Week Whatever-the-heck-we're-on...

Anyone out there still following the training schedule? According to my calculations, we're coming up on week 39! So for those of you playing along:

At least 3 days this week:

Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 39 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 49 minutes

All in favor of coming up with a "Help! I fell off the schedule and now there's no way on God's green Earth I'm running 39 consecutive mintues but I'd like to believe I can catch up and no one will be any the wiser when we all get together in 10 weeks" plan? Never fear! Cool Running has a training plan that will have you sparking along at the Firecracker 5K!

Week 29 (Feb 4-10)

At least 3 days this week:

Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 15 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 14 minutes
Walk: 1 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 45 minutes

Already finished with your workout? Want to do something else running related? Stretch your brain and run around Google a bit for the answers to this. See, running IS a mind/body workout!

Week 28 (Jan 28 - Feb 3)

At least 3 days this week:

Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 14 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 14 minutes
Walk: 1 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 44 minutes

Ready for something new? Check out RTP (Run The Planet) for new trails in your area (or someone elses!)

Weeks 24, 25, 26, & 27 (Dec 31- Jan 27)

At least 3 days each week:

Week 24
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 12 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 12 minutes
Walk: 3 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 42 minutes

Week 25
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 13 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 12 minutes
Walk: 3 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 43 minutes

Week 26
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 13 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 13 minutes
Walk: 2 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 43 minutes

Week 27
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 14 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 13 minutes
Walk: 2 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 44 minutes

So much for weekly training posts, hmmmm?

Weeks 22 & 23 (Dec 17 - 30)

At least 3 days this week:
Week 22
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 11 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 11 minutes
Walk: 4 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 41 minutes

Week 23
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 12 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 11 minutes
Walk: 4 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
*Total time = 42 minutes

We're almost to the halfway point in our 49 week training schedule. Way to go!!!

Week 21 (Dec 10-16)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 11 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 10 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes

Tired of the same 'ole same 'ole? Change things up with a new trail. Be careful out there and have fun!

Week 20 (Dec 3 - Dec 9)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 10 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 10 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
(yes, it's a repeat of last week!)


Rumor has it that snow is on the way! Head on over to Fresh Air Sports.com for some tips to keep your training program from freezing over.

Week 19 (Nov 26 - Dec 2)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 10 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Run: 10 minutes
Walk: 5 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes

Week 18 (Nov 19 - 25)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 9 minutes
Walk: 6 minutes
Run: 9 minutes
Walk: 6 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes


Top Ten Reasons For Running

1. It helps you lose weight
2. It gives you more energy
3. It gives you time to think through tough issues
4. Skinny bodies are sexy bodies ;-)
5. You can eat almost anything you want
6. You meet new friends
7. You get to shop for shoes (running shoes, that is...)
8. One wood -- 'gu'
9. Tons of race t-shirts
10. It beats cleaning!

Week 17 (Nov 12 - 18)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 9 minutes
Walk: 6 minutes
Run: 8 minutes
Walk: 7 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes


Something to sleep on:

Proper Rest

Rest is a very underrated aspect of running, especially distance running. To be good at running, you must adopt a mindset along the lines of, "the harder I push, the better I will be." Well, this is good only up to a point. As a coach of mine said (specifically for summer training, but the general theory carries over into the competitive season, as well), "make your hard days as hard as possible and your easy days as easy as possible." The idea is that if your easy days are taking away from your hard days, you will merely run mediocre every day and not do the work necessary to become faster. It is the hard workouts that make you a faster runner, not the easy ones.

Personally, I am in favor of three hard workouts a week (two if one of the days is a race), with an easy day between hard workouts and races. I prefer six days a week of running, with the seventh day spent cross-training (bicycling, for example) or resting, if need be. Many people go the route of seven days a week, 365 days a year. This works for some, but breaks down many others. Find out what works for you, give the body time to get accustomed, and stick with that routine.

There is much more to rest than when and how hard to run, however. Other related things to consider are: sleep, diet, stress level, and mental preparation. All of these combine to dictate how your body will be able to react to your training regimen. You've probably heard your coach say, "two days before the race is most important." This refers to both sleep and food. Why two days before? Because the night before a race you will probably be too nervous and/or excited to sleep, anyway! By eating correctly, your body replenishes the nutrients which are burned up through exercise.

