Training for the Pig

Holiday Running Streak + the FIRST training plan

Only 4 days left until the Flying Pig Marathon! I can’t believe how fast the past few months have flown by. After the Lakefront Marathon, I took off an entire month to make sure my body was fully recovered and healthy before starting the new training period. I was sick and tired of being in this slump… it’s time to start seeing some faster times!

I started off my pre-training by doing the Holiday Running Streak; a challenge published in Runner’s World. I pledged to run at least a mile every day from Thanksgiving to New Years. Since my training plan didn’t officially start until January, I figured this would a) give me a good base before starting my hardcore training and b) ingrain the discipline I would need to get myself out the door and run in the frigid winter months. I’d never done a running streak before, but they always seemed like a fun challenge. I think the record is 45 years! I can’t even imagine running every single day for 45 years. Especially after doing it for just a month. Some days it was a STRUGGLE just to fit in the run, even though it was only a mile on most days. It was especially hard once I went home for Christmas break and I had a million plans with friends and family every day. I mean, even though they were short runs, I still needed to change, and shower. That was hardest part actually… planning my shower schedule (and hence doing my hair) around the run every day haha. But I did it… 34 days in a row!

Here I am running in snowy northern Michigan, wearing one of my awesome Christmas presents. Complete with a ponytail hole in the hood J 

During the streak, I gradually built back up to running 10 miles because once my training plan officially started, my first long run was 13 miles! I was following a pretty serious plan, because I was serious about training to improve my time. The plan is called the FIRST training plan. I’d heard about it from a site where a bunch of people posted about how they finally got a Boston qualifying time.

The FIRST training plan allows you to tailor your plan based on your goal time. And the best part… it only requires you to run 3 times a week with 2-3 days of cross training (swimming, biking, rowing, or lifting). This was perfect for me! Running more than 3-4 times a week is what has gotten me injured in the past. This plan stresses quality over quantity. Each run has a very specific purpose to make the most of each one. Here’s an example of 2 weeks of my plan for a 4:00 marathon:

M	Tu	W	Th	F	Sa	Su
Rest	XT	3 x 1 mile 7:27 1 min rest	XT	6mi: 2 easy 3 @ 8:00 1 easy	Rest or XT	18 miles @ 9:45
Rest	XT	2 x .75 & 4 x .5 5:30 & 3:36 2 min rest	XT	5 mi 5 @ 8:15	Rest or XT	20 miles @ 10:00

The first run focuses on speed work to improve running economy, or in other words, train your body to use energy more efficiently. The second run is a tempo, or threshold, run, which is run at, or slower than 10K pace. It’s purpose is to increase lactate threshold so that you can run faster for longer. And the third is the long run. But instead of running at a slow, comfortable, non-specific pace as most training plans say to do, this plan calls for hitting a pace slightly slower than race-pace with the goal of improving endurance. (The endurance part is what I really needed to improve upon. Based on my 5K time, I should be able to get a 3:45 marathon time. And the fact that I can’t means I lack endurance).

So with my personalized plan all figured out, I was ready to go. But things started off badly… in the first week of training I pulled a stabilizing tendon in my foot from walking around on the un-cleared snowy/icy sidewalks. It was just a slight pain, so I thought I’d try running anyway… that was a mistake. I had to stop halfway through the run. Running had aggravated it so much that I couldn’t run for 3 weeks. I was still cross training, but I was sure I’d already blown it.

But a few weeks back into my plan, I was nailing all the runs, no problem! I’d done it right this time and taken off the time I needed to allow myself to heal completely, and it seemed like I hadn’t lost any fitness. I’d had to shift around my long runs, but I kept the rest of the schedule the same. I would be running two 20-milers instead of the three that the original plan called for, but I wasn’t too concerned about that.

And the plan appeared to be working.

 I did a half marathon one month before the marathon, and shattered my PR by 4 minutes! My first sub-1:50 half marathon!

On my last 20-mile run – a week after the half – I couldn’t believe how great I felt. Usually I’m shuffling along painfully by the end of a 20-miler at 11-12 minute/mi pace. But here I was, still running at 9:30 pace in the last mile! Right on the pace dictated by the plan. (And I saw a turtle on the running path - definitely a good omen)

Long story short, I’m feeling really good going into this marathon, and if it was a flat course, I would say that I could break 4:00 no problem. But… it’s not. There will be a lot of hills. And for this reason, I’m not as confident. I tried incorporating hill work into my runs, but it’s pretty hard to train for hills in the middle of Indiana.

And, just to throw more curevballs: a few days ago I (finally) came down with the cold that I’ve been evading the past few months. AND the slight pre-tendonitis pain in my foot came back while I was walking. Awesome. Never a dull, predictable moment in running.

I’m not running at all this week. All the hard work is done, and it’s just time to let myself heal and get to the start as healthy as I can. Here’s hoping it works!

Can’t wait to conquer this Pig and cross the Finish Swine J