here is a look at my training log this week:
Monday
Total: 6 miles
I started the week off nice and easy. My legs felt surprisingly good after Saturday’s long run/workout. It’s really amazing what running on unpaved ground for the majority of your run will do for you.
There wasn’t anything too special about this run, but I was just happy to feel the best I’ve felt in a while on an early Monday morning.
Tuesday
Total: 7 miles
Tuesday started with a different run than I have done in a while.
Scheduled run: 5 miles easy, 2 miles moderate
Actual run: 5 miles (9:40, 9:24, 9:15, 9:05, 8:50), 2 miles (7:58, 7:56)
I don’t think my legs actually woke up until the last 2 miles. The first 3-4 miles as you can tell were a bit of a struggle. I had finished it off with the prescribed strength work for the day.
Wednesday
Total: 9 miles
Scheduled run: Warm up (with strides and short tempo), 3 miles (7:35-7:40 pace), 3 minute jog, 2 miles (7:30-7:35 pace), 2 minute jog, 1 mile (sub 7:30 pace), and cool down.
Actual run: Warm up, 3 miles (7:30, 7:30, 7:34), 3 minute jog, 2 miles (7:30, 7:34), 2 minute jog, 1 mile (7:14), and cool down.
This was my “big” workout for the week and going into this I was a bit nervous. Not because I thought I couldn’t hit the paces but because I was just putting unnecessary pressure on myself. Overall, the workout actually went really well.
I finished it off by doing some strength work after work because I ran out of time in the morning.
Thursday
Total: 5 miles
It was pouring rain when I woke up on Sunday, so instead of getting wet I opted to run my 5 easy miles on the treadmill.
I started the treadmill at a 9:22 pace and worked it down to around an 8:30. I didn’t care how slow I went I just wanted my rather sore legs to recover properly.
It wasn’t the easiest run, but I enjoyed just mentally getting to check out during the run.
Friday
Off
I was really happy that my coach believed in keeping my Friday rest day. My body really responds well to it typically, and he was all for continuing the pattern.
I did do some light stretching and foam rolling to keep my muscles loosened up.
Saturday
Total: 14 miles
Scheduled workout: 14 miles (8 minutes easy, 1 minute on – starting at tempo pace and progressively working down)
Actual workout: 12 miles (8 minutes easy around 8:41 pace, 1 minute on (7:40-6:53) – break – 2 miles outside (8 minutes around 9:15 pace x 1 minute (7:40-6:40)
This workout did not go as planned. The morning started off with 15-20 mph winds so we opted for the treadmill. I felt great going into it, but things quickly changed around mile 9. I started having stomach “issues” around mile 9 and had to stop for about 5-6 minutes. I got started again and then around mile 12 I started to feel sick and proceeded to vomit. Yeah, not good.
I took a break until Wes was done with his workout. I was beginning to feel better so I told Wes to meet me 2 miles from the gym and I run there to met him. I finished off the last 2 miles much slower for the easy segments but felt better on the intervals.
Overall, I got in the 14 miles but it wasn’t quite as fluid as I wanted it to be. We can’t win them all right?
I finished the workout off with the strength session in my schedule and called it a day. I was pretty much worthless for the rest of the day.
Sunday
Total: 5 miles
The goal is an easy and relaxing 5 miles to end the week.
My first week totaled 46 miles. I know without a doubt that if I was on my own I would have pushed for more miles this week but I’m thankful for my running coach who keeps me on track especially leading up to the start of Boston training in January.
How did your running go this week?
How many miles do you typically average each week?
Quick questions about your coaching – what interval to you talk to him? Weekly, monthly, etc. Did he plan your plan for your entire ramp up to Boston, or does he give you weekly (or monthly) workouts? How frequently does he adjust your paces, or are they they same throughout (like Hanson’s)?
~ Run with joy!
Greg
My coach does 24/7 contact, so if you have a question you can call, text, or email him at any time. We will still walk once a week to go through everything but if something comes up or you have a question he’s always available which is so nice! I just started working with him as of 12/14 so prior to that I was doing my own thing, but he won’t officially start Boston training until January so right now we are doing some half focused stuff and just ramping up to get ready for Boston training.
He gives me my workouts usually a week in advance. Each day has a prescribed run, workout, etc. If there are certain paces to hit he will give them to me so I don’t have to come up with the paces myself. I can add notes to the spreadsheet so that he can see how it is going and he will adjust paces as he feels I am ready for them. Since we just started working together he is trying to get an idea where I’m at so I’m doing a combination of things right now, but he adjusts all of it and tells me what I need to work for. I like it because each week is different and I’m doing different type workouts. He really likes putting faster stuff (usually small segments or the end) in my long runs, which is something I didn’t do previously but I know I need to! I think that will really help me prepare for those last miles of the marathon!
Let me know if you have any others questions! 🙂
Hi Sara – Thanks for your reply!
I have used Hanson’s for my last two rounds of ramp up for a goal marathon. And while I feel like I am challenged by the plan very well, I continue with late race fatigue and I am beginning to doubt my training. I am able to do the 60+ mile weeks and really feel accomplished when I complete them, but I am not sure the 16 mile long run theory is working for me. Maybe it is a mental hurdle and not a physical one, but I think my inability to hold my pace the last 10k of my races may be lack of endurance training.
I have seen a couple of big PR’s, but I am not sure I want to do another cycle of Hanson’s and I have been contemplating hiring a coach. Thanks for all of your replies and sharing your journey with all of us – I may be following in your footsteps next year.
~ Run with joy!
Greg
Hi – probably a dumb question but will your coach use the Hanson’s method or are you trying something completely different for this training cycle? Thanks!
Sorry – one more. Do you know if your current coach advocates for longer than the 16 mile long run of Hanson’s?
We haven’t gotten there yet, but I do believe I’ll be running further than 16 miles. I did that on my won during my Chicago training and probably will this time around because for the last one I felt like I was weak during those last miles. My coach really believes in throwing in faster stuff in the long run near the end to get your legs used to running fast when tired. However, he does customize everything to each athlete so that is something that we will address as the time comes. We don’t start official marathon training until sometime in January. I know my husband did a 24 mile run when training under him for Chicago, BUT I am no where near that level so mine won’t be even close to that level. It just depends on what your body can handle and your level.
Hi Amanda! No, my coach customizes each plan to his athletes so it is not based off of Hansons in any way. I needed a change! I loved Hansons when going for my BQ, but when I tried to use it the second time around the same workouts just started to get too mentally boring for me and I was struggling to stay engaged. I needed a new focus and to switch things up! 🙂
Thanks for all the info, Sara! I agree about the need/desire to change up plans. It’s what keeps us interested and improving, right? Best of luck. I heard a runningonom podcast with that coach and he sounds awesome.