This week I have been working on my training plan for the half marathon in Hannover. I keep following the same principles I used for the marathon training: 1) maximise the benefit with minimum effort, 2) run three quality runs a week and not more, and 3) focus on core and flexibility.
The first point should be obvious but as I have to be realistic with the time I have available for the training, I better make sure what I do will have the most benefit. I still want to run the half marathon fast, I mean my fast with goal time around 1:47. With this plan (including runs, cross-, core- and flexibility training) I train 4 to 5 hours a week, but each training has its very focused purpose.
Three run a week it is and not more. I have now followed the plan from Furman institute few times and I truly believe in it. Especially knowing that I am prone to injuries, I therefore avoid running two days in row (with a few exceptions as you can see in the plan) and prefer to give more focus on the supporting training. I also feel I am better recovered from my previous run and therefore can make best out of the run ahead, which surely has the effect on the quality of the training and allows to keep the relatively high pace (I do my long runs @5:20min/km, tempos @4:55min/km and intervals between 4:15 and 4:33 min/km (depending on the distance)). I know the pace is too hard for me in the beginning and I need to get used to it, however after couple of weeks I should be ok to follow it.
I met an orthopaedic doctor this week due to the continuing back pain and his first comment was that there is no return after one turns forty. Even it was meant as a joke, it was not so encouraging. I realised the importance of core strength and flexibility training while training for the marathon and it is an essential part of my training which I keep doing. I do regularly 1-2 core training (yoga or pilates types of training depending on my mood), proper stretching after each run combined with blackroll massage and at least once a week longer stretch training (up to one hour). Additionally I cross-train once a week (either rowing ergometer or hopefully soon cycling) if my other schedules allow it.
I planned twice a 10k race during the ten week plan. I realise it might be a bit too much, so the first one in end of February is with a question mark. It is a trail race in Bad Salzuflen with high ascent/decent and I aim to do it more as a tempo run rather than a race. But I think it would be fun so that's why I planned it in and depending on how the training goes and my body feels, I decide later on if I attend or not. The second race is a street race in Paderborn just two weeks before the half in Hannover. I wonder if it is too close to the half race but on the other hand it can be a good pace check for the half marathon.
The Furman half marathon plan is actually for 10 weeks but as we are going for a week skiing in between, I decided to start a week earlier and just add one week in between for skiing. Not the ideal but I do not plan to run during the week on the mountains so I have to make best out of it.
So this is it for the next 11 weeks, the moment the training plan is ready it gets easy. Then is just a matter of following it!
The first point should be obvious but as I have to be realistic with the time I have available for the training, I better make sure what I do will have the most benefit. I still want to run the half marathon fast, I mean my fast with goal time around 1:47. With this plan (including runs, cross-, core- and flexibility training) I train 4 to 5 hours a week, but each training has its very focused purpose.
Three run a week it is and not more. I have now followed the plan from Furman institute few times and I truly believe in it. Especially knowing that I am prone to injuries, I therefore avoid running two days in row (with a few exceptions as you can see in the plan) and prefer to give more focus on the supporting training. I also feel I am better recovered from my previous run and therefore can make best out of the run ahead, which surely has the effect on the quality of the training and allows to keep the relatively high pace (I do my long runs @5:20min/km, tempos @4:55min/km and intervals between 4:15 and 4:33 min/km (depending on the distance)). I know the pace is too hard for me in the beginning and I need to get used to it, however after couple of weeks I should be ok to follow it.
I met an orthopaedic doctor this week due to the continuing back pain and his first comment was that there is no return after one turns forty. Even it was meant as a joke, it was not so encouraging. I realised the importance of core strength and flexibility training while training for the marathon and it is an essential part of my training which I keep doing. I do regularly 1-2 core training (yoga or pilates types of training depending on my mood), proper stretching after each run combined with blackroll massage and at least once a week longer stretch training (up to one hour). Additionally I cross-train once a week (either rowing ergometer or hopefully soon cycling) if my other schedules allow it.
I planned twice a 10k race during the ten week plan. I realise it might be a bit too much, so the first one in end of February is with a question mark. It is a trail race in Bad Salzuflen with high ascent/decent and I aim to do it more as a tempo run rather than a race. But I think it would be fun so that's why I planned it in and depending on how the training goes and my body feels, I decide later on if I attend or not. The second race is a street race in Paderborn just two weeks before the half in Hannover. I wonder if it is too close to the half race but on the other hand it can be a good pace check for the half marathon.
The Furman half marathon plan is actually for 10 weeks but as we are going for a week skiing in between, I decided to start a week earlier and just add one week in between for skiing. Not the ideal but I do not plan to run during the week on the mountains so I have to make best out of it.
So this is it for the next 11 weeks, the moment the training plan is ready it gets easy. Then is just a matter of following it!
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