Category: Hansons Training

2016 Chicago Marathon Training Week 1

I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap.

Hoping everyone had a good week!

WeeklyWrap

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Chicago Marathon training is here!  I am excited (and nervous) to be training using the Hansons Marathon Method.  In a nutshell, this training is based on the concept of cumulative fatigue. You train your body to run often so that you are frequently running on tired legs.  The idea is to run this way so that during the last miles of a race you are prepared to push through the final miles. These plans are 18 weeks and have you running 6 days (easy, speed/strength, tempo, and long runs) a week with one rest day.   Sounds exhausting right?  I know, I know.

Week #1, June 6-12

Monday:

  • PLAN – OFF
  • ACTUAL – OFF

It was the first day of summer break!  I did errands and took it easy the rest of the day.

This is how I was feeling too.

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Tuesday:

  • PLAN – OFF
  • ACTUAL – OFF

I woke at 4:30am to make it to TRX.  Well, I got to the gym and there was a problem with the key so no one was able to go inside.  I went home and went back to sleep.

Later that day I got a special delivery from Running Warehouse.  It was my order with 4 pairs of Brooks PureFlow 4.  For some reason the Launch were not working out for me so I went back to my other favorite shoes.  They’re on sale and I am tempted to buy more pairs.

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Wednesday:

  • PLAN – OFF
  • ACTUAL – OFF

I got a massage and it felt wonderful.  The masseuse mentioned that I was tensed (mostly in the shoulders).  I have appointments to get one every two weeks and I know they will help me during marathon training.

Thursday:

  • PLAN – 6 easy miles, 10:15-11:30 pace
  • ACTUAL – 6.02 miles @11:07 average pace

First official run of marathon training.  Felt tired and I was glad it was an easy run.  Later in the evening I attended a “Marathon Training Prep with Bart Yasso”.

Lola wants to make sure I stretch prior to my run.

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Friday: 

  • PLAN – 6 easy miles, 10:15-11:30 pace
  • ACTUAL – 6 miles @10:50 average pace

Got a late start to my run.  By the time I was ready to head out, it was HOT so I went to the gym. I alternated a different song for paces 11:07, 10:43, and 10:21.  I enjoy the variety and before I know it, I am done with my run.

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Saturday:

  • PLAN – 8 easy miles, 10:15-11:30
  • ACTUAL – 7.02 @11:08 average pace

It was a HOT one with CES.  I am a pacer for the 10:30 red group and run with two other pacers (1 blue and 1 red).  The difference between those two colors is that the red group runs one more mile than blue.  I am supposed to run with another pacer but she was asked to run with the blue group because it is a larger group than red.  They were scheduled to run 6 miles and when they turned around at 3 miles, I kept running to run another 1/2 mile and then turn around to add that extra mile to my run.  Well, I got so HOT and took many walking breaks.  I could not find the rhythm I had going during the first 3 miles and was so happy when I was done with my run.

Sunday:

  • PLAN – 6 easy miles, 10:15-11:30
  • ACTUAL – 6:02 @11:13 average pace

The weather was so much better than yesterday.  A big difference of about 30 degrees.  I started off too fast and then slowed down on my way back.  Also, the headwind bothered more than I wanted it to.  

Later that evening I finished reading “After You”.  I’ve already read the book and saw the movie for “Me Before You”.  Great book and movie!

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Week 1 went well.  All of my run were easy so that helped.  Next week I start on my speed workout which consists of 12 x 400s.  Should be interesting.

Total mileage for the week: 25.06 miles

Total mileage for this training cycle: 25.06 miles

Total mileage for the year: 508.12 miles

Hansons Training Plan

I am sure you’ve heard of this method right?  Well, in a nutshell it is based on the concept of cumulative fatigue.  You train your body to run successfully when you are tired at the end of a race.  These plans are 18 weeks and have you running 6 days (easy, speed/strength, tempo, and long runs) a week with one rest day.   Sounds exhausting right?  I know, I know.

HansonsTrainingPlan

I’ve heard so many great things about it and well I decided to go ahead and try it out.  For now I am slowly getting into the groove of running so many days per week.  My goal is to also implement this as I train for the 2016 Chicago Marathon which starts the first week of June.  I finally registered!

Chicago Marathon Entry 2016

Am I scared?  Yes.  Nervous?  Absolutely!  I’ve never run 6 days a week.  During the last few weeks of my training for the RnR NOLA in February, I was running 4 days a week and I had days in which I was tired but then also had days in which I felt great. 

A few weeks ago I put together my plan and added my runs to my calendar.  I am two weeks into it and so far it is going good.  Part of it could be that I was on Spring Break last week and was taking it really easy.  This week I’ve been more tired than usual (I realized I need more than 8 hours of sleep each night).  I do not feel sore and surprisingly am recovering better than I expected.  

SpringBreak

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Have you used this plan before in your training?  How did it go?  Thoughts and/or advice?