Double runs

[Ezzo]

I've posted before under running tips, but thought I would start a progress log here. After hitting a brick wall around week 7, I decided to start over at the beginning, doing each day twice in a row, ie. Once it hits cool down I press end workout and start again. The idea being I would increase my fitness enough to tackle the longer runs.

 

I've finished week 4, and going really well so far. My heart rate is better, but still getting too high during the long runs. Often when I lose focus, so I have to concentrate.

 

I have the big 20 min one at the end of the week (ie. 2x20 mins)

[Ezzo]

So my big double week 5 day 3 run is tomorrow.  Am nervous as to how I am going to go.  And if I actually make it, I'm not sure whether I should put an extra step in, ie 1x40 mins, or just keep going with my double sessions with a 5 min walk between them.  If I don't do a "joining" step, am I going to get to the end and not be able to put them together?  The thought of 2x20 mins is already overwhelming, not sure how I would go with a 40 min run.  I guess maybe see how I go tomorrow first.

[Ezzo]

I can't believe I made it! I even could have kept going in the end, but thought I should stop. I have decided to try the 1 x 40 mins. As others have said, you have already been doing the distance. And really in one way it is 5 mins shorter than today's run. But oh my gosh it is a scary thought. That will bring me over the 5 km barrier which is further then the barrier I had the first time through.. When I couldn't get part the week 7? workouts.

[Chi Gal]

Congrats! I did W5D3 this morning - I was also surprised that I was able to do it! However, I could only make it 1.75 miles in 20 minutes, instead of the recommended 2 miles. How has your pace been?

[Ezzo]

Congratulations!  It is such a bit jump, but it does tend to surprise us.  

 

I've slowed down to keep my heart rate in the cardio zone and am doing 8km/h (5miles/hr) for the running and 5km/hr (3.1 miles/hr) for the walking.  So going a bit slower than you, I would make 1.7 miles in 20 mins.  

 

Don't worry about the speed at the moment.  That comes later.  Just make it through, take it easy, build up the endurance.

 

And in other news, I did the 40 min run straight today!!  Which means I smashed through my previous barrier that I had when doing the single runs on the first attempt through.  I didn't get through it with nearly as much style as my previous days, but I did it.  It was a lot harder to stay focused without the break.  So, I officially ran more than 5km/3 miles!  How did that happen?  I am so pleased with myself, and going onward with my next milestone of 10km

[Chi Gal]

Great job!!! I hope I'll be able to say the same one day soon Keep up the awesome work!

[Ezzo]

Having some trouble.  I tried the 2x22 min run today (week 6 day 3).  I did make it, but I also recognise that it is unsustainable.  I spent almost all of the second run at over 90% max heart rate.  I can't keep adding time to this.  I did have to have a week off for medical/logistical reasons.  I moved the incline down to 0 for the whole run and for the second half, slowed my speed down 0.1km/h, as I knew it was going to be a hard one.

 

So rather then moving on to a 1x44 min run on Wednesday, I'm debating going back and just having some fun, shorter bursts for a week.  1.5 songs run, 0.5 songs walk for the same number of km.  Will get back into working on my fitness and breathing for a bit.  I do think it is my breathing I am having issues with.  By the end, my lungs just feel wrecked.

[torus_ot]

Ezzo, your double runs are quite spectacular... I think you are actually running 10K week 3

May be, if you want to scale down, you can try to do 4x12min runs or 3x15min run?

[Ezzo]

Haha thanks, but I am definitely not averaging over 10km/h in week 3.   I went 7.19km today (week 6 day 3), including warm up and cool down.  I have debated skipping over to week 9 with its 4x10 min runs and just going through once.  It is this coming week that defeated me last time, when I was running single runs.  I seem to go better with intervals.  

 

I did hear that the marathon/half marathon trainer was all walk/run.  Does anyone know how long is the largest run period is?  Maybe I should buy and work towards that rather then hitting the same brick wall again?  Does the full marathon program have the "half" as a milestone like the 10k has a 5k halfway point in the program?

[djplong]

I took the half and full marathoners and put them into a table in a file I carry around on my phone.

 

The half marathon is 13 weeks, while the marathon is 20 weeks.

 

For each week, "Day 6" is your "long run".  Week 1 starts out at 3/2 intervals (3:00 jog, 2:00 walk), times 6 doing 3 miles.  They up the number of intervals in successive weeks to 8, 10, then 12 (6 miles).  In week 5, the long run changes to 4/1 intervals (times 8 for 4 miles) and gets upped to 14, 16, 18, dips to 12, then goes to 20 (10 miles) on Week 10.  You taper off with 16, then 12 intervals and Week 13 is your half marathon - 26 intervals for 13.1 miles.

 

All this time, you're doing shorter runs on Days 1 & 3 & 4 (sometimes 3 is skipped) with cross-training exercising on Days 2 & 5.

 

The marathon has a similar structure (though it's usually Day 4's run that is skipped if that week is skipping a run).   The Long Runs start at 3/2x10 for 5 miles and build up to 3/2x18 (9 miles) on Week 6.  Then it's 4/2 intervals going from 10 times (6 miles) on Week 7, then 20, 10 and 23 (14 miles) by Week 11.  Week 12 starts the 4/1 intervals - 14 times (7 miles) and then going 32, 13*, 38, 13* and then 40  (20 miles) on Week 17 (the ones with the '*' are 5/1 intervals).  Then you taper off with 5/1x17 (10 miles) on Week 18, to 5/1x10 (6 miles) on Week 19 and your marathon - 4/1x52 - at the end of Week 20.