- Monday and Thursday I run for about 6 to 7 miles at a normal pace, which is about 6mph for me. I’ve been increasing both the pace and the distance but very slowly. I do these runs at the gym, which means I can closely monitor distance, speed, incline and overall performance. These are the sort of runs I would three times a week before I started training for the marathon.
- Wednesday I do sprints. This means 1 minute at 7mph followed by two or three minutes at a walking pace, typically 3mph. I do this for about an hour to work on my speed. I’ve been slowly increasing the sprint speed. Again, this run is done at the gym so I can closely monitor all numbers.
- On the weekends I try to do one long run. I’m currently up to about 12 miles. These runs are done outdoors, typically on a trail or city streets. I don’t monitor my performance too much on these runs. In fact, other than total distance, I don’t really look at any numbers. I just want to get out there, feel good and enjoy a nice, long run. I figure the other three runs a week will improve my performance, this one is just for getting used to running long distances.
- On Tuesdays and Fridays I do my normal weight work outs with a little bit of elliptical afterwards to get my heart rate up.
Overall, I can feel my performance getting better and better. My pace is going up as is my endurance. When I started this a few months ago, I doubt I could have run 6 miles in a row and my pace was barely above 5mph. I’m feeling good about finishing that marathon in under 5 hours and I’m really hoping to get close to the 4 hour mark.
The Benefit Of A Goal
I definitely feel that having this public goal of training for a marathon is enhancing my resolve and motivation. It’s nice to have something to work towards and to have a bit of social status hanging in the balance. Motivation is key in everything we do, so having an upcoming marathon to think about it definitely motivating me to get healthier.