The idea behind the Hansons Plan is that you run enough days per week that a 16 mile max LR feels like the last 16 of a marathon. There are also quality workouts, of speed and what they call tempo, which is really just MP.
Monday, July 8 - 4.3 mi @ a 3 degree incline in 8:26 (7:46 effort). Felt pretty easy through mile 4, then it got hard, and my outer left knee cartilage (I'm guessing) issue started getting harder to control.
Tuesday, July 9 - 6.2 mi intervals at 1 degree incline. 0.6 warmup @ 7mph, then 12 x [0.3 mi @ 8.6 mph, 0.2 mi @ 7.5mph]... It's supposed to be quarters for the intervals, but I stretched it to 0.3 mi to account for the treadmill ramp-up time. During this workout, the power actually flashed off, causing the treadmill to jolt to a stop. Gotta always be on your toes! I had considered stopping after 4 reps because they were hard, but the latter ones went by quickly! The on vs. off ratio was nice... enough time to recover. Cardiovascularly easy - even in the 11th rep, I could breathe in with my nose occasionally.
Wednesday rest
Thursday, July 11 - 5.0 tempo run @ 2 degrees of incline. My BQ goal is 3:35, but I'm supposedly capable of a 3:22, so I had planned to split the difference during training. I averaged a 7:55 pace, which was a 7:36 effort with the incline. There is 1 big hill in the St George marathon, so a bit of incline won't hurt. I alternated between 1 degree and 3 degrees. The run was toughter than I expected.
Friday rest
Saturday, July 13 - 8.4 in the park at 9:14 ave pace. Left outer knee cartilage feels like it's missing.... otherwise, felt good, like I could've gone on longer, cardiovascularly.
Sunday, July 14 - 55 min strength session.
This week was tough on the legs, even though I only racked up 24 miles.
Monday, July 15 - 4.0 @ a 1 degree incline, 8:21/mi ave. Left outer knee... uh. Time went by slowly, yet I felt like I didn't do much cardiovascularly.
Tuesday, July 16 - 4.6 @ 1 degree, interval workout. 1 mi warmup in 8:09, 6x [ 0.4 in 2:49 (8.6mph), 0.2 in 1:35 (7.5mph)]. It was supposed to be 600m reps, but I made it 0.4 mi, since I'm doing stuff on a treadmill. I was supposed to do 8 reps... 6 isn't bad, though. Played it safe. It was a bit too close to dinner, so it was hard to go on. Reaching out further when taking strides helped to control my joint issues. Running's not as fun when you fear injury. Lucky to get in a workout at all today, since I worked til 7pm.
Wednesday rest
Thursday, Jul 18 - 5.0 @ 1 degree, tempo (MP)... took it easier this time, with just 1 degree of incline and 8:01 pace. To ease joint stresses while still hovering around the goal pace, I varied between 7.4mph and 7.6mph through the run... worked ok. Knees had been tight after my nap, so I stood around while doing dishes, which helped. The monitor on the treadmill fell down into the machine while I was running, so I had to estimate time/distance. I would've run on longer, but I had a night-time conference call to get to afterwards - blah.
Friday, Jul 19 - 65 min bike session. Didn't sweat as much as usual.
Saturday, Jul 20 - 9.6 mi on the Swamp Rabbit trail, ave 7:44. Sprained ankle badly on mile 2.5 in the grass, and kept going, hobbling.
Sunday, July 21 - 4.5 mi in grass in the park. Sprained ankle (the right one again) even worse this time. Had to stop completely, and I cleared out the sticks and rocks in the path, to try to prevent it from happening again. Right front knee was bad pretty much the whole time. Bother. Lightening last 2 miles were kind of scary. My left knee started giving out, when walking forward - something's really wrong.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
4th of July, and my last "Easy" Week
I am here, in week 5, of the Hansons Beginner's Training Program.
It's the calm before the storm... although I couldn't even handle the "calm". I ended up taking a couple of mid-week rest days where I wasn't up for running. It was the holidays, and I was visiting family. I did do some cross-training, though.
That was the plan. Here's what I did:
Monday:
50 min on the recumbent Bike, felt the easiest that it's ever been. Time went by quickly. A foot thing prevented me from attempting a run.
Tuesday:
4.6 @ 8:23 pace, outside, in 76 degree and cloudy weather. My joints complained when running at angles, when I was changing directions or on lateral inclines. I don't know whether that run did more harm than good.
Wednesday - rest. Drove to my parents' house. Didn't feel up for a run, but I went on a nice 2.2 mi walk with them.
Thursday - rest. I could've run, but we decided to go kayaking instead. It wasn't much of a workout, because kayaking doesn't make your arms sore, for some reason. Also, I spent a lot of time not paddling, taking pictures instead. We were out for about 2 hours. It was nice. We were on a new waterway that we hadn't been to before.
