When you don't have a race for 6+ months....

[Herding_Cats]

What do you do? How do you approach training? Do you go for structure? Do you wing it just run however much you feel like? Have a weekly mileage goal and if you're feeling good, run extra?

There are no local races, and I don't "do" cold weather very well (I get my UA coldgear out when it hits 50.....I wore my winter jacket to a soccer game last week) so I'm not planning on looking for a race before April. Plus our schedule is kind of ridiculous with 3 kids in sports and DH coaching. That means I'm looking at April or May (possibly even June?!) before I'll FINALLY get to do a race. Mentally I'm kind of floundering because I don't know if I should make a schedule, switch to crosstraining (would to 80DO or P90x if I did only cross training) or a combo of running and crosstraining (like liift4 or p90x3 in conjuction with a running "plan" so I can stay under 90min for workouts.)

 

[opusone]

I think there is a lot of flexibility regarding your training, so you have several options and should do whatever strikes you as more fun/beneficial:

• If you do well with structure, then you can still go ahead and run a specific training plan. Even though there is no actual race at the end of the plan, that doesn't make the training plan any less effective.
• Create your own base building structure. Just focus on easy miles and steadily building those miles over some defined period. You can choose how many days per week, but I would suggest developing a plan/weekly structure such that you are on the hook. This would work well in conjunction with your crosstraining.
• Don't run for a while and find other fitness options/goals in the interim.

Notice, "winging it" was not one of the options. I find that this approach can lead to reduced fitness.

 

[camaker]

What do you do? How do you approach training? Do you go for structure? Do you wing it just run however much you feel like? Have a weekly mileage goal and if you're feeling good, run extra?

There are no local races, and I don't "do" cold weather very well (I get my UA coldgear out when it hits 50.....I wore my winter jacket to a soccer game last week) so I'm not planning on looking for a race before April. Plus our schedule is kind of ridiculous with 3 kids in sports and DH coaching. That means I'm looking at April or May (possibly even June?!) before I'll FINALLY get to do a race. Mentally I'm kind of floundering because I don't know if I should make a schedule, switch to crosstraining (would to 80DO or P90x if I did only cross training) or a combo of running and crosstraining (like liift4 or p90x3 in conjuction with a running "plan" so I can stay under 90min for workouts.)

if I don’t have a schedule set up with structure, I don’t do well. So far, I’ve come up with two approaches that have worked for me:

• First, decide how fit I’d like to stay during the gap (usually ~ half marathon fit). Then, pick a training program, usually Higdon, and run through/repeat weeks of the program so I’ve always got my scheduled run and my expectations
• ‘Alternatively, sign up for a virtual race and train to that goal. Then lather, rinse, repeat. I’ve been doing more of this approach to maintain my accountability lately. I’m about to run the NYC Virtual Marathon and after that will switch over to Virtual Dopey training.

 

[GreatLakes]

My first suggestion would be to take a look at an area you are weak in and concentrate on that for the next 6-8 week block. Look at strength, flexibility, balance, speed, endurance, etc and set up a plan to work on the deficiency. Personally I would look at one running weakness (endurance, speed, leg turnover, stride) and one non-running weakness (strength, flexibility, balance) and work on one of each.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

How do you approach training? Do you go for structure? Do you wing it just run however much you feel like?

I think having some sort of plan is very important. It helps give you something to work towards and can provide accountability when races are not possible/realistic. I was disappointed when my April half was canceled and given the immediate challenges at work back in March when all this really hit, I opted to not worry about running for about a month.

Notice, "winging it" was not one of the options. I find that this approach can lead to reduced fitness.

After marathon weekend 2019 I found myself having no races on the horizon until September. I had grand plans to wing it and not really worry about running since I had no race. Couple that with the challenges of training during February through April and I suddenly found myself not training at all until May. And then just as I was starting to get fitness back in May, I got sick in June and lost everything. I was essentially back to square one and had to revise my goals for the September half because I couldn't start seriously training for that race until July.

The thing that worked for me was, believe it or not, virtual races. I signed up for the runDisney summer series virtual 5Ks and then added the Gritty 5K and eventually the San Francisco Giants virtual 10K and 5K. Why did those work for me? Because they provided a tangible thing to work towards. Something to provide motivation to get out there and do something. When the day of the Giant Race 10K and 5K came (both races were actually back to back), I found that having a purpose for my run that day felt really good. It became more than just about getting out there. Instead I had a purpose for getting out there. I wanted to complete the distances if only to show myself that my training, which faced all sorts of challenges from work, weather, and wildfires in July and August was still sufficient for what I wanted to do. At least for me that proved to be such an enjoyable experience that I added some of the runDisney virtual events that became available because I found that I needed a race, virtual or live, to keep my motivation where it needs to be.

 

[Herding_Cats]

• Create your own base building structure. Just focus on easy miles and steadily building those miles over some defined period. You can choose how many days per week, but I would suggest developing a plan/weekly structure such that you are on the hook. This would work well in conjunction with your crosstraining.

Notice, "winging it" was not one of the options. I find that this approach can lead to reduced fitness.

I'm pretty sure this is the direction I'm going to head. Being new to running as a dedicated form of exercise (and not just something I do during a sport), I like to get a sense from other about "best practices."

if I don’t have a schedule set up with structure, I don’t do well.

• ‘Alternatively, sign up for a virtual race and train to that goal. Then lather, rinse, repeat. I’ve been doing more of this approach to maintain my accountability lately.

I think having some sort of plan is very important. It helps give you something to work towards and can provide accountability when races are not possible/realistic.

The thing that worked for me was, believe it or not, virtual races. I had a purpose for getting out there. I wanted to complete the distances if only to show myself that my training, which faced all sorts of challenges from work, weather, and wildfires in July and August was still sufficient for what I wanted to do. At least for me that proved to be such an enjoyable experience that I added some of the runDisney virtual events that became available because I found that I needed a race, virtual or live, to keep my motivation where it needs to be.

I signed up for the wonder woman virtual this week. times are supposed to be submitted by 10/31 so that gives me a concrete date in the VERY near future to train toward. I definitely won't be trying to go as fast as possible, but it has managed to motivate me to get into the basement and onto the treadmill this week. Plus.....it's wonder woman.

My first suggestion would be to take a look at an area you are weak in and concentrate on that for the next 6-8 week block. Look at strength, flexibility, balance, speed, endurance, etc and set up a plan to work on the deficiency. Personally I would look at one running weakness (endurance, speed, leg turnover, stride) and one non-running weakness (strength, flexibility, balance) and work on one of each.

I like this suggestion a lot. Some of these things though.....I don't know how to work on them, especially since it'll be 99% treadmill miles. If I start with what I can work on right now (because to be perfectly honest, just about all of those things need to be worked on) it's probably endurance and strength.



I'll probably take a closer look at the higdon half schedule I had and tweak the mileage down some in the later weeks, and see how I can mash liift4 in there subbing leg day for 80DO booty. That's going to take some brain power I'm currently lacking due to some super fun sinus crud.