So, I am in week 12 of a 19, training for a 62 mile race. When you are training for a 50+ mile race, most of the time part of the plan is to run at least a marathon and a 50K before your designated race.
I choose to taper before each training race distance. I guess you could call it a mini taper. It is not necessary to taper before these training races, but I like the mental break. For my target race, Zion 100K I will do a traditional 3 week taper.
This week in Middle Tennessee. . . lots of ice and a bit of snow and temps ranging from 0-22 degrees. This weather system shut down school for a week and made running impossible, if not treacherous on the roads. Here’s how I adapted and enjoyed my running/taper week. Add this to your bag of tricks, when weather challenges your training.
Tuesday I met at my neighbor’s house for an impromptu interval class. I planned an hour’s worth of activity. Repeat each group of four bullet points 3 times. My goal was to design a workout that included an easy cardio interval that was guaranteed to raise the heart rate, one compound exercise per set (compound exercise= exercise targeting two muscle groups at once, like a squat combined with a shoulder press), stay on your feet for the exercises until the last set and to do 20 reps per exercise.
- up and down on one stair step as quickly as you can for 1 minute
- squat/shoulder press 20x
- 1 minute 20 second wall sit
- lat pull down with a resistance band 20x
- up and down on one stair step as quickly as you can
- plies with hammer curl 20x
- tricep press with the band 20x each arm
- bent over rows with free weights 20x
- up and down on one stair step as quickly as you can for 1 minute
- inner thigh exercise with the band 20x each leg
- planks 60 seconds with variations, depending on strength
- push ups with arm raise to the side 10x
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday . . . THE TREADMILL for many a runner this conjures up negative feelings, boredom, unchanging scenery, inside, hot, time limits, etc. Friends-I shared this same opinion until this week. I’ve run 5-7-7 miles this week all on the treadmill.
My favorite plan? I like to spend the first 3 miles warming up. (It is great to have a friend with you, during this part. It helps to keep your pace easy and the talking is distracting.) At mile 4, I am ready to run some hills. Here’s how I do my hill intervals. You could do something similar with speed and no hills by using each quarter mile to gradually increase speed without changing incline.
- miles 1-3 warm up. I set mine to 5.8/0%incline
- miles 4.0-4.25 speed 5.8/1% incline
- miles 4.25-4.5 speed 5.8/1.5% incline
- miles 4.5-4.75 speed 5.8/2% incline
- miles 4.75-5 speed 5.8/0.5% incline
- miles 5-5.25 speed 5.9/1% incline
- miles 5.25-5.5 speed 5.9/1.5% incline
- miles 5.5-5.75 speed 5.9/2% incline
- miles 5.75-6 speed 5.9/1% incline
- miles 6-6.25 speed 6.1/1.5% incline
- miles 6.25-6.5 speed 6.1/2% incline
- miles 6.5-6.75 speed 6.1/3% incline
- miles 6.75-7.25 cool down speed 5.8/0% incline
I’m racing the Dry Creek Marathon this Sunday! Race report to follow.
Great job getting it done with this week’s freezing temps!!!
When I’m on the treadmill, I’m constantly adjusting the speed and incline to fight the boredom.
What did you do for 13 miles? Did you know how you were going to run?
I just knew the distance….no set plan. I ended up increasing my speed every 10 minutes. I had a nice negative split:)