Spring is slowly making it’s way into the Rocky Mountains which means the running season is dawning! I’m so ready to start moving in the sun – how about you? Be sure to check your email for Group Run announcements.
It’s time to start stepping up our activity as we Spring Forward. It's time to start training! How much running you do a week really depends on your fitness level and your own personal goals - not just your goals for your race performance, but your overall health goals for your King.
I feel the need to reiterate that I am not a personal trainer. I’ve mentioned The Complete Book of Running for Women (Kowalchik) before (link under resources). This book includes race programs for 5k, 10k, half-marathons and marathons, as well as a wealth of information about running in general. I use the training programs from this book as a basis but don’t follow to the letter. These training programs can be pretty intense and even when I ran a lot I didn’t run as much as this book suggests. So I pull what I think are the most important runs from each week to build my running program – usually about 4 days a week. Here are some basic principles to consider if you want to build your own program that suits your needs and schedule:
:: Include a long run, a recovery run (day after your long run) and at least 1 speed work day in your training program.
:: Speed work (also called pace workouts) can come in a variety of forms – using a track (1 lap = 400 meters; 4 laps = 1 mile), a treadmill, doing a fartlek run or running hills are all forms of speed work. The most important part of the pace workout is to ensure you are properly warmed up before you pick up the pace. More on this next week.
:: When trying to build up mileage, it’s not safe to just add a mile each week to your long run. When mountain climbers ascend Mt. Everest, they go through a series of ascents and descents to acclimate to the altitude before they attempt the summit. Acclimating to distance in running uses the same theory. So one week, your long run might be 3 miles, the next 2, then the following 4 miles.
:: The body needs rest. Many runners ride on the “Runner’s High” and want to go everyday but just remember that you do just as much for your training by resting as you do by running.
:: Don’t underestimate the benefits of cross training. You can still move but give your running muscles a rest. Swimming, yoga, pilates and weight-training are all wonderful compliments for the runner’s training schedule. I also love to rollerblade! I plop my kids in the double jogger and hit the trails. They love the speed and I get a great workout – they collectively way nearly 60 lbs.!
:: Finally, ask yourself, are you devoting yourself to running or are you devoting yourself to God and being obedient to His calling to live a healthy life? That’s an important question to answer before you get started or keep going. It will help keep everything in perspective. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day… because you are likely to miss a day. And don’t be obsessed with fitting your workout in when your family is sick and you have to take care of them or you have a commitment to a loved one you can’t break. Ask God to prioritize your training for you because it’s easy to beat ourselves up over not making the time. Just remember, we want to be women who can laugh at the days to come, not women who can present a log filled with daily runs and other completed tasks.
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