Running Around 2-26-07

The next big race of the season, Whitestone 30k, is this weekend. If you haven't run it before, the scenery is wonderful, and the post-race buffet is the best breakfast you'll find almost anywhere. That being said, the course and distance are very challenging. If your plan is to peak for the Knoxville Marathon or 1/2, I would recommend running this race at less than 100% effort. There is simply not enough time to recover from this race and continue on the marathon training plan. Anyway, try to limit your effort to 13 miles (or less) of hard running during the race. You could also go easy then tack on a few miles and make it a long training run.

Otherwise, we're going back to hill workouts this week. Hills are tough, but the bottom line is they'll make you a better runner.

Now for the workouts ... 13 weeks until Expo 10k, and 5 weeks until the Knoxville Marathon:

Expo runners: 1. If you're running two workouts/week, do 2a or 2b for the second one.
Knoxville marathon or half (running Whitestone): 1 or 2b.
Knoxville marathon or half (no Whitestone): 2a. If you're running two workouts/week, do 1.

1. 4-10 x hills at @R effort. . Each hill is .3 miles long. Shoot for 5% of your weekly mileage with a minimum of 4 repeats. Examples: 50 mpw = 8, 40 mpw = 6, 30 mpw = 5, <30 = 4.

2a. 20-22 minute run @T-pace + 5 min rest including 400m jog + 2 x 200m @R pace with equal distance jog recovery.
2b. 3-6 x 1600m @T pace w/1 min rest + + 2 x 200m @R pace with equal distance jog recovery

3. Striders. 4-6x100m twice this week.

Get your paces here: http://www.panix.com/%7Eelflord/vdot.html -or- http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php

Running Around 2-19-07

Hopefully everyone enjoyed the snow and wind at Strawberry Plains. Looks like we're in for some warmer weather this week, so hang up the tights ... for a few days, at least.

If you raced the half marathon this weekend, I'm going to recommend no hard/fast running this week. On Tuesday we'll do a road run. I'll recommend 8-10 easy miles.

Drop you mileage a little if you feel like you need too, but I think it's OK to maintain a high volume if you keep the intensity low. You may think you don't need to take it easy, but a race that long will definitely take something out of you. Without some easy running this week, the race will eventually catch up to you. It's better to take it easy now with no races coming up for a few weeks.

With 14 weeks until Expo, we're going to move into a new phase where we'll work on strength and running economy. With that, we'll be doing shorter track work and hills. If you can handle 2 workouts per week, now is the time to add in the second one. If you're not ready for 2 workouts every week, consider adding an extra one every few weeks.

Now for the workouts ... 14 weeks until Expo 10k, and 6 weeks until the Knoxville Marathon:

Expo runners: 1. If you're doing 2 workouts this week add #2.
Knoxville marathon or half: 2 but only if you didn't race the Straw Plains half marathon.

1. Sets of (200m, 200m, 400m) @R pace with equal distance jog following each. Volume should be 5% of your weekly mileage. So one set is: 200 hard, 200 easy, 200 hard, 200 easy, 400 hard, 400 easy. Repeat as needed.

2. 2-4 x 3200m@T-pace with 2 min rest + 2 x 200m @R pace with equal distance jog.

3. Striders. 4-6x100m twice this week.

Get your paces here: http://www.panix.com/%7Eelflord/vdot.html -or- http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php

Running Around 2-12-07

This week we've got the next race in the Winter distance series, Strawberry Plains 1/2 Marathon. If you're looking for some good feedback on your training, it will be a great test.

With 15 weeks until Expo, this is when we would normally switch to some early quality stuff like 200s and 400s. However, with the race coming up this week, I think it makes sense to hold off on that until next week. Instead, I think we'll do some tempo miles with only a sprinkle of speed (either striders or a couple of 200s).

Now for the workouts ... 15 weeks until Expo 10k, and 7 weeks until the Knoxville Marathon:

Expo runners: 1 + choose from 2A or 2B.
Knoxville marathon or half: 1 + choose from 2A or 3.

1. 3-5x 1600m @T pace w/1 minute rest. Do one 1600 for each 10 miles per week with a minimum of 3. So, <= 30 mpw = 3, 40 mpw = 4, 50 mpw = 5. Followed by either: 4-6 x 100m striders or 2x200m @R pace with 200m jog for rest.

2A. Race Straw Plains 1/2 Marathon.
2B. Race Straw Plains 10k

3. Incorporate 10 miles @MP into one of your runs this week. It can be your long run.

Get your paces here: http://www.panix.com/%7Eelflord/vdot.html -or- http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php

Running Around 2-5-07

Now for the workout you've all been waiting for .... hill repeats! Yeah!

Hill workouts should be run at about the same intensity you run 400m repeats on the track. Remember to focus on good form and light, quick steps. Experiment a little to see what works best for you, but some suggestions for hill running include slightly shorter strides, leaning slightly forward, and slightly exaggerating your arm drive and knee lift. Note that I included "slightly" often. These are subtle not radical adjustments.

The hill route is at the Kingston Pike end of Cherokee Blvd. We start at the iron gate and jog down to where the path is interrupted by the road the second time. When you get to the bottom, turn around and run up. Jog back down for recovery. Since you finish at the top, there is no need to do a recovery jog after your last one. The hill is slightly over 400m. The route is here: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=9492.

There are two warmup options for the hill workouts. The first is to run the greenway (cross the Ag bridge) out to Cherokee Blvd. That route is about 3 miles. The second route is Kingston Pike to Cherokee Blvd. Conveniently, it's almost exactly 2 miles. I've mapped it out here: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=28366 ... Start at the track. Cross the bridge to the Ag campus. Cross Neyland and pick up the greenway next to the river. Follow the greenway and then continue to the intersection of Neyland and Kingston Pike. Cross over to the North side of Kingston Pike to run on the sidewalk. Follow K.P. all the way to Cherokee Blvd. Since it will be getting dark, be extremely careful -- especially crossing K.P!!

Now for the workouts ... 16 weeks until Expo 10k, and 8 weeks until the Knoxville Marathon:

Expo runners: Choose one from (1A, 2)
Knoxville marathon: 1B + choose one from (1A, 2).
Knoxville half: Both 1A & 2.

1A. Hills: 4-10 x hills. Each hill is .3 miles long. Shoot for 5% of your weekly mileage with a minimum of 4 repeats. Examples: 50 mpw = 8, 40 mpw = 6, 30 mpw = 5, <30 = 4.

1B. TLT workout: 2-4 x 1600m @T pace + 1 hour easy + 2-4 x 1600m @T pace. Yes, this is a hard workout, but marathons are hard races, so you need to be prepared. Don't forget warmup and cooldown with this. You can substitute this in place of your long run by adding cooldown miles or extending the easy run between the T's if you need more mileage.

+ Striders 4-6 x 100m twice this week.

2. 3-6 x 1600m @T pace. If you're doing a lot of T workouts, make sure you are progressing your workload as described here ... http://trackworkouts.blogspot.com/2007/01/running-around-1-15-07.html

Get your paces here: http://www.panix.com/%7Eelflord/vdot.html -or- http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php