Tag: training

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Rock your next Half Marathon with this Modified Training Program

I just made it through week 1 of my 12-week half marathon training program and enjoyed a lovely run through Rock Creek Park in balmy 55-degree December weather. In the past I’ve gotten repeatedly injured in the lead up to running events, so I’m committed to being smart and diligent about training this time around.

What you see below is adapted from the well-known Hal Higdon Intermediate Half Marathon Training Guide. I’m a yogi thus there is a lot more stretching, foam rolling, and “self-care”-esque elements to my plan of attack. My goal: run fast, remain injury-free. There is no worse feeling than training really hard for something only to blow out a knee or tear a hamstring a couple weeks prior to race day.

Half Marathon Training

This plan is intended to keep your muscles and mind healthy and happy for 12 weeks straight. Feel free to shift your week’s workouts around to accommodate your busy schedule. Make it doable otherwise you’ll start to resent and cop out on it.

 

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T-8 Weeks to Race Day

I am strong. I am healthy. I am fit. But I am NOT a runner. At least that’s what I’ve always told myself.

I’ve never really loved running in the way that I love yoga, Pilates, HIIT workouts, and hiking, etc. I have several fun flings with the sport, but they’ve never lasted more than a few months. So when a dear friend asked me this fall if I’d sign up for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon with her pavement pounding group, what else could I say but YES!

Life is all about challenges. As a wise man once said, if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. And to quote another really wise man, be the change you want to see in the world.

I often motivate myself using mantras about embracing challenge and change in my yoga practice, but with running I’ve always thrown up my white flag as soon as I start huffing and puffing. No more! I grabbed this bull by the horns back in October and I’m about to ride it all the way to the finish line in April. Thus far training has been a huge physical, mental and scheduling challenge, but I’m making progress. I’m very excited to see my stride, stamina and strength improve week over week.

This weekend’s long run (which I plan to knock out after teaching a couple of classes this morning) is sure to be a challenge with a hill or two thrown in, but I know I can do it. And hell, life’s too damn short not to try!

Half Marathon Training

Since I’m a beginner, I’ve been doing my homework and thought I’d share some of the best resources for running nutrition and race training I’ve come across. You can find moar of these resources on Pinterest.com/MOARfit.

Nutrition:

Training:

Though I’m not following it to a T (or any letter of the alphabet for that matter), I wanted to share what I think is a great 16-week (3 1/2-4 month) training schedule for beginning runners courtesy of FitSugar.com. Before you use this baby, here are a few things the author wanted you to know (and I concur are all important and helpful notes!):

  • SS (Strength train and stretch): Do your own routine or take a yoga class
  • CT (Cross train): Do cardio other than running such as biking, swimming, or a cardio class
  • Rest: You don’t have to skip out on exercise entirely. Take a walk, do some stretches or use a foam roller your hardworking legs.
WEEK MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT SUN
Week 1 2 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 30-min CT 2 miles or
30-min CT		 Rest 2 miles Rest
Week 2 2 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 30-min CT 2 miles or
20-min CT		 Rest 3 miles Rest
Week 3 3 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 2 miles or
20-min CT		 Rest 3.5 miles Rest
Week 4 3 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 2 miles or
20-min CT		 Rest 4 miles Rest
Week 5 3 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 2 miles or
20-min CT		 Rest 4.5 miles Rest
Week 6 3.5 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 2 miles or
20-min CT		 Rest 4.5 miles Rest
Week 7 3.5 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 2.5 miles or
25-min CT		 Rest 5K race
(or 5 miles)		 Rest
Week 8 4 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 2.5 miles or
25-min CT		 Rest 5 miles Rest
Week 9 4 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 3 miles or
30-min CT		 Rest 6 miles Rest
Week 10 4 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 3 miles or
30-min CT		 Rest 10K race
(or 7 miles)		 Rest
Week 11 5 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 3.5 miles or
35-min CT		 Rest 8 miles Rest
Week 12 5 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 3.5 miles or
35-min CT		 Rest 10 miles Rest
Week 13 5 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 4 miles or
40-min CT		 Rest 11 miles Rest
Week 14 5 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 3 miles or
20-min CT		 Rest 12 miles Rest
Week 15 4 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 60-min CT 3 miles or
30-min CT		 Rest 8 miles Rest
Week 16 3 miles and
20-min SS		 30-min SS 2 miles or
20-min CT		 Rest Rest Race Day!
13.1 miles		 Rest

According to this schedule, my Week 9 starts today so the 5.5 mile run I have planned is right on track–hopefully I can bust out 6-7 miles next weekend!

Are you training for a half marathon? If so, I’d love to hear about your training regimen and any tips or tricks you might have in the reply field below!

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Unleash Your Beast with Budokon® Yoga

I was first introduced to Budokon® Yoga back in the fall while in the early stages of my yoga teacher training program. One of my favorite teachers infused our normal sun salutations with a technique called the “rolling wave” and I was absolutely entranced by the graceful movement. I can be a complete klutz (some might say spaz) in my everyday life but when I practice Budokon® Yoga I feel like a prima ballerina. Long and lean, soft and strong.

Budokon® is all about circular transitions. You never stop as you progress from one posture to another. This constant movement means you have to be connected to your core and shoulder girdle (the muscles across your upper back and in between your shoulder blades) at all times. To practice the primary series is to be fully engaged in the muscular body, completely focused mentally and emotionally, and wholly committed to your breath work. For all you skeptics out there, believe me when I tell you I have never been stronger in my entire life.

Captivated by this movement art, I decided several months ago to pursue a Budokon® Yoga teaching certification immediately following my Vinyasa Power Yoga teacher training. Last weekend I traveled to the Utopian community of Doylestown in Bucks County, PA for a weekend of intensive training with an incredible family of yogis and martial artists. During our training I learned that in Japanese Bu means warrior, Do means way, and Kon means spirit. Thus, Budokon® literally means “the way of the warrior spirit.” This style of yoga does make you feel like an Amazon and/or ninja. Fierce and sneaky. It is also the most meditative yoga style I have experienced to date. The spinal rolling and circular transitions require complete presence. It is easy to get lost in the movement and walk out of a class feeling like you’ve just participated in a long meditation–except that your abs, glutes and shoulders will be screaming.

Color Crow prep

All classes begin with the “rolling wave”, which fires up your core and shoulder girdle and teaches your body how to smoothly transition from downward facing dog into countless other asanas without dragging your feet across the mat. It then progresses through several twisting, rolling, and balancing sections until reaching its climax: the animals. Above you can see me in preparation for a “leaping leopard,” where you spring from a deep squat turning 180 degrees around mid-air and landing back in your squat. This powerful plyometric move is just the beginning of a string of dynamic jumping feats of strength and agility. Believe you me, the animal section in no joke. If you don’t think yoga is aerobic or cardiovascular, think again. You will be panting like a panther after you make it through this section for the first few times, no exceptions no matter how fit you think you are.

I am proud to say that I survived the 10-hour training days in one piece minus a severely bruised toe, and that was from nailing my foot on the metal leg of a locker room bench–like I said before, I’m a klutz. I can’t wait to begin sharing this beautiful, strength-building practice with my students in DC. Speaking of (shameless plug!), I will be teaching a Budokon® Flow class at STROGA every Sunday at noon beginning June 2nd. Come ride the rolling wave with me this summer and get stronger than you’ve ever been before!