Ultra Marathon Training is Back in Session

Today:  5 miles
Yesterday:  50 minutes Insanity Strength

I'm hurting!  But it's hurts so good!

Everyone,

I'm sorry I've been MIA.  I had been struggling with not just a running rut, but a life rut.  I was scared of moving forward with a few major initiatives in my life that would test my ability to lead and see things through.

But I made a promise to run, to fundraise, to inspire.  And I'm going to do that.  I made that promise, and I don't want to break that promise, because it's more than me.  It's ALMas, the pre-k literacy program I'm trying to start up.  It's the only thing I want to leave behind here at the University of Chicago.

I'm going to do it, and I'm going to run this ULRA for ALMas, and I'm going to raise $3K  (or try really hard to).

Love,
Marvni

Hilarious Experience on my 7.5 miler!

On my second mile, as I ran under the 51st street Green Line stop, this sweet older black lady in a wheelchair saw me run by, and as I did, she yelled out:

"RUN N***A!  RUN!"

 This made my day.  :]

Honestly, the things you experience on these runs.  Beautifully hilarious and exhilarating.

Marathon Training Log: BACK UP and UP TO DATE

All right guys!  I've updated my training log!  You have to scroll all the way to the bottom for the most recent ULTRA-MARATHON workouts!

OR, you can look at sheet number 2, entitled, ULTRA MARA TRAIN for the most recent workouts this year for the big 50 miler.

Happy trails!  I'll have pictures at some point!

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"

Best comment today while on my 7 mile morning run in the 28 degree snow:

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

To which I respond:
"A little bit! Have a good morning!"


If you let your mind convince you the weather will stop you from running, remember this:

if it's snowing, you can always add more layers and put on some pants;

if it's hot, around 6am or 7pm, it's not.

Types of Runs: How They Affect Your Body

I came across this article from Running Times Magazine (and you should read!), and it delves into the specifics as to when certain workouts actually impact your performance and create positive changes to your running ability.

I thought this was a piece of gold:

"While running-specific adaptations are unquestionably cumulative, each piece within the framework has its own recovery timeline, and it's important not to overlook this critical point when planning your training. The best time to perform a specific workout depends upon the time it takes from doing it to realizing its benefits on goal race day, coupled with the recovery profile of a workout. As mentioned above, the short answer regarding gains -- for all the types of workouts -- is about eight to 10 days. However, because of the variant stresses that different workouts place on the body, each must be considered separately. (See "Scheduling Your Schedule", below.) Knowing this information means knowing what workouts make the most sense shortly before an important race.

V02 max intervals tax the body the most and take the most recovery time. Pfitzinger believes that full recovery takes about eight to 10 days. "You would want to do your last hard V02 max workout eight to 10 days before a major race," he says. "During training or before a less important tune-up race, you do not need to be completely recovered from one hard workout before doing another, so you could do another V02 max session after five or more days." Rubio agrees and has his athletes perform a V02 max workout approximately every seven to 14 days, and never in the final week before a major race."

And they added this chart:

Type of Workout	Example	Time Until Next Similar One	Day Before	Day After
VO2 Max	5 x 1000m @ 5K race pace w/ 400m recovery jog	5 or more days	recovery run	recovery run
Threshold	4-mile tempo run @ half marathon race pace	4 or more days	recovery run or speed development	recovery run, speed development or easy long run
Speed Development	12 x 200m @ mile race pace w/ 200m recovery jog	2-3 days	recovery run, tempo run or easy long run	recovery run, long run or tempo run
Long Run	18 miles @ 1:00/mile slower than marathon race pace	4 or more days	recovery run or speed development	recovery run

I'm integrating this into my running schedule for Base = 1 trianing, when I start into the actual ultra-marathon mileage and hardcore trianing.

Right now, I just want to add to my mileage base with consistent mid to long distance runs that are either focused on increasing my lactate threshold (tempo runs) or just long slow distance (for leg endurance).

That'll provide the necessary leg strength and endurance for the real training, when I start including VO2 max intervals

Training Schedule

 All right, it's up!  My training schedule for the Ultra Marathon this October! 

I start this coming Monday, so I will be posting and updating my training log, now I'm sick and tired of insanity and want to get back running!

I've got some massive mileage planned, and it's going to be sweet!

Base = 0: First 2 Months: ~45 miles per week
	Miles	Pace	Workout
Monday	7.0	LT	~Hard
Tuesday	6.0	Jog/Brisk	~recovery
Wednesday	7.0	Tempo or LT	"+" tempo
Thursday	6 or 7	Jog/Brisk	recovery
Friday	5.0	8 min/mile	"+" & fartleks
Saturday	10 to 15	<= 8 min/mile	LSD
Sunday	5.0	slow	"+" & recovery
Total	46 to 52
Base = 1: 4 Months Before ULTRA: start from base of ~50 miles
	Miles	Pace		Workout
Monday	10.0	LT		~Hard
Tuesday	6 or 8	Jog/Brisk		~recovery
Wednesday	15.0	Tempo or LT		"+" tempo
Thursday	8.0	Jog/Brisk		recovery
Friday	5.0	8 min/mile		"+" & fartleks
Saturday	16 to 22	<= 8 min/mile		LSD
Sunday	6.0	slow		"+" & recovery
Total	66 to 74

Why Run Anymore?

I went out for my first run in a long time, and I felt horrible.

Not completely unfit, just a little sluggish and thick.  Maybe it's just me and this past week, but I'm just not feeling it.

But if there's one thing I just remembered as I write:

Champions do two things: train when they want to and train when they don't want to.