Friday:
4.4 @ 9:10, outside, in 90 degree temps, half cloudy, half sunny. Joints complained a bit during turns and angles again, so I didn't go any further.
Saturday:
6.6 @ 8:41, in 89 degree temps, with 60% sun. Nice to see that I went faster. Joints complained in the second loop again, although it seems like it got a bit better in the third loop... it has happened in LRs before... just need to get over the hump.
+ plus.... went Jet-skiing!!!
Sunday:
55 min body weight strength session.
That was the plan. Here's what I did:
Monday:
50 min on the recumbent Bike, felt the easiest that it's ever been. Time went by quickly. A foot thing prevented me from attempting a run.
Tuesday:
4.6 @ 8:23 pace, outside, in 76 degree and cloudy weather. My joints complained when running at angles, when I was changing directions or on lateral inclines. I don't know whether that run did more harm than good.
Wednesday - rest. Drove to my parents' house. Didn't feel up for a run, but I went on a nice 2.2 mi walk with them.
Thursday - rest. I could've run, but we decided to go kayaking instead. It wasn't much of a workout, because kayaking doesn't make your arms sore, for some reason. Also, I spent a lot of time not paddling, taking pictures instead. We were out for about 2 hours. It was nice. We were on a new waterway that we hadn't been to before.
Friday:
4.4 @ 9:10, outside, in 90 degree temps, half cloudy, half sunny. Joints complained a bit during turns and angles again, so I didn't go any further.
Saturday:
6.6 @ 8:41, in 89 degree temps, with 60% sun. Nice to see that I went faster. Joints complained in the second loop again, although it seems like it got a bit better in the third loop... it has happened in LRs before... just need to get over the hump.
+ plus.... went Jet-skiing!!!
Sunday:
55 min body weight strength session.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
2013 Mid-Year Review
Weekly Mileage:
Snapshot of Mileage on each Shoe:
Life Highlights:
- 5 continents in 6 weeks of nearly non-stop travel.
- Loved Amsterdam
- Loved relaxing in Rio
- Hang-gliding in Rio
Red = Week with a 30K race
Green = Week with a HM
Orange = Week with a race approximately 10K
Yellow = Week with a 5K
Scaled for cross-training (recumbent biking @ 2 mph of effort and strength training @ 2 mph of effort):
Snapshot of Mileage on each Shoe:
Life Highlights:
- 5 continents in 6 weeks of nearly non-stop travel.
- Loved Amsterdam
- First time in Africa... specifically, South Africa (I'm intent on going back, running the Comrades marathon, then going on Safari at Kreuger at some point in my life)
- Got into trail running, doing a 12K, a HM, and a 30K
- L&N's Wedding + Mini-reunions
Jun 17-30: 2 more Base weeks, and a Wedding
Jun 18, Tuesday:
5.0 @ 8:10 on a 3 degree incline (=7:32 effort). Needed a rest day yesterday, but now that my running volume has picked up a bit, that one rest day makes a noticeable difference.
Jun 19, Wednesday:
55 minutes of recumbent biking.
Jun 20, Thursday:
4.5 @ 8:35 on a 3 degree incline (=7:54 effort). Felt like I was pushing it.
Friday - drove up to Chapel Hill, NC, the night before a good friend's wedding. A good number of people met up at the Top of the Hill to catch up - it was like a mini-reunion of college friends. It was good to be with them, and it's nice when you can just pick up where you left off as if 4 years was nothing.
Jun 22, Saturday:
4.0 @ 8:43 on a 2 degree incline (=8:12 effort). The hotel's thermostat was set to 70, but it felt like 80 degrees. Fasted workout at 7am.
It was a perfect and very classy wedding, of two of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Got to catch up with other good friends, too.
Sunday: More hangout time with my Wedding Weekend roomies. Had some excellent BBQ at the Hillsborough BBQ Company. You know it's good when the place has a line only a few minutes after opening. Great sides, too - hushpuppies, sweet potato salad, cajum fries, 3 types of cole slaw.
That was after having to jump my car after I left the inside light on for 2 days. My friend's car died trying to save mine, so a third friend's car recussitated both cars.
5.0 @ 8:10 on a 3 degree incline (=7:32 effort). Needed a rest day yesterday, but now that my running volume has picked up a bit, that one rest day makes a noticeable difference.
Jun 19, Wednesday:
55 minutes of recumbent biking.
Jun 20, Thursday:
4.5 @ 8:35 on a 3 degree incline (=7:54 effort). Felt like I was pushing it.
