Pine Belt Pacers Forum

Well, I don't know if what I have been doing constitutes as "training", but here is what I have been doing, basically, 1 to 2 long runs a week for about 8 weeks, the longest run at 12 miles with a pace between 9 and 9:30. Then, I have thrown in at least once a week a tempo run of about 3 to 6 miles, hills on trails 3 to 6 miles, and the past 3 weeks, some speed at Thames. I have been limited by some piriformis pain, but that is almost resolved, and bothers me most when I sit for long periods of time. All this is leading up to the trail run in Laurel next weekend. I need to optimize what I have done these past 8 weeks, coming to the wire. I was planning on mile repeats tonight, 12 miler tomorrow, hills on thurs. rest frid., 5K race on Saturday. Then, just kind of easy running the next week leading up to Saturday. Does this seem reasonable? Any suggestions? I have not followed any particular plan, because I could not do any speed work so I have run by feel. All advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!

Audrey,

By my count that is 4 hard runs this week (tempo intervals, long run, hills, 5k race). If you want to hurt yourself just jump from a moving car… it requires a lot less work.

But seriously, I would recommend you take it a little easier. The following recommendation is based on my belief you will run the 5k on Saturday.

2/24 (Today) – 4 x 880 at tempo pace (about 8:00/mile for you)
2/25 (Wednesday) – 4-6 miles on your hill trail at an easy pace - don’t go too hard
2/26 (Thursday) – 4 miles easy
2/27 (Friday) – 2 miles easy or off
2/28 (Saturday) – 5k race (run at tempo pace – 8:00/mile for you)
3/1 (Sunday) – off
3/2 (Monday) – 4 miles easy
3/3 (Tuesday) – 4 x 440 at tempo pace
3/4 (Wednesday) - Off
3/5 (Thursday) – 4 miles easy
3/6 (Friday) – 2 miles easy or off
3/7 (Saturday) – MS 50 20k (Run Hard)

The above is just a guide. What is important to remember is that your main goal this close to a race is to maintain your current level of fitness while recovering from the previous weeks of hard training. No single run will improve your performance that much. It is the cumulative effect of all your training that builds performance, BUT one run can destroy everything you’ve worked hard for by causing an injury.

Terry

OK, so I get a little crazy!! Terry, I took your advice, I did 800's yesterday, and 6 miles on the trails (fairly easy) today. Please Tweak your plan for me, if you can, so I can squeek one more fairly long run, and I will abide by the plan. I would really, really, appreciate it!! The thing with me is that when I feel good, and running fairly well, I push the self destruct button. I am injury prone, so you would think I would figure it out. This age gracefully thing is eluding me. When I feel good, I forget I am not 20 anymore. Anyway, even if I have to give up the 5K on Saturday, I will do it for the longer run. Hey, what if I do the 5K in the morning, (not all out), and a longer run in the evening? I know, I know, where's the car!?!!

I probably should defer to Boston Terry, but I'll go ahead and give my opinion. If you are determined to get in another "long run" *and* the race, why don't you incortporate the race into the long run. You could do a very slow 2 miles immediately before the race, do the race and then another 2 miles after. That would give you 7 miles which I think is OK considering that in the past few weeks, you have done other long runs. If you think that you *have* to do 8 miles, then do 2.5 before and after the race.

I just think that you are trying to do too much in this time leading up to the trail run. You did speed on Tuesday and if you do the race on Sat and a long run on Sun that is three stressful workouts. My opinion is that at your advanced age, you should only do two stresses per week.

Now---let's hear from Boston Terry.

I agree with Becky's approach. Although I didn't state it directly in my first post, but since I was recommending you do Saturday's run as a tempo run I would do a 1-2 mile warm up and a 1-2 mile cool down anyway. So I was assuming a 5-7 mile run. If you are stuck on doing an 8 miler, just do 2.5 miles on the w/u and 2.5 miles on the c/d like Becky said. The key is keeping the middle 3 miles at tempo pace. Tempo training is extremely beneficial to increasing your stamina and puts less strain on the body than speed work. Resist the temptation to run Saturday's race at your normal 5k race pace. The minimal benefit you may receive is not worth the risk of injury and/or not recovering in time for next weekend's race.

Again, your goal at this point is to stay sharp, not lose fitness, and fully recover from the weeks of hard training. You want to peak for the MS 50, not 5-10 days before. The effort you will expend next weekend to race 12.4 miles on the trails is (I believe) greater than the effort of racing a 1/2 marathon on the road. You need to be fresh and well rested to give it your best effort.

Terry

OK, if I lie, I would say I would run a nice easy tempo on Saturday. But, I am sick and need help. Something happens to me when I hear "Go", and I can't resist the temptation to go as fast as I can. This is why I try to avoid races if I am injured, because I get stupid. So, I am ditching the need to get in another long run, and I will stick to Terry's last minute training plan. I did 4 easy yesterday, and my legs did feel a little fatigued, so I am taking today off, running tomorrow, and will ease into the trail run with the confidence that my long runs over the last 8 weeks will carry me through. I guess after my dismal failure at Stennis, I feel like I needed those longer runs up to the bitter end. However, at Stennis, I had not run a long run over 8 in about 6 weeks prior. So, whatever will be will be. I am ready and we will see what happens!!

action jackson wrote:OK, if I lie, I would say I would run a nice easy tempo on Saturday. But, I am sick and need help. Something happens to me when I hear "Go", and I can't resist the temptation to go as fast as I can. This is why I try to avoid races if I am injured, because I get stupid. So, I am ditching the need to get in another long run, and I will stick to Terry's last minute training plan..... I am ready and we will see what happens!!

You can' resist the temptation to go as fast as you can as soon as you hear "go" in a race? Well...... that's is bad, bad, bad!!!!
Mrs President, I have the solution for your problem! Next time you go to a race... run with me! As soon as the gun go off just closely follow me, and you will run for sure a steady pace for the next 3.1 or 6.2m!! -- For some reason people call me Raul "Absolutely-Steady-Pace" Anzola!!!

What about the 20K next week? Whit all the training in the last couple of weeks, I think you are ready for the challenge and don't have to kill yourself in the last 7 days. Just don't worry, be happy!

Liar Liar, pants on fire!! I know better, and there have been many races where you and I are running side by side for at least the first half mile. That is when I know, I am really in trouble, and going way too fast!!

Anyway, I am ready, I love the trails anyway, so regardless of my time, I will have fun. (I will have a lot more fun though, if I run it faster)!! I can't help myself. Sorry, I told you that I was sick and need help!! I know that someday, my "fast" will go away. But, I am not ready to say I can't get faster. I mean, look at Vicki this year? Truly amazing!! Hope to see everyone at the Run For Love tomorrow, where I "will not" be running a tempo run, but will crazily run as fast as my body will go!!

Charles has severly fussed at me!! He says, "Why ask for advice and then run crazy?" So, I will try not to kill myself. I will behave and run steady and just pace myself at an 8 min. mile. If I do this, it will be the first time I will run with restraint in a race. I will let you know what happens!! Thanks again for everyone's advice!!

When I'm bad, I am very bad!! But, it is Terry's fault!! I asked him if he was going to do an easy tempo run (he is running the MS 50 too), and he pretty much told me, no, he was going to go all out. So, I took that as permission from my last minute training coach, to do the same!! So, my goal was to run around 24, but my top secret goal was to run this 5K faster than last week. Yay, I did it!! Kelly pushed me to the limit, and we both finished with about the same time. I feel pretty good about my time. So, the rest of the week, I will follow the plan I will not, absolutely not, do a long run!! I will go into this trail run with fresh legs and what happens, well, happens!!