The Official OGBoards Running (and Cycling) Thread: (Insert Season Here)

[RollTheQuad06]

Finally, finally, finally got my sub 4 marathon at Myrtle Beach. Finished in 3:58. So pumped.

:rock: awesome job! congrats man!


I got a 29 second PR in the 5k this morning. I am also pumped. Hope to someday join you in the sub-4:00 marathon club.

 

[CaptainAwesome]

congrats io! very jealous of your time. awesome work

 

[TWDeac]

How many off/XT days do you guys take while training for a marathon?

 

[RacerDeac]

How many off/XT days do you guys take while training for a marathon?

My current schedule is 3 days of running and 1 day of XT during the week, and a long run on the weekend. Should probably add in another short run or XT day, but I just don't have the time. Noted, this is my first marathon, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[TWDeac]

Yeah, I want to hit 3:30 in the flying pig, but I'm just not sure I have the time over the next 3 months to do 6 days a week. We are going to be out of town 3 of the 4 weekends in March with a 20 miler possibly falling on a trip to DC. I've only trained for 2 other marathons and I had a bunch more free time (college.) I am curious as to how much rest I can get away with.

 

[DeacHawk]

How many off/XT days do you guys take while training for a marathon?

last spring training for my first full i ran 4 days a week, no cross-training. my mileage peaked in the low 40's

for The Pig i started at 5 days a week (with an option to cross train on one rest day) but the past 2 weeks have been 6 days of running, 1 rest. the plan is to reach a weekly peak mileage around 60 or so

 

[TWDeac]

last spring training for my first full i ran 4 days a week, no cross-training. my mileage peaked in the low 40's

for The Pig i started at 5 days a week (with an option to cross train on one rest day) but the past 2 weeks have been 6 days of running, 1 rest. the plan is to reach a weekly peak mileage around 60 or so

I want to make my schedule 6 days a week. I just worry about missing to many runs. Although, I suppose it wouldn't kill me to drop it to 5 if need be.

 

[RollTheQuad06]

I average 4 days a week of running, 5 on a good week. My race times disappoint in retaliation.

the other days are rest, I don't do any cross training.

 

[DeacHoops]

I want to make my schedule 6 days a week. I just worry about missing to many runs. Although, I suppose it wouldn't kill me to drop it to 5 if need be.

there's an entire marathon training theory/program that says you should only run 3 days per week. it does, however, require having time to cross train on your off days. the program is called FIRST. i've heard some really positive reviews about it. the idea is that you only run 3 times, but every time you run, it is a hard workout (i.e. you never have "easy run" days). you do one day of interval training, one tempo run, and one long run each week.

for me, personally, i largely run because i LIKE to run. so the idea of running fewer days each week doesn't really appeal to me. but if you're limited on time, you may want to look into it (i only know a very little bit about it. i don't know enough to tell you what kind of time commitment it takes on the days that you do run, or what kind of time commitment the cross training is).


and i run 6 days each week, but i also do a decent amount of cross training. in an ideal week (and no week is actually an ideal week), i swim 4-5 times, lift twice, and take one pilates and one yoga class. when i oversleep/travel/whatever other things life throws at me, swimming is usually the first thing to get dropped, even though it's the activity i most enjoy out of all of those.

 

[TWDeac]

I'm in your boat, DeacHoops. I enjoy running, so I don't mind having that many scheduled days. Like I said, the only thing I worry about it missing runs due to the large amount of travelling I'm going to be doing in March. I suppose I can work around it as long as I am disciplined

I don't do any cross training, so my rest/XT days are really only rest. I want to get a road bike eventually so that I can use it for cross training, but funds are tight at the moment. Swimming is an absolute no-go for me. I've never enjoyed it and would need to put some serious work into just being able to do it efficiently.

I've thought about incorporating a spinning class and/or yoga class, but we'll have to see about that.

 

[RacerDeac]

and i run 6 days each week, but i also do a decent amount of cross training. in an ideal week (and no week is actually an ideal week), i swim 4-5 times, lift twice, and take one pilates and one yoga class. when i oversleep/travel/whatever other things life throws at me, swimming is usually the first thing to get dropped, even though it's the activity i most enjoy out of all of those.

Wow, hard to believe my life once included that much free time too.

 

[DeacHoops]

Wow, hard to believe my life once included that much free time too.

it's not that i have a ton of free time. i mean, i know it's different when you have a kid. but i work 50+ hour weeks and generally have after-work commitments 2-3x/week. but i get up really early, and the lifting/yoga happens at lunchtime. the days when i don't work at lunchtime, i work straight through lunch so that i can leave by 6ish and get a swim in. the pilates happens on the weekends. it's not like i've got 3+ hours of free time every evening.

eta: for the record, i will get pretty defensive when people say things like that. because for 99% of people, it's not that they don't have time. it's that they don't prioritize it. and i'm not saying that you're not the 1%. but MOST people have plenty of time for that kind of schedule. they'd just rather sit in front of the tv.

