My Summer 2018 Training Plan
Two and a half weeks ago, I finished the cold, rainy, and windy 2018 Boston Marathon! Thoroughly warm and dry, it’s time to look back at my last training cycle and ahead to the summer. I’ll start training for the 2018 New York City Marathon in July.
Prologue
Looking Back. As usual, I ran fairly consistently during my training for the Boston Marathon and met my mileage goals week after week. But, I was so tired! I really needed more recovery after the 2018 San Diego 50 Miler – a week wasn’t enough. I ran well at the 2018 Reston 10 Miler and 2018 Shamrock Half Marathon, but I would have liked faster times. (As always!) And, I got through the training cycle without any serious injuries.
Looking Forward. I want to feel physically fit before I start training for the 2018 New York City Marathon in July. I’d like to do some solid speed work and strengthen my legs a bit (having finally defeated my piriformis pain last summer!) with some regular weight training. But, I also want to get some much needed rest. I want to keep my mileage relatively low (for me) so I can start my next marathon training cycle feeling fresh.
The Plan
Choosing or Creating a Plan. For plans that emphasis speed work, my mind immediately went to Daniels’ Running Formula, Second Edition. Years ago, when I was running more 10Ks, I used some of the workouts in the book and they were tough! But, the weekly mileage is flexible so I could keep it low. I chose a plan aimed at fitness rather than a specific race distance – The Blue Training Plan.
Pick a Start Date. My “rule” after marathons is not to run again until I miss it. Usually, that takes about a week but this time, it was ten days before I willed myself out for a run.
Start Date: Thursday, April 29th. (That’s right, I’ve already started!)
Plan Mini-Cycles. There are four “levels” to the Daniels’ Blue Training Plan:
Level I – Base Building: 2 weeks – Thursday, April 26th to Saturday, May 12th.
Level II – Threshold Training: 2 weeks – Sunday, May 13th to Saturday, May 26th.
Level III – Interval Training: 3 weeks – Sunday, May 27th 11th to Saturday, June 16th.
Level IV – Repetition Training: 3 weeks – Sunday, June 17th to Saturday, July 7th.
The workouts are on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Sundays and Wednesdays are easy days, and Tuesdays and Fridays are off days with the option of running easy.
I’ll take a few days off during Level IV so I’ll have some rest before I start training for the 2018 New York City Marathon on Sunday, July 8th.
Schedule Tune-up Races: The training plan doesn’t have scheduled races but I would like to run a few this summer. In the spirit of building power in my legs, I want to race shorter distances. There are two races I have in mind:
Saturday, June 9th – Lawyers Have Heart 10K. This race is one of the most popular races in Washington, D.C. during the summer.
Wednesday, July 4th – Firecracker 5K. I’ve enjoyed running this Fourth of July race in past years.
(My complete racing schedule is here)
Create a Cross-Training Schedule. I used to weight train quite frequently – two or three days a week – but when I started running marathons based on high mileage, I no longer had the time. My goal for the summer is to get back to that level of weight lifting frequency with a lot of leg work. I’ll try to hit the gym on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
Other Thoughts
I’m thinking of these next 10 weeks as an opportunity to make myself stronger – physically and mentally – before I start training for the 2018 New York City Marathon in July. I’m seeking redemption! I want to run sub-3:30 (8:01 pace) again this November and wash away the memory of that miserable day in Boston last month.