Week 15 (Oct. 29 - Nov. 4)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 8 minutes
Walk: 7 minutes
Run: 7 minutes
Walk: 8 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes

Linky-Links:
First Steps: Don't forget the basics!
Where To Go From Here: Ready for more?

Week 14 (Oct 22 - 28)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 7 minutes
Walk: 8 minutes
Run: 7 minutes
Walk: 8 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes

Too cold outside to run? Betcha won't whine after reading this! Go here to find out more about Dean Karnazes' quest to run 50 marathons in 50 days in each of the 50 United States.

Week 13 (Oct 15 - 21)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 7 minutes
Walk: 8 minutes
Run: 6 minutes
Walk: 9 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes

Sorry I dropped the ball last week on posting the training plan!

For some motivation, check out this. Maybe we'll have to send Lenka's requested group photo in... :)

Week 11 (Oct 1-7)

Oops! Another late post. I'd be ready for my lashes but we're waiting on the noodles, too.

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 6 minutes
Walk: 9 minutes
Run: 5 minutes
Walk: 10 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes

If you've been able to follow the training plan so far, you will have already run 201 minutes! At a 15 minute per mile pace, that's the equivalent of almost 4 1/2 5K's!
Way to go!!!

Week 10 (Sept. 24-30)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 5 minutes
Walk: 10 minutes
Run: 5 minutes
Walk: 10 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes

Talk the Talk
Click above for a witty reference guide so you don't have to paste that "sure, I know what you're talking about" smile on your face on race day! (P.S. The post is informative, but the comments are worth the read!)


Happy Training!

Week 9 (Sept. 17-23)

Sorry for the late post!

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 5 minutes
Walk: 10 minutes
Run: 4 minutes
Walk: 11 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
Stretch

Cold Weather Running Safety
by Henley Gibble

These tips are taken from the Road Runners Club of America's Cold Weather Running recommendations.

The only time that I will not run in the winter is when there is ice on the trails. Early morning runs in newfallen snow can be some of the most memorable. Runs in cold weather can be some of our most wonderful experiences; they can also be some of the worst if a few key safety rules are overlooked. Hypothermia, frostbite and falls are some of the risks.

Week 8 (Sept 10 - 16)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 4 minutes
Walk: 11 minutes
Run: 4 minutes
Walk: 11 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
Stretch

Food as Fuel
Some great info from someone who wasn't "born running". Check out the rest of his site for great tips and plenty of inspiration!

Week 7 (Sept 3 - 9)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 4 minutes
Walk: 11 minutes
Run: 3 minutes
Walk: 12 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
Stretch

From CoolRunning.com:
Ditch the Stitch

Every runner has experienced the dreaded side stitch, a sudden sharp pain in the side of the upper abdomen at the base of the ribs. The pain is caused by a spasm of the diaphragm, the muscle that controls your breathing. A stitch will usually go away quickly after slowing down or stopping, but even on the run, you can often make it go away by bringing your breathing into careful control.

Concentrate on belly breathing, pushing your belly out when you breathe in and relaxing it as you breathe out. Take deep breaths on the intake, and exhale suddenly, even noisily. To get the diaphragm to contract in rhythm with your steps, try to inhale and exhale as you land on your left foot. Click here for more about side stitches.

Week 6 (Aug 27- Sept 2)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 3 minutes
Walk: 12 minutes
Run: 3 minutes
Walk: 12 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
Stretch

(Just wanted to get this posted... tip to come!)

Week 5 (Aug, 20-26)

At least 3 days this week:
Warm-up walk: 5 minutes
Stretch
Run: 3 minutes
Walk: 12 minutes
Run: 2 minutes
Walk: 13 minutes
Cool down walk: 5 minutes
Stretch

S-T-R-E-T-C-H!!!!!

Stretching helps prevent injury and that bothersome after-workout-tightness. It's also just plain good for you! Make sure you take time to warm up first and that you are doing the stretches correctly. Improper stretching technique can be as bad for you as not stretching at all.
Check out these two sites for some great before and after stretches:
Stretching for Beginners
Head-to-Toe Running Stretches