Umm…Is it summer yet…?
Beautiful as it is to look at, the cold weather, snow, and lack of sunlight started to take a toll on my workout motivation this Winter.
By mid-January, the holiday fun is over and the long winter looms like the holiday credit card bill that you know is going to arrive any day now. I drool over travel websites and Eric and I start wondering if we are too young to become Snow Birds for 6 months of the year.
Amazingly, I have been able to stay consistent with exercise, but I haven’t felt the excitement and passion for exercise that I often feel during the warmer months. I realized I need a challenging goal to carry me through the rest of the Winter season in positive spirits. I am a goal driven person and I had a feeling that if I set a fitness goal for myself, it would make all the difference.
To put it simply: I need a GAME PLAN.
I created this Half Marathon Training Plan that would carry me through the winter with an end goal of running my 4th half marathon in April 2011. I haven’t decided on what half marathon race I will be running yet (so the last couple weeks of training may change slightly), but I will eventually figure it out over the next month or two.
My plan is adapted from Hal Hidgon’s Intermediate Half Marathon training plan. I have been running about 15-20 miles a week and I have run 3 half marathons to date, so I decided the Intermediate plan was a good fit for me. You can follow along my training on my races page as I will be updating it daily.
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Week
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Mon strength | Tue Rest | Wed Speed | Thu Strength + run | Fri easy run | Sat Rest or Xtrain | Sun long run | Mileage |
| 1 (Jan 2-9) | Strength: Body Pump | 3 m run | 2 m run | Long run: 6.2 m/10k run | Rest | 30 min elliptical, 10 mins weights | 5 m run (50 mins, 6.0 mph, incline 2%) | 16 miles |
| 2 (Jan 10-16) | Rest | 15 min Booty Booster, 8 min abs + 3m run | Speed: 1m warm-up (6.0mph)+ 8 x 400m (7.5mph) | 5 m run (6.5 mph, 2% incline) + strength (12 mins legs) | 4 m run | Rest | Long Run: 6 m run, 10 mins abs | 21 miles |
| 3 (Jan 17-23) | Strength | Rest | 50 min tempo | 3 m run+ strength | 4 m run | X-train or Rest | Long run: 7m run | 19 miles |
| 4 (Jan 24-30) | Strength + 2 m run | Rest | Speed: 8 x 400m | 3 m run+ strength | 4m run | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 8m run | 19 miles |
| 5 (Jan 31-Feb 6) | Strength | Rest | 40 min tempo | 3 m run + strength | 4m run | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 9 m run | 20 miles |
| 6 (Feb 7-13) Fall Back Week | Strength | Rest | Speed: 9 x 400m | 3 m run + strength | 4m run | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 5 m run | 14 miles |
| 7 (Feb 14-20) | Strength + 2 m run | Rest | 30 min tempo | 3 m run + strength | 5 m run | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 9 m run | 22 miles |
| 8 (Feb 21-27) | Strength | Rest | Speed: 12 x 400m | 3 m run + strength | 5 m run | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 10 m run | 21 miles |
| 9 (Feb 28-March 6) | Strength + 2 m run | Rest | 30 min tempo | 3 m run + strength | X-Train | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 11 m run | 19 miles |
| 10 (Mar 7–Mar 13) Fall back week #2 | Rest or Strength | Rest | Speed: 12 x 400m | 3 m run + strength | 2 m run | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 5 m run | 13 miles |
| 11 (Mar 14-March 20) | Strength + 2 m run | Rest | 30 min tempo | 3 m run + strength | Rest | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 12 m run | 20 miles |
| 12 (Mar 21-March 27) | Rest | Rest | 50 min tempo | 3 m run + strength | Rest | X-train or Rest | Long Run: 13 m run | 21 miles |
| 13 (Mar 28- Apr 3) | Rest | Rest | Speed: 12 x 400m | 5 m run + strength | Rest | Long Run: 8 m run | Rest (Taper Begins!!) | 16 miles |
| 14 (Apr 4- Apr 10) taper week | Rest | Rest | 4 mile easy run | X-train | Rest | Rest | Half Marathon (TBD) | 4 miles + race |
Note: Bold text = Completed.
