Staying Fit Between Races
Signing up for a race gives you a goal, and to reach that goal you’re likely going to follow a training plan. Whether it’s a basic plan to help you build up your milage or a more advanced plan that includes speed intervals and hill repeats, it’s a concrete prescription as to how far and how often you are to run. Both times I trained for a marathon, I printed off the plan and tacked it in my cubicle; each morning I would proudly check off the run I’d completed. This held me accountable for regular runs at least four days a week. But once the race is over, I really struggle to maintain that consistency. After my first marathon, I said I would maintain my training to the point that on any given weekend, I could go out and run 10 miles. Oh, how quickly that fell to the wayside. But this time I can’t let that happen. The Nike Women’s half is in exactly one month.
But would you care to guess how many times I’ve run since the race two weeks ago? Wait for it… TWO. It’s not that I’ve stopped exercising. No, quite the opposite. Experiencing a bit of runner’s burnout, I fled back to my gym with open arms. I’m enjoying the classes I’d had to cut back on to ensure I wasn’t too sore for my long runs. This usually means 3-4 spin classes and 2-3 chisel classes each week. And ironically, I’m generally in better shape when I’m not training for a race. Not only do I workout more often (generally 5-6 days a week and two-a-days are not entirely unheard of), I get much more comprehensive workouts.
But tight abs aren’t going to get me 13.1 miles. It’s going to take a conscious effort not let my training go. I’m certain I did well in my last race because I was overtrained. In the three months prior, I had done nine runs that were thirteen miles or longer. This was the first time I used a regimented training plan for a half-marathon, and since I had been training for a full marathon, my milage was much higher than ever before. But maintaining fitness between races is tough. You feel like you’re already trained and take that for granted, but it’s remarkable how much you can back track from a few weeks of not running.
Luckily, there is a two-step process to stay fit between races:
- Make a plan
- Stick to it
I was figure if I do at least two runs a week between now and the race, including two more 10+ runs, I’ll do alright. I probably won’t set a PR, but I’ll finish and feel alright. I kicked this plan off this weekend, with an eleven mile run on Saturday, and I felt pretty good. Here’s my plan for the coming week:
Monday: Chisel
Tuesday: Spin Class
Wednesday: 6 mile run
Thursday: Spin Class
Friday: 6 mile run
Saturday: Rest/Travel
Sunday: Rest/Travel
+ 1 additional 5 mile speed interval run
