One of my favorite peripheral activities related to running is the running log--I happen to track my running in Excel. Since starting up running again three weeks ago, I've resurrected my spreadsheets, and established a rough plan for the year. I've also been reviewing the log from the last time I was at this point fitness-wise and weight-wise. So far the runs I've done this year are very similar to when I started up again in 2005--good to remind myself that it does get easier as time goes on.
I generally try to follow these principles (nothing magic or rigid about them, they just seem to make sense to me):
1. Don't increase total weekly mileage more than 10% per week
2. Don't increase long run more than 1 mile/week
3. Every 4th week is a week of reduced mileage (20-25% less than usual)
4. Max of 5 running days/week.
So, it seems like it will take a long time to build up mileage but it adds up sort of quickly in the grand scheme of things. I'm basically at the beginning of base training phase, running 4x per week, about 12 miles total, with a long run this week of 5 miles. Following the rules above, I'll be up near 40 miles/week with a long run of 17 miles by the first week of July. All dependent on progression of training--any significant setbacks or periods of missed training and the spreadsheet needs to be recalibrated!
The ultimate goal is a fall marathon.
2/8: 2.3 miles @ 9:40 pace
2/9: 2.3 miles @ 9:58 pace
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5 comments:
Rules to live by, or rather rules to run by. I pretty much do the same except for the rest week every 4th week. Maybe I should do that though before I go and get something injured.
It's so interesting to read old running logs and see how you started out training and recovering from specific races. You sound smart and you're off to a nice, slow, careful start. Good luck.
my spreadsheet-loving-geeky-self squeals with delight. i tend to follow the same basic rules, though i didn't know about #2 (i only go up 1-2 miles anyway though typically). plan the work and work the plan!
Sounds like you are on the right path to run a fall marathon. Congratulations on restarting your running and spreadsheets. I'm a dorky accountant, so I understand the love of spreadsheets!
I never met a spreadsheet I didn't like. Seriously.
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