Milestone Training Plan
Weeks to go: 4 to ” Houston Half Marathon & Relay”
Those training for the Houston Half and Marathon relay have a chance to try a full blown training program with those core sessions that are critical to progress: speedwork, tempo and long runs.
When we put together this plan the objective was to get you ready for your next step whatever it is, ask your coaches if you need any guidance regarding what speed to pick. The programs shared on the website have our recommendations on how to chose this speeds at the very end of them.
Weeks to go: 11 to BCS Full
Last week of Fartlek and strides, we introduce Tempo Runs and intervals next week. Both your Fartlek and stride sessions are great opportunities to focus on your running form, pay attention at your body position as well as how you make contact with your shoes, are you landing on your heels? This will not only cause pain over time but will certainly limit your speed!
I will get on interval and tempo speed guidance next week (or you can check my comments on the next paragraph 😉 ), in the meantime if you are curious, check the pace calculator and the great videos available at http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/
Weeks to go: 11 to BCS Half
Please do not get distracted by all other postings!!! Focus on building your base for your race.
Are you interested in everything else we are talking about and want to get faster? Next week you will start working with strides, the initial step toward spedwork, be patient…. and let me know if you have any question. Coaches are here to help you.
Weeks to go: 16 to Houston Full
This Tuesday you start Tempo Runs. It is important that you select the right pace for this exercise, if you have not done tempo runs before it may take a couple of sessions to figure it out. The goal is that you put a strong effort without going overboard, it is faster than your marathon pace, but clearly lower that your speed work.
Through this session you are teaching your body and brain to deal with “pain”…. wait, it is not about getting injured, but when you are in the marathon / half marathon and you have been through 2/3 of the race (for those doing a marathon think mile 20!) your brain will start sending signals to stop running (your muscles may have built up lactic acid and your brain sense that). You need to learn to push it at then end!!
My rule of thumb is that Tempo run pace is 30-40 seconds faster than your MP. So if you are training for a 10 min/mile pace, try to do a tempo at 9:20 min/mile.
Are you curious about all this, check the pace calculator and the great videos available at http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/
Progression Group Plan
Eric and this group keep making progress!!! You have done a number of races, you want to increase your speed but you are not up to the mileage of the Advanced Training Plan….Come and join Eric Pearson who is leading a group of runners like you!!
Eric runs his key session on Tuesday 5 AM at the track on Cy-Fair High School. Because of the coaching involved you need to be there on time to participate on the session. Also, to get the benefit out of it you have to commit through the end of the program, are you ready for it?! Join Eric!!
Advanced Marathon Training Plan
Weeks to go: 11
Seriously, who did put this plan together?! What was he thinking?!!
We are still a good number of weeks away from target race, it is important that you figure out the proper MP and train your different sessions with that in mind. At the distances / level of efforts that we are running and given that we are not “professional / elite runners”, choosing a pace that is too fast my impact the rest of your training week.
At the same time, we want to be sure that we are aiming at our best MP potential.
I will just share my personal example, I am aiming to a MP pace of 7 to 7:15 min/mile, those 15 seconds pace difference are too many. I should be doing a 6:40 min/mile tempo and about 6:04 for my miles repeat. I can push my tempo runs to go faster, but my mile repeats under 6 min/mile are a challenge. If I cannot get them there, 7:15 will be the pace
Have a great week!!!
Your coaches