A Passion for Running

We all like comparing notes so, with that in mind, here’s my training plan. The basics for it are just that – basic. But read on because it gets more interesting in the FAQ I’ve included below.
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The Basic Plan

1. Monday: weekly long run – three hours as of March 12, 2007
2. Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday: 90 minutes “easy” – defined in the Q&A
3. Wednesday, Friday & Sunday: 60 minutes “hard” – also defined in the Q&A

That’s it …for now. Coach tells me I’ll have some new things (e.g. tempo work) coming at me within the next few weeks.

Questions & Answers (I’ll add to this periodically)

1. Q: Who made your training plan?
   A: It was developed by Andrew (I often refer to him as “Coach”) and is based on the teachings of famed running coach, Arthur Lydiard.
2. Q: Am I reading your plan right – do you run every day?
   A: Yes. The goal is to run every day. However, rest is permitted when necessary. Read on for more on how I deal with the issue of rest.
3. Q: Don’t you ever rest?
   A: Yes, but “rest” in Lydiard’s world is accomplished by reducing among four “intensity” factors. These four factors are to be adjusted as follows:
   - First, reduce the pace/speed/effort of a run(s)
   - Second, decrease the distance of a run(s)
   - Third, reduce the time (hours & minutes) running
   - Last, take one or more days off. Note: This is the last resort for rest and is taken when adjustments among the other three factors do not adequately rest the body.
4. Q: Why isn’t there more structured rest in your plan (i.e. Why doesn’t your plan have scheduled rest days?)?
   A: Lydiard believed that to attain one’s maximum potential, a runner needs to run as much mileage over as many days as possible. He believed in high non-junk mileage, and felt that each run should be done at a maximum capacity that would not jeopardize successive runs. His system is flexible and requires the runner/coach to perform ongoing assessment. It does not deny rest but rather has the runner/coach assess when and how much rest is necessary.
5. Q: What does “easy” mean?
   A: “Easy” is probably best understood as a middle aerobic effort. In my plan, it is as an aerobic effort I can comfortably maintain for 90 minutes.
6. Q: What does “hard” mean?
   A: A top-end aerobic effort that I can, with some pushing, comfortably maintain for up to 60 minutes. No going anaerobic here.
7. Q: What does “recovery” mean and why aren’t recovery runs listed in your training plan?
   A: Recovery means slow and easy. I can and do take recovery runs – more often than not, I take them the day after my weekly long runs. But, the point is that I am not obligated to take recovery runs. Instead, I use them when I need them because they involve reducing the pace (see factors above) of my “easy” runs.
8. Q: How did you figure out your “easy” “hard” “recovery” and long run training targets?
   A: Coach Andrew taught me the Karnoven Method for calculating heart rate based training targets. My Karnoven targets are:

Intensity	Heart Rate	Effort
70%	154	recovery
75%	161	easy
80%	169	hard
85%	177	harder
90%	185	threshold
95%	192	insanity
100%	200 (max)	cardiac arrest

9. Q: How fast do you do your long runs?
   A: As fast as I can without risking injury and jeopardizing the next day’s/week’s runs. Generally, somewhere between my easy and recovery pace.
10. Q: Did you jump right into your schedule or was there some kind of progression?
    A: There was a progression. My long runs were two hours for 8 weeks, 2.5 hours for 8 weeks and now they are about to go to three hours (on March 12). In addition, my 60 minute hard runs began as 30 minute runs, and my 90 minute runs began as 60 minute runs. During the first several weeks of the program, I ran a lot of my “easy” runs as “recovery” runs.
11. Q: How many miles are you running each week and month?
    A: On weeks where I don’t miss a run, I’m running a bit under 70 miles a week right now. My February total was about 245 miles (it’s a short month), January’s was about 257 and I think/hope March will put me at 75 or more miles per week.
12. Q: How do you do all this running with a family and career?
    A: Impact on my family was my #1 concern when I made the decision to return to marathon training. I am able to start my work day at 7:30 so I can leave for home earlier. This means that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I bus to work and run home by dinner time – no later than most other people. On Wednesdays and Fridays, I come to work early and take a long lunch in so I can fit those 60 minute runs in then. Saturday’s 90 minute run is fit in wherever our family has down time. Sunday is only an hour and is even easier. The biggest impact my running has on my family is on Monday’s long run. Monday is the only day of the week I get home after dinner (between 6:30 and 7:00 PM). Monday’s are a bit of a sacrifice family-wise but the sacrifice is much more to my and my wife’s liking than doing my long run on the weekend. That’s the way I balance running with family but other people do it differently. For example, my coach (who runs 100+ miles per week) gets up at 4:00 or 4:30 AM so he can run in the mornings before he goes to work.