Saturday, March 5, 2011

New Train schedule for near future

So I have worked out the times and paces that I think I need to do to get a similar effect to what the FIRST program prescribes. There are three runs, and for the speed sessions:

Each Wednesday I will do the following workouts (the pace is min/km):
8x400m 03:00
4x1200m 03:15
6x800m 03:10
3x1600m 03:20
10x400m 03:00
5x1200m 03:15
7x800m 03:10
3x1600m 03:20
12x400m 03:00
8x800m 03:10
4x1600m 03:20
12x400m 03:00
6x1200m 03:15
7x800m 03:10
3x1600m 03:20


On Fridays I will do the following tempo sessions and paces:

20min at 4min/km Pace
35min at 4min15 pace
45min at 4min15 pace
20min at 4min/km Pace
35min at 4min15 pace
35min at 4min15 pace
50min at 4min30/km pace
65min at 4min30 pace
20min at 4min/km Pace
35min at 4min15 pace
50min at 4min30/km pace
35min at 4min15 pace
35min at 4min15 pace
25min at 4min/km pace
50min at 4min30/km pace

And the all important long run on Sundays:

80min at 5min/km pace
95min at 5min pace
105min at 5min pace
80min at 5min/km pace
110min at 5 min pace
120min at 5min pace
135min at 5min pace
105min at 5min pace
145min at 5min pace
120min at 5min pace
160min at 5min pace
120min at 5min pace
160min at 5min pace
120min at 5min pace
80min at 5min/km pace

That looks pretty intense and that is what the FIRST system is supposed to be. SO now I need to build up slow to be ready for the program. What is interesting is that for the tempo runs I have done similar pace in the past. In the long runs though I have sagged badly pace wise. So it is important to build up to the faster pace I am aiming to achieve.

Injury Update and future plans - Melbourne Marathon Oct 9 2011

I have been diligently doing what I am supposed to do - Running no more than three times a week, no more than 5 km at a time. I have had 2 weeks off completely, taking anti inflams at prescribed doses. And have been in my '3 days a week no more than 5km at a time' stage for three weeks.

I have 3 to 5 weeks to go before I re-assess and decide if I am able to resume mileage build up for my next attack on the marathon distance.

The runs I have been doing have been SO easy but I have been doing a few speed sessions. Actually what I am doing is going jogging with our dog MAX, and Christine my partner. She is training for her first Marathon at Gold Coast. She has done 3 HM's already, all reasonably slow, but finishing in better shape every time. All over about three years. Anyway when she does her speed sessions I take the dog, and take off fast with him to catch her up. So I have been doing a bit of speed.

I have also been doing a couple of bike rides a week, going almost flat ou the whole way, 40 to 50 minutes. It seems to be building up a lot of strength because I feel really _fast_ over a short distance. Also I feel like I am retaining a reasonable level of fitness for running. The runs I have been doing feel really good, and easy.

My legs and feet are the best they have been since May last year. I no longer feel the need to ice now and background aches and pains are almost gone. I won't be tempted to return too soon, I will wait until after the 3 weeks are up.

And here I come to what I plan to do once I am officially fit to train properly again. I am really attracted by the three days a week running idea. So I have looked up the FIRST program on the web. It describes a training program with three central workouts - Speed, Tempo and Long, with subtle variations of these over a 16 week program only three days a week. It also includes at least 2 cross training days a week, and I will likely ride bike.

I am adapting the FIRST program to fit the 16 weeks in to the lead up to the October 9 2011 Melbourne Marathon. The program starts in a pretty intense state right from the beginning, so I need to build up to that.

The FIRST program is available here:

The Less-Is-More Marathon Plan

I am going to alter it somewhat - I am used to doing runs based on TIME not distance. So I will work out the times I need to run, at the pace I am supposed to run it at to achieve the equivalent distance.