My training plan key is as follows:
Mondays: STRENGTH = Booty Camp Fitness DVD, Body Pump, OR 30 Day Shred DVD. I aim for at least 40 minutes of strength on Mondays.
Tuesdays: REST
Wednesdays: SPEED WORK = I do speed intervals of 400 metres (0.25 miles) with walking breaks in between for 0.05 miles. For example, I may run 400 metres at 7.5 mph, and then walk for recovery at 3.5 mph for 0.05 miles, then I keep repeating the intervals. If my training plan says, 12 x 400m, it means I will be doing 12 speed repeats, which is equal to 3 miles of speed work (plus recovery walking distance too). 1600 m = 1 mile.
Thursdays: STRENGTH + RUN = At least 15 mins. of strength training mixed with running
Fridays: EASY RUN = Running at an easy pace for myself (usually around 6.0 mph, incline 1%)
Saturdays: REST or X-TRAIN: Depending on how I feel I may take another rest day or I may do easy cross training (e.g., elliptical).
Sundays: LONG RUN = Each week I will be building 1 mile onto my long runs to prepare for a half marathon in April. The only time I will not be building mileage are my 2 fall back weeks.
Fall Back Week = A week that I decrease my running mileage to give my body a break. I have two fall back weeks during my 14 weeks of training. My last week is also a taper week before the race.
Rest Days = I will take 1-2 rest days per week, or more, depending on my training and how my body is feeling. The plan may change a bit from week to week based on how I feel. I may take more rest days as needed or I may switch things up a bit if my schedule changes.
Stretching/Yoga = I will be using Polly’s Yoga for Runners video for stretching after hard workouts!
This half marathon training is going to be a BIG challenge for me because I will be doing most of my training indoors on the treadmill, except for the times I can run outdoors safely (likely, mid-March and beyond). I have a rule of thumb when running indoors- I never put the incline below 1% and I often run at a 2% incline. This helps counteract that it is supposedly easier to run on a treadmill than on the outdoor terrain. Hopefully once I do hit the road, I won’t be horribly undertrained.
It won’t be easy, but I am confident that it can be done! I’m also including a lot of strength work like Body Pump and Booty Camp Fitness and weekly speed training too, which will help break it up and keep it exciting.
Racing is FUN…and the training…is so worth it. Sometimes, I just need to remind myself of this more during the Winter.
To.
Succeed.
With.
Goals.
We Must.
Visualize.
Success!
Hopefully, before I know it…April will be here and I will be running my 4th half marathon!
Since I started the training plan a couple weeks ago, I feel more motivated and excited about the training. Normally, I am not a training plan type of girl and I prefer to fly by the seat of my pants, but I think this will actually help my motivation this Winter. I am really looking forward to kicking off the running season with a challenging half marathon in April!
I’m not going to lie though, I may have to break down and get cable TV again so I have something to entertain my long indoor runs…
Do you use training plans for your workouts or do you prefer to just make it up as you go along? Are you training for anything right now?
“Umm.. is it summer yet?” My thoughts exactly! Good luck on your half marathon training! xoxo
I love Hal Higdon’s plans. His book “Marathon” is what is helping me during my marathon training! Have fun training :)
I’m training for my 2nd Olympic distance triathlon. In order to stay motivated, I joined a tri club. Having a coach is amazing. Also, blogging helps keep you accountable. Good job on the schedule! You can do it!
i don’t necessarily use training plans anymore, but i do love having a loose plan in place of options for workouts during the week! this way if anything random crops up and i need a quick workout i have options…and same for a longer workout too :)
Great plan, but some very long runs! 20 miles would be in a full marathon training plan, not normally halfs. So the actual race will feel easy after you have a few of those under your belt :)
I am training for my first full marathon this year :) Very exciting!
Oh no my longest run will be a 13 miler…nothing more than that! I think you might be looking at my overall weekly mileage total column? hehe
You are right! Whoops! Thats me not reading it properly! And I even have my own weekly mileage column at the end of my plan! But I fill that in each week once I have completed it! :)
I am a planner. I need plans for everything! Training being one of them. But you’re right, it’s much more challenging in the winter. I find having a training plan helps me stay on track. And reminding myself of what my goals are (marathon in August) keeps my eye on the prize and my body in motion!
