Marathon training done wrong

Confession time:

I kind of suck at sticking to a training plan. I have such good intentions, really I do! It usually starts after my last Marathon (in my case Missoula  July 2013). I get done and I automatically start to plan how to run the next one faster, stronger and with less cursing.

So being the optimistic runner that I am, I signed up for the Windermere Marathon last October. Yes, October...back when the days were nice and my legs felt strong from a summer of half marathons and 200mile relays. Everything always seems great when looking though a long range scope of 8 months.


In the past I have used multiple training plans...most of them called "whatever you are doing I will follow that plan", more specifically I found this one from Runners World
https://member.rodale.com/cas/login?service=http%3A%2F%2Fsmartcoach.runnersworld.com%2Fsmartcoach%2Fj_acegi_cas_security_check&returnUrl=http://smartcoach.runnersworld.com/smartcoach/my_plan.jsp 

Why this plan you ask? Well, its free..it only makes you run 5 days (or less) a week and it's free and yes I said that twice.."for freeeee" (bonus points to whoever knows what movie that quote is from).

 I liked it well enough until about week 10 of a 22 week plan when it starts adding on the mileage. I mean who has time to run 10-13+ miles on any given M, T, TH, plus 20 on Sat? Not me..especially not during the awesomeness that is Spokane weather in Jan & Feb..

My solution to this plan was to check out another running plan called the Hanson Method.
http://hansonscoachingservices.com/hansons-marathon-method-the-book/

This is a great book, and has been used by a friend of mine to cut her PR by 20 minutes! Another bonus is that your longest run is 16 miles. The premise behind not running over 16 miles is that you are training for the last 20 miles of a Marathon...not the first 20 miles. It makes sense, they have you run Friday about 10+ miles and then 16 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday. So your legs are always tired and crabby. Yes legs get crabby...just trust me.

 The down side is that you run almost every single day. Now in my dream world with my dream body and dream schedule that would be awesome. I would get the kids off to school, eat a hearty breakfast, run 10 miles in the sunshine every day and never get injured.

Well...reality bites right? And not in the good 90's movie way. My reality is that at week 12 of my training plan (also known as hell week since it is when the plan hits the most mileage (upwards of 50miles) or the peak of your training), I am no where near following either one of these plans! Last week I was happy to eek out 40 miles and that included a 20 mile run.I'm kind of taking it day by day and seeing which plan fits my schedule and doing whatever miles I can fit in before the day starts.

Sounds good right? Maybe not. But winter running is not just about -10 degree runs with icy roads and snot icicles. Nope, for me it also also means little boys keep you up with ear infections or tummy aches or the weather or life in general  messes with your schedule.  The best disruption of my training was our family vacation to Cali...ahhhh California Dreaming..If I lived in California I would run every day, along the coast in shorts in a tank top. 

Dave and I after a beautiful run Mission Bay/San Diego

Instead I'm stuck in this...I count 3 layers on bottom and top

So that leaves me with 10 weeks to go before the big day and I am 10 miles behind my weekly goal. Now any good runner knows that you should only increase your weekly mileage by about 10% each week if you don't want to get injured. So I can hit 44 miles this week and add another 10% next week to try and build my mileage in time.  I think I may also have to talk my husband into some daily massages...these hamstrings might not survive without him!

Like anything in life sometimes you have to be flexible and us runners are the most inflexible of anyone (no toe touching for me!). So re-plan, evaluate and maybe lower expectations...it will be okay.

How about you? What training plan (if any) are you using? What do you do when you get off course? Any fun races in your future?