Question for "Seasoned veterans"

[DisneyGirl]

I have a question for all of you marathon and half-marathon "seasoned veterans"-- training schedules for the 1/2 really don't "start" until about 12 weeks before the race. What are you supposed to do workout wise up until the race week??

I'm not a novice work-outer. I've taken time away from running, and have been doing things like step and spinning. I can still run with no ill-effects, though, and if I substituted running for the other activities, I'd probably be at about 20-25 miles a week (time wise)-- that seems like quite a bit, since the training schedules start out much lower than that-- what do all of you do in the "in-between" times??

Thanks!!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Per my coach's suggestion last year--you could work up to a max distance of 3-5 miles in "off" season about 3-4 times per week. "Building" mileage for distance training purposes shouldn't take place until you are safely within a schedule.

Training to train should be building a good base so that when you do start to train you are stressing it at a proper rate if that makes sense. The in between times you are referring to are good times for trying other sports---strenght training (not for a body builder--but focusing on strengthening upper body and legs for running--low weight high reps)--and just having fun in different sports activities. Some of us use the off time to just train for other events such as the Minnie Marathon in May and the DL half in September.


This may not apply to you, but a good rule of thumb is to increase weekly mileage or time by no more than 10% a week. So if you are a novice---forget about distance and focus on the time and begin walks or jogs of 20 minutes 3x per week...increasing your weekly total by no more than 10% per week until you hit where you are doing 3-5 miles comfortably. At that point...have variety in your cardio workouts--add in some cross training...so fitness continues to build and your preserve the impact on your legs for when the training schedule begins.

Training schedules are constructed the way they are for a reason. My coach divides ours into 4 phases. I will have to look up what each phase is after the marathon as I am away right now and will not have opportunity when I get home and then get ready to drive to Orlando.

The first phase is light so that it gets the blood flowing--gets the body prepare for the stress it is about to receive. If you workout regularly already--this phase can serve as a "break" to prep the body for training. From memory--there is phase I (forget the name), phase II is lactic threshhold (teaches the body to process the lactic acid more efficiently), phase III is VO2 max (has something to do with Oxygen--but I'll save the logistics for when i have the paperwork in front of me) and phase IV is taper--backing off and preserving the body for race day.

MFM is not constructed the same way---but it accomplishes the same results.

Hope this helps! Good luck and welcome aboard!

 

[DisneyGirl]

Thanks for the advice!! That sounds about right for what I want to do (lose some weight and strengthen before I start training for the Disneyland 1/2 in June) I think I'm going to split my workouts between cross training and running until summer!