Friday - drove up to Chapel Hill, NC, the night before a good friend's wedding. A good number of people met up at the Top of the Hill to catch up - it was like a mini-reunion of college friends. It was good to be with them, and it's nice when you can just pick up where you left off as if 4 years was nothing.
Jun 22, Saturday:
4.0 @ 8:43 on a 2 degree incline (=8:12 effort). The hotel's thermostat was set to 70, but it felt like 80 degrees. Fasted workout at 7am.
It was a perfect and very classy wedding, of two of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Got to catch up with other good friends, too.
Sunday: More hangout time with my Wedding Weekend roomies. Had some excellent BBQ at the Hillsborough BBQ Company. You know it's good when the place has a line only a few minutes after opening. Great sides, too - hushpuppies, sweet potato salad, cajum fries, 3 types of cole slaw.
That was after having to jump my car after I left the inside light on for 2 days. My friend's car died trying to save mine, so a third friend's car recussitated both cars.
At the restaurant, my friend's car died again, so we did our third jump start of the day.
Then, we rushed to William B. Umstead state park close to Raliegh to get in some hiking before my second friend's flight back home. We got in 3 miles in under an hour, and found a turtle.
It was good timing socially and physically for a cutback in training, after two 20+ mile weeks at the start of base-building. 20+ for a week isn't much, compared to weeks where you do 20+ in a single run, but it feels like high-volume when you're building back up.
Jun 24, Monday:
5.8 @ 8:07, at 1 degree of incline. The cutback week last week and the rest days made my legs feel fresh.
Jun 25, Tuesday:
4.5 @ 8:23, at 3 degrees of incline. Legs still felt fresh.
Jun 27, Thursday:
1 hr strength session (first in about 2 weeks).
Jun 29, Saturday:
6.0 @ 9:21 outside in the park. 71 degrees... overcast and a good temp at 7am.
Jun 30, Sunday:
5.9 @ 9:08 outside in the park. 75 degrees, with very light sprinkling, at 7pm.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Jun 5-Jun 16: First week and a half of Marathon Training!!!
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting the same result every time. Something like that.
I've done 3:37-3:41-ish for my three marathons on relatively low mileage. Last time, I upped my mileage, but it didn't seem to help, since I fared in the middle (3:39ish). I debated whether I wanted to follow the Furman FIRST Run Less Run Faster plan, which emphasizes 3 quality runs per week, with cross-training. Those runs are crazy difficult, like race pace stuff. I don't know if I could've handled that. Long runs were in the usual 20 range. Another option was the Hansons Method, which caps LRs at 16 miles and makes up for it by having another decent run right next to it, and by having a pretty high volume overall.
Right now, I'm planning on going with the Hansons plan. Mileage goes up to 57mpw. My max was maybe 39 on a week where I happened to have two long runs within the same week, I think. So that'll be a stretch. We'll see. I'll play it by ear.
Here's the plan:
I've done 3:37-3:41-ish for my three marathons on relatively low mileage. Last time, I upped my mileage, but it didn't seem to help, since I fared in the middle (3:39ish). I debated whether I wanted to follow the Furman FIRST Run Less Run Faster plan, which emphasizes 3 quality runs per week, with cross-training. Those runs are crazy difficult, like race pace stuff. I don't know if I could've handled that. Long runs were in the usual 20 range. Another option was the Hansons Method, which caps LRs at 16 miles and makes up for it by having another decent run right next to it, and by having a pretty high volume overall.
Right now, I'm planning on going with the Hansons plan. Mileage goes up to 57mpw. My max was maybe 39 on a week where I happened to have two long runs within the same week, I think. So that'll be a stretch. We'll see. I'll play it by ear.
Here's the plan:
So far, so good. But it starts easy. So much for the 10% rule!!!
Jun 5, Wednesday: 4.4 @ 7:57.
Jun 7, Friday: 1 hr strength session.
Jun 8, Saturday: 6.8 @ 8:54.
Jun 9, Sunday: 4.2 @ 8:28.
Jun 10, Monday: 4.0 @ 8:11... third day in a row of running! Originally planned on catching up on sleep, but figured why not run, b/c I felt ok. I breathed through my nose from mile 1.25->2.25... good lung exercise.
Jun 11, Tuesday: 50 min Biking session.
Jun 13, Thursday: 4.9 @ 8:46 outside at sunset... I got in 2x0.75 mi laps before I had to start using a headlamp, which I held in my hand... the risks of producing imbalances and injuring myself on unsteady footing are probably outweigh the gains of the run... know it for next time.
Jun 14, Friday: 1 hr strength session.
Jun 15, Saturday: 9.2 @ 8:48 outside. Went by easily and quickly. Sprained ankle @ mile 5 and limped for 100m before stabilizing and continuing on. Didn't stop my watch.