 

[CaptainAwesome]

i wish i had the discipline to wake up early and get a workout in before i start my day. i usually really enjoy it when i get it done early but getting out of bed is next to impossible

 

[RacerDeac]

eta: for the record, i will get pretty defensive when people say things like that. because for 99% of people, it's not that they don't have time. it's that they don't prioritize it. and i'm not saying that you're not the 1%. but MOST people have plenty of time for that kind of schedule. they'd just rather sit in front of the tv.

:thumbsup: I wasn't giving you a hard time. Didn't mean to imply you just have tons of time on your hands. Just reminiscing on what life was like (without wanting to change anything) not too long ago.

On the other hand, you've gotta keep in mind that prioritizing gets trickier because life gets more unpredictable...and more tiring/stressful. Don't really appreciate how it happens until I'm reminded by posts like yours. Realized this past weekend that I'm now busier on Saturday/Sunday than I am M-F. All of that to say, I'm impressed you're committed enough and able to get in that much gym/run time per week. Wish I had the same commitment/priorities when I had the ability.

 

[RacerDeac]

i wish i had the discipline to wake up early and get a workout in before i start my day. i usually really enjoy it when i get it done early but getting out of bed is next to impossible

I was able to do it until about December. Finishing your run, coming back to shower/eat/get dressed, getting the kids out of bed and walking to the bus all before the sun came up was too depressing. The mornings are getting much brighter now though, so I'll probably transition back to running in the mornings and try to use the lunches I'm now using for runs to get in a few more XT's.

 

[RollTheQuad06]

I'm incredibly jealous of everyone with gym and/or shower facilities available at or near their offices. Lunch workouts would be so awesome.

Also I feel like during the week, I have to choose between running or a social life. If only I could thrive on less sleep.

 

[DeacHoops]

I'm incredibly jealous of everyone with gym and/or shower facilities available at or near their offices. Lunch workouts would be so awesome.

Also I feel like during the week, I have to choose between running or a social life. If only I could thrive on less sleep.

if your friends are also your running buddies, you don't have to choose!

(kind of kidding. but that is actually what my social life is like these days. if i want to hang out with somebody, i schedule a run with them. it really helps to juggle everything better. it also helps that my man-friend swims with me. so instead of date nights, we just go for a swim )

 

[scooter84]

How many off/XT days do you guys take while training for a marathon?

I've trained for 4 marathons and a dozen half-marathons and never run more than 3 days a week, never cross-train and have a poor diet.

That being said, it seems to work fine for the half-marathons - that is, I am able to meet my time goals (PR of 1:51)... but I have never been able to run a sub-4:00 full, which was my goal. I never really came close, with 4:15 or so being my PR. I have been on a sub-4:00 pace up to 20 miles or so a couple of times but always die and have to walk/run in. I am also bad about pre-race nutrition so I think that is a factor as well...

 

[scooter84]

The MB half this past weekend went fine - no PR or anything but I haven't been feeling that well, with congestion, coughing, etc... Weather was awesome. The race seemed more crowded than I would have expected in the first 5-7 miles, given the size of the crowd - I guess the roads are not that wide...
Strangely, about 4 hours after the race I started feeling bad and spiked a pretty high fever. I went to bed for a few hours in the afternoon, took some Tylenol, woke up for dinner and have been fine since... Very strange.

 

[RollTheQuad06]

if your friends are also your running buddies, you don't have to choose!

(kind of kidding. but that is actually what my social life is like these days. if i want to hang out with somebody, i schedule a run with them. it really helps to juggle everything better. it also helps that my man-friend swims with me. so instead of date nights, we just go for a swim )

I have a couple friends who run but many of my friends are either classes-at-the-gym addicts (I do not belong to a gym) or non-exercisers. Mostly if I wake up early to run, I can't stay up late enough to socialize... turns into a cycle.

One friend said once it's lighter after work she might be more likely to want to run more.

The MB half this past weekend went fine - no PR or anything but I haven't been feeling that well, with congestion, coughing, etc... Weather was awesome. The race seemed more crowded than I would have expected in the first 5-7 miles, given the size of the crowd - I guess the roads are not that wide...
Strangely, about 4 hours after the race I started feeling bad and spiked a pretty high fever. I went to bed for a few hours in the afternoon, took some Tylenol, woke up for dinner and have been fine since... Very strange.

I've never had it take 4 hours, but I've had what I assume to be rather major blood sugar crashes after running with improper fueling or just bad days, and I get really nauseous and feel feverish. Glad you're feeling better now!