I agree with Dancer – inclines are the way to go! I do hill walking 4 times a week – 15% incline at a speed walking pace for 30minutes before I hit the track. I’m amazed at how well it warms me up and the muscle tone I’ve gotten by doing it. If you’re feeling a little crazy you can also add some dumbbells (2.5-5 lbs). It’s awesome!
Can’t wait to hear about your progress!
Great training plan! I’m a total planner, it helps me to be able to see tangible results, even on paper. It also helps me to not get overwhelmed by the distance when I can see the progression over time!
I won’t be training for anything until the spring but I’ve had to get a sort of plan together so as I don’t just start using excuses not to do anything!
Much as I love snow, I definitely think it would get tiring after a while. I like here in Oregon where it snows two or three times a year and rarely gets so cold that you can’t exercise outdoors.
Right now I am flying by the seat of my gym shorts in an attempt to not get injured. I have a history of injury following races and I think it is because I push myself too hard to meet a strict plan. I have a half in March and April and a full in May and I am just making sure I am at the adequate mileage in a time and pace that works for me :)
That is a great plan…I love being organized! I’ve never done a marathon in any form. Fitness competitions are more been my thing. But hubby did a sprint tri last year and is doing an olympic one this year :)
I’m not training for anything, but rather I am starting to get into running and doing yoga workouts to connect my mind and body. I think maybe connection with myself is what I am training for, actually. Oh, and I tried my first Green Monster yesterday….I’m HOOKED!!!!!!!
Glad you enjoy the GM!
Having something to work toward always makes getting motivated just a little bit easier! I’ve not started running yet, its a goal in the next year to do after the baby is born. I’m going to do the couch to 5k which I’ve heard so many good things about. You and a bunch of other bloggers out there post your training plans and it is SO intimidating to look at for a newbie like myself, but its also awesome to see where I can go if I put my mind to it :)
Ive heard great things abuot the counch to 5k too! Try not to get discouraged…when I first started running I could only run for 1 minute at a time and I felt like I was going to die, haha. You will amaze yourself with how quickly you can build endurance!
Good luck on the treadmill training! Hopefully some sidewalks will be cleared enough to run because I still would rather run in the cold vs inside. I’m not training yet, but I want to run a half in May or June. I’ve heard good things about the FIRST plan where you only run 3 times a week, so I may try that because I do best running 3-4x/week with strength & x-training on other days.
I am the same way and need a goal to work towards through winter. I signed up for a hypothermic half marathon at the end of February. I think I may need to set another goal after that because we tend to still get snow into April.
Yea same here…Im sure there will be snow on the ground when I run my half!!! But maybe we will get a warm streak…wishful thinking ;)
I don’t run anymore, but I definitely always have a plan going. Part of the reason for a plan (for me, at least) is that I love the challenge of progressive overload and also, if something starts to feel off, I can sometimes troubleshoot by looking at my numbers, volume, etc. I always have a strength program and I attribute so much of my love for lifting and strength work to having a little challenge every week already charted out. I am also very fortunate that I am able to write my own programs, but also have a CSCS who knows my injury background and writes me amazing programs that respect my boundaries and still have loads of space for challenging workouts!
I’m training for a half also! This plan looks great, maybe I’ll hop on board:)
Slash I usually just improvise, but maybe having a plan would give me a bit more motivation! ;)
I don’t really train for anything, I just work out because it makes me feel good and for all of the health benefits. But what I’m worst at is strength training. I usually don’t know what to do and I get bored so it’s hard for me to actually stick to it. So I definitely need to create a plan for that!
Yay! Good on you Angela – I’m sure you’ll do great!
I miss snow! I grew up in Wisconsin and loved seeing it. It’s great being in Cali, but Dec and Jan, I certainly wish I could see more of the white fluffy stuff ;)
I am considering doing a winter 10K…in snowshoes! I say if you can’t beat the weather, go with it!
I’m training for a marathon right now so that I have a reason to keep up my running during the winter. I would DIE without good TV shows for my long treadmill runs!!