Falling back and springing forwards

[Katie204]

Hi all - I am training for the Royal Parks HM in London in October. I have had a similar problem to MissWobble in falling behind with my training programme. I am doing the Zenlabs HM one, which gives you things to do (running or cross-training) almost every day. On the good side, it helps to have that structure; on the bad side you do worry when you slip behind. I was doing fine for the first month (last month), but last week life got in the way, big-time, and now I'm a week behind.

I went out running yesterday, though, and actually found it easier than when I was running every other day! I did 10K run-walk, in just over 1 hr 15 mins - the same time that I took to do 10K all-running last year.

[vivh61]

Hi Katie,

Yes, life does have a bad habit of getting in the way. I'm training for the Great North Run in September, and made up my own plan (also doing run-walk), but apart from the long runs I don't necessarily stick to it and in fact it's the second plan I've made up as I lost interest in the middle of the last one

Personally I only run 3 times a week and do other stuff in between. Apart from anything else I need a couple of days to recover after a long run, and in any case, running every day just isn't possible life-wise.

Congrats on the 10k time - about the same as mine - and I'm sure the rest has done you good! Good luck with the rest of the training

[Katie204 Half Marathon in reply to vivh61]

Thanks Viv - it's very reassuring to hear this! Best of luck for your race too

[mfamilias Half Marathon]

Don't beat yourself up about it I used a myAsics plan for my HM, which "only" included 3 runs a week. I don't know how anyone can fit in cross training as well. I missed out on a fair number of runs, sometimes only doing two per week, but I still did the HM in 2h31 (the plan had targeted 2h21 mins). I saw it as a guideline and a way to remind myself to get out regularly by putting it on the fridge, but doing every single run when you have a job, a home and a family is mission impossible in my humble opinion. So step back from the guilt tripping and remember that the key is enjoying the runs - otherwise it will become a drag.

[Katie204 Half Marathon in reply to mfamilias]

Thanks, mfamilias - that makes me feel much better!

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Mmm - this is one reason I chose NOT to use a structured program when I trained for my HM earlier this year. Don't get me wrong, I did look at a fair few and adapted to suit but also built up in response to how my body felt, allowing a little more flexibility. I also decided I wanted to be able to run the full distance before race day for my own reassurance, something not many plans seem to do. I also made sure of a nice long taper which messed with my head but was absolutely the right thing to do as I felt quite fresh on the day. I guess there is room to alter and adapt a little with your plan and we need to make allowance for things like illness and life getting in the way occasionally. I ran three times a week and was very disciplined, hitting the roads after work twice a week with my long run at the weekend. Plans are great but like most of us, I did have to fit it around a full time job and my family commitments😮! Good luck with yours, the Royal Parks HM is supposed to be great!🙂

[Katie204 Half Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks Sandra! A couple of weeks ago I went to one of the running workshops offered by the Royal Parks HM organisers. It was useful, if a bit daunting - I have never seen so many muscly people in one place, and when we did our 5km jog around Hyde Park at the end, I was the slowest of the slow! Still, I think it helped me mentally to run at least part of the course.

I won't stress so much now about keeping to the training plan - I think as long as I'm doing something, and using the plan as a guide, I will get there eventually!

[Rignold]

I hate structured programes for the very reasns you have described. All my running races my training was self directed. I had an overview of the time available and roughly how much distance I wanted to be doing by when but that was it, and it worked absolutely fine.

Conversely, with weightlifting I am much more scrupulpus regarding progression and strict adherence to plans. I think of it as the difference between cooking and baking: when you are baking a cake you need to follow a recipe to the letter: any variation in ingredient ratios or time and temp and you risk catastrophe, whereas cooking a risotto or a stew, as long as you have an idea of where you want to get to, you can vary thngs to suit you as you go along.

[Katie204 Half Marathon in reply to Rignold]

Ha ha! Unlike you, I am a bit of a sap so I need a cyber-person on the app to tell me when to run and when to walk. I also rely on structured programmes for any other exercise I get around to doing.

[benwill Marathon]

Don't worry about it, its life missing a week will not affect you i will just follow the plan as normal if you worried about the long run than i would maybe run the distance you were supposed to last week and then add a bit so your a bit nearer this weeks distance. Then next week you can carry on the plan as normal.

But dont give up on the plan and dont be to unhappy about it, your still do that half!

[Katie204 Half Marathon in reply to benwill]

Thanks Ben - that is very reassuring! (As it is I tend to add little micro-runs at the end of my scheduled sessions, usually because I end up some way from home so have to run part of the way back.)

[Tp36]

Hi, I only started running in April and am training for the Royal Parks HM too, I run 4 miles twice in the week then a long run at the weekend (8 miles today). Other than that there is no plan, I just make myself get out there and do it even if on a bad run I do 14 minutes a mile I know at least I have done it.

[Katie204 Half Marathon in reply to Tp36]

This month has been a bit of a wash-out for me - in addition to life stuff, my running shoes gave up the ghost - on my last run I came back with badly aching calves, which took over a week to get better. I bought some fancy new shoes from Canary Wharf and went out in them, but they didn't give me enough support so I took them back to the shop. I have just ordered a fresh pair of my usual style, and until they come (due on Tuesday) I am doing yogalates and other cross-training to keep fit.

My gremlins have clearly moved on to psychological warfare. But I will get back on track!

Tp36, you seem to be doing really well. You're about the same speed as me, too!

[Katie204 Half Marathon in reply to Katie204]

It was such a shame about the ASICS Roadhawks - they would be wonderful shoes for people who do short races at blistering speed, but sadly I don't do anything at blistering speed so I had to give them back.