Jun 16, Sunday: 4.5 @ 8:54 outside. Ran on tired body, to build up endurance. The run beat me up. I rolled the right ankle again, in mile 4, but it wasn't as bad this time.
Monday, June 17, 2013
May 28-Jun 5: Working self into the ground... kinda literally
May 28, Tuesday: 5.0 in 8:24.
May 29, Wednesday: 50 min biking.
May 31, Friday: 5.0 in 8:08. Fear that I have adrenal fatigue. Not much sleep in the past 2 weeks. Looking fit, though.
Jun 1, Saturday: 1 hr strength session. First half of the day, all I wanted to do was lie on the floor or on the bed, with no desire to do anything else. In the morning, lots of low blood pressure blacking out. Stayed in bed until 3pm, just about.
Jun 2, Sunday: 45 min biking. Had a call at night with Asia, so I was on the computer, typing on my right, on the phone with my iPhone headphones, while trying to fit my bike session in. Hope that didn't cause imbalances. I did feel it a bit the next day, so I probably won't try that again.
Jun 3, Monday: 4.5 mi @ 7:52. Tired, but wanted to run. Night call with Asia until 1am.
Jun 5, Wednesday: 4.4 mi @ 7:57. It was only Wednesday.... felt like I had worked 2 weeks straight, with no weekends... probably because I was doing US hours + half of Asia hours every day since Sunday night. Needed the exercise to release energy/steam, though.
May 29, Wednesday: 50 min biking.
May 31, Friday: 5.0 in 8:08. Fear that I have adrenal fatigue. Not much sleep in the past 2 weeks. Looking fit, though.
Jun 1, Saturday: 1 hr strength session. First half of the day, all I wanted to do was lie on the floor or on the bed, with no desire to do anything else. In the morning, lots of low blood pressure blacking out. Stayed in bed until 3pm, just about.
Jun 2, Sunday: 45 min biking. Had a call at night with Asia, so I was on the computer, typing on my right, on the phone with my iPhone headphones, while trying to fit my bike session in. Hope that didn't cause imbalances. I did feel it a bit the next day, so I probably won't try that again.
Jun 3, Monday: 4.5 mi @ 7:52. Tired, but wanted to run. Night call with Asia until 1am.
Jun 5, Wednesday: 4.4 mi @ 7:57. It was only Wednesday.... felt like I had worked 2 weeks straight, with no weekends... probably because I was doing US hours + half of Asia hours every day since Sunday night. Needed the exercise to release energy/steam, though.
Stone Mountain, Georgia
After the 30K...
Slept lots the day after the 30K to help with recovery. Craved calcium, and bones felt compressed. My body itched to run, but I played it smart and rested.
Monday, May 20: Biked 60 min. I had looked forwrd to working out all day during work, though after my post-dinner nap, I had to tear myself out of bed to get to the gym. The time went by quickly, a sign of good times with the running magazine.
Tuesday, May 21: 1 hr Strength session.
Wednesday - at the office from 8:15am->11:30pm, so no workout.
Thursday, May 23: 5 mi @ 8:24. Crazy sleep patterns today (after working til midnight the previous day, I had a 5am call).
Friday, May 24: 50 min bike session. Time flew by again.
Saturday, May 25: 5 mi @ 8:10.
Sunday, May 26: Hiking at Stone Maountain with the fam. It was suprisingly hard. Maybe because I was still recovering from the 30K, or maybe because of the poor sleep. I really only felt it during the uphills. The backpack didn't make it any easier.
It was a nice day, though. It's nice when big cities have more natural getaway spots closeby.
Had a bit of iPhone fun at the top.
Slept lots the day after the 30K to help with recovery. Craved calcium, and bones felt compressed. My body itched to run, but I played it smart and rested.
Monday, May 20: Biked 60 min. I had looked forwrd to working out all day during work, though after my post-dinner nap, I had to tear myself out of bed to get to the gym. The time went by quickly, a sign of good times with the running magazine.
Tuesday, May 21: 1 hr Strength session.
Wednesday - at the office from 8:15am->11:30pm, so no workout.
Thursday, May 23: 5 mi @ 8:24. Crazy sleep patterns today (after working til midnight the previous day, I had a 5am call).
Friday, May 24: 50 min bike session. Time flew by again.
Saturday, May 25: 5 mi @ 8:10.
Sunday, May 26: Hiking at Stone Maountain with the fam. It was suprisingly hard. Maybe because I was still recovering from the 30K, or maybe because of the poor sleep. I really only felt it during the uphills. The backpack didn't make it any easier.
It was a nice day, though. It's nice when big cities have more natural getaway spots closeby.
Had a bit of iPhone fun at the top.
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