Training starts Tuesday! About This Page:

[My2suns]

So I picked the Jeff Galloway "Experienced runners who want to finish upright" plan. In doing so, that means I start the plan on July 3. I chose it for the ease of running 30-45min 2x/wk with long run on weekend.Plus feeling like the amount of time it is giving me. I still hope to cross train a bit(even though he leaves that up to you) and I am sure I will have to alter the schedule as I go. I already know that I am definitely not running a full 26 miles a month before the marathon as it suggests. A friend of mine who has run a few marathons said it would be the worse thing to do as you are just asking for injury at that point. (He is doing a plan where you only go up to 16miles!). I am not sure if I will run/walk the long ones as suggested, still deciding. Went out for 3.2 yesterday and hit a wall half way through. Really took me by surprise. My DH who has not been running pulled way ahead of me due to my slowing right down to nothing. Almost stopped altogether! But I just have to remember that I will have those days! Foot seems to be hanging in there. The only thing that has aggravated it recently was getting a massage believe it or not. The massage therapist did what I felt was a great job but I am wondering now if she somehow "disrupted" something in there for it bothered me for a week. Hope you all are having a great summer and good runs!

[disney_duke]

Yay Kelli! That's always my goal too - to finish upright. Just like your foot, I never know if my knee is going to start aching or not so I set out with a lofty goal of making a good time, but can't guarantee that's gonna happen. So to just finish in the upright position is the best I can ask for!

Grrrr, your DH sounds like mine! He's a bit of a jogger, but 2 miles at the most - and fast. I kept telling him to slow down (for my sake too, if he wants to pace with me) to go the distance because he signed up for a Half marathon with me on Sept. 1st. I know he cannot keep up that fast pace for 13 miles. So he's been running a bit more the past few weeks. He goes out for a 6 miler last weekend, I figure he'll be gone for just over an hour. He's back in 50 minutes. But he did come back with an injury. His achilles was popping and hurting him, plus he was hugely dehydrated. After talking with a track coach, it turns out dehydration can directly affect your achilles. Coach advised him to rest for at least one week (that was Sunday) and then start out slowly again. So we shall see, but I'm pretty sure he won't be pushing himself so hard anymore. I was scared for him, but then that turned into a tune of "I told you so!"

Your training plan sounds good! I used to faithfully follow Higdon's programs. But since my surgery, I kind of do my own now similar to Galloway. I run at least 2x week, sometimes 3x, and do about 4 miles. Sometimes more, sometimes less, depends on how much time I have! Plus I throw in an elliptical workout 1x week. Then my long runs just slowly add up until race day. Just did 6 miles this last Saturday (I'm training for my Half in 2 months), and then I just slowly add 1/2 mile or 1 mile more each weekend until I reach 10 miles. That's my max LR for a Half training program.

My full training starts shortly after I finish the Half in September, and I won't change it much except to add more miles. I'll probably do about 6 miles - again, more or less - 2 or 3x midweek, and then keep adding to my LR's until I reach 16. That's my max LR for my full training program too, just like your friend! That's what I did last time and it seemed to work. I agree - why torture yourself any more than you have to? 16 is good. The full is only 10 more, and I know I can do 10. It's just 2 hours! I like to think of my running in terms of time instead of distance. It's not quite as scary.

Good luck with your training! I hope that foot of yours keeps up with you.

[kadterp]

The Wine and Dine half marathon training starts soon too! I know that DH is going to be following Jeff's program where I seem to be doing a mix of Jeff and Hal (my new buds lol).

Yesterday was long run day for me too....and I was ready to throw in the towel and/or throw up at mile 2! It was not a good day! So instead of giving in, I threw my pace out the window and figured out whats the min pace/time I need to run to still qualify for Disney. I went off of a 15 min mile and figured that if I could do 7 miles in one hr and 45 min Id be a happy clam! I did it with six minutes to spare! I leaned my lesson yestereday that when its this hot out, to reduce my pace, and drink drink drink!!

Oh and it must be a man thing, I dont like running with my DH, I feel like I have to keep at a faster pace and when I go into walk mode, he gets a bit upset at me. He doesnt say anything but thats what I feel. Like Im holding him back ya know? So lately I tell him to just go without me, I sometimes like to be on my own so I dont have to worry about him and it gives me time to process my thoughts. Well guess who has a boo boo knee now from being all man and going faster? Someone needs to learn the pharse "pace thyself" and become friends with Jeff!

Ladies lets not give up! We are doing a great job and just take it little by little! Maybe we can hook up all our husbands together so they can do their bagillion min mile pace?

[My2suns]

LOL Kim-there's an idea! My DH has a fitness test in August so that is what is driving him now. The first time he ran with me, I was doing a 4 miler-he did stop around 3 for a bit (said it was his ankle-uh-huh, sure) but then he managed to catch up to me on a hill. He was wiped. I told him "normally you work up to 4 miles when you don't run regularly". Then what does he do-beat my butt during the 3. and he didn't even look like he was running fast. Was I really just going that slow? I am sure I was, did what you said, threw the pace out the window. Was glad to make it to the end.
Tanya-I will have to pass along what the MD said about dehydration and the achilles. a co-worker has been having issues and he has been fine for a while but just recently started with problems again. I bet with the heat etc, he is not hydrating enough. I never see with water until after a run. AND wow-your plan stops at 16 too? I was thinking that was crazy but I guess I get the theory about it. Still 10 more miles...I really like the time measure thing myself. That is why I liked this plan as the week runs say 30-45min. I figure whatever I can get done in that time is good and I may even be able to keep increasing the distance in that amount of time. Can't wait to hear about your Half with your hubby! Thanks ladies!

[mom to 3 princesses and 1 prince]

When I was training for the Goofy, my personal trainer said as long as I did 20 miles, I was fine. I didn't do 26 like Galloway suggests. Other than that, I followed his plan and it worked great!

My IT band troubled finally caught up with me, and I really struggled at the end of my last half. I'm staring physical therapy this morning, so we will see what that means for training. I was supposed to do the Chicago marathon in October, but we will see what they say. As long as I can do thr marathon at Disney, I'm happy!

[My2suns]

Good luck Beth! I am sorry it is causing you trouble! I really hope you will make it to Disney! I am sure you will! I hope you make Chicago as well but don't rush the rehab. Wow-you were planning on doing Chicago and WDW...I am impressed with the motivation! Please post updates on how you are doing!

[kadterp]

Beth sorry to hear that you are having issues with your IT band. Hopefully with the physical therapy that will help you get on track again! And yes keep us posted on your recovery!!

[shnewell]

Yay for you!!

It's been a while since I ran a full marathon, but the coaches in our training group always advised against running a full 26 miles before the race. The longest distance we did was 21, and that seemed to prepare us just fine.

Good luck!!