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2009-06-23 2:56 PM

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Subject: best way to add another week onto half-marathon training plan?
So, I decided I was going to run a half-marathon at the end of October.  With the help of the Interwebs, I made a plan for myself to gradually build up over the next few months towards running the 13.1 distance (current long run distance is a 10k), and I made my training plan up so that my rest weeks for running coincide with the taper weeks for the 2 sprint tris I am planning to race in.  (Also I have built in a rest day on Monday, so that I can recuperate a little bit from the races before doing any running.)

Sadly, my half-marathon has been pushed back a week, because the race organizers learned that the Steelers are playing a home game.   Now my training plan is all messed up.  I don't want to just push the whole plan back by a week, because then I will end up doing either speedwork or long runs (which are can't-miss workouts for me) immediately before a race.  But I also am a little bit concerned about how to deal with the extra week before the race.  Instead of reaching one big fitness peak and then tapering towards the race, would it be OK to have one peak-training week, back off a little bit for one week but not to the same extent as during a rest week, then repeat the peak training week's schedule and taper?


2009-06-23 3:16 PM
in reply to: #2237802

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Subject: RE: best way to add another week onto half-marathon training plan?
kat_astrophe - 2009-06-23 12:56 PM So, I decided I was going to run a half-marathon at the end of October.  With the help of the Interwebs, I made a plan for myself to gradually build up over the next few months towards running the 13.1 distance (current long run distance is a 10k), and I made my training plan up so that my rest weeks for running coincide with the taper weeks for the 2 sprint tris I am planning to race in.  (Also I have built in a rest day on Monday, so that I can recuperate a little bit from the races before doing any running.)

Sadly, my half-marathon has been pushed back a week, because the race organizers learned that the Steelers are playing a home game.   Now my training plan is all messed up.  I don't want to just push the whole plan back by a week, because then I will end up doing either speedwork or long runs (which are can't-miss workouts for me) immediately before a race.  But I also am a little bit concerned about how to deal with the extra week before the race.  Instead of reaching one big fitness peak and then tapering towards the race, would it be OK to have one peak-training week, back off a little bit for one week but not to the same extent as during a rest week, then repeat the peak training week's schedule and taper?


That's what I was going to suggest, is just pick a week that won't really interfere with anything and just repeat it.

John
2009-06-23 3:19 PM
in reply to: #2237802

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Subject: RE: best way to add another week onto half-marathon training plan?
As a Pittsburgh native I have to say I love the race organizer's dedication to his hometeam!!!
2009-06-23 3:24 PM
in reply to: #2237860

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Subject: RE: best way to add another week onto half-marathon training plan?

One option: build one more week to get in an even longer long run?  Might be too many build weeks in a row, so you'd have to wait and see how you feel, but running 13 or 14 prior would be nice.  Whatever your longest long run is plus 1 mile.

Another option: Have the penultimate week being a "slightly more than taper week".  I did that by accident before my last half and had my best run yet.  I attribute that to not doing my last long run the weekend before, but instead two weeks before with a 6 miler the week before instead.

Edited to add:  this is my totally unprofessional opinion, proceed at your own risk.  I've done only 3 half-marys and by most standards not very fast



Edited by BikerGrrrl 2009-06-23 3:25 PM
2009-06-25 7:52 AM
in reply to: #2237868

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Subject: RE: best way to add another week onto half-marathon training plan?
I enjoyed that, too.  At least he had the option of rescheduling the race... it would be really horrible to run that course during a Steelers weekend, since the course goes through the South Side, Downtown, and the Strip.  I remember last year, we had booked the venue for our wedding and signed all the contracts, then the NFL schedule was released and the Steelers were playing a home game against the Giants (this was the year after the Giants won the Super Bowl.)  It was craziness, let me tell you.  And it was REALLY HARD to block hotel rooms for all the out-of-town guests!
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