Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Training Tuesday: Nonstop Running?

If this is what defines a bad boy, my husband would be the baddest of them all. We had a good laugh over this. :) 

I started a new running strategy last week, courtesy of the hubby. I've been having a hard time getting into my training and maintaining a decent pace, so he suggested I aim for running without stopping. He told me just run and if I could only go 20 or 25 minutes, just stop there. Then next time, aim for a longer run. So far it's been working out pretty well. My first nonstop run was that Monday (technically supposed to be on last week's recap) with 2.7 miles at a 9:53 pace. I actually only stopped because I ran out of time (can't be late for work!) 
My weekday runs are for going nonstop, where as my weekend runs are purely for distance. I'm also adding some push ups and sit ups in there while I figure out a new plan for some strength training. I'm losing upper body muscle mass, so I need to fix that. I'm also stretching everyday. 

Weekly Recap
Tues: push ups, sit ups
Wed: 1 mile (I also discovered today that 30 mins is not enough time for my food to settle, hence the sort run.)
Thurs: push ups, sit ups
Fri: 3.1 miles
Sat: rest
Sun: 8.2 miles (missed my best 10k time by 5 seconds!)
Mon: push ups, sit ups

This weekend I go on my second back-to-back run days to train for Dumbo with 3 miles Saturday and 6 on Sunday. 

Do you have a running strategy? Are you an interval kind of person or do you like to run straight through? 

6 comments:

  1. heehee, cute!

    I used to run intervals, it was how I started up running, but I found over time that it hindered my running. My body seems to seize up when I stop to walk and then I have a really hard time getting back into the groove. I'm not militant about it, I'll walk fast through a water station or whatever, but I think mentally and physically it just works better for me to run straight through...even if I have to slow it down to do it.

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  2. Cute comic :)

    Right now I do one day a week of speedwork - I switch off between intervals and tempo run. Saturday's are purely for distance!

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  3. Hahaha! I could write a whole blog post on that comic strip! I've always maintained that the "bad boys" are just more forthcoming about their flaws than the guys who claim women aren't attracted to them because they're a "good guy." In my own experience, I've found that the self-described good guys are actually just jerks who won't admit it to themselves.
    Most women want a happy medium of a guy who has some balls but is also not an ass.
    Just my two cents. I'm still searching for that guy.

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  4. Karen- I find once I stop to walk for a bit, the stops just keep on coming! I definitely walk through water stations. I can't drink and run and sometimes they get pretty slippery!

    Lauren- How do you figure out your speed intervals? I run outside and I have a hard time figuring out how fast I'm going until I've gone a good distance.

    Jennifer- I agree! Bad boys tend to flaunt their flaws. The good guys should just admit to them. Finding that happy balance is definitely hard!

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  5. I actually do all my speedwork on the treadmill! It really makes timing/pace much easier!

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  6. LOVE that comic strip!

    As for running nonstop, I did that when I first started running and found that I just didn't have the stamina. Then I started doing the intervals and found that I could go longer and farther by giving my muscles that one minute break.
    Since then, I haven't tried running nonstop. I'm guessing I can probably do that for my shorter runs (doing intervals during a 5k seems so silly at times), but I guess I'm afraid to take the plunge.
    I will definitely continue with intervals on my longer runs, because I'm going for distance and not time.

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