Coach Jenny, I followed your online training program for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon with great success! I ran alone and on my own time and found that your program gave me the flexibility I needed for my lifestyle and the expert information I needed to train well for this big athletic feat. It was my first marathon and I finished in 3:41:10. I enjoyed the experience very much and am planning another marathon in the spring. I read your blog post about off-season training but I need a specific plan to keep up my fitness and keep me focused (I have four children under 5 who provide many distractions). Can you recommend a training program for the time in between races? I have not been running nearly as much (i.e. at all) and would like to keep my fitness level up during the winter months. I don't want to start from scratch in January. - Caroline
Hi, Caroline. Congratulations on your tremendous success in your inaugural marathon! Especially with four children under 5 years old -- you should have received an extra medal for that! You're not alone in your struggle to let go of the structure that training provides. I received many e-mails last week after I posted the off-season training blog asking the very same question: "How do I stay fit when I lose my mojo without a training program?"
Keep in mind that everyone's off season is going to look a little different. Some may respond very well to the non-structured play that comes with running less (2x per week) and cross-training more (3-4x per week). Others may choose to rest more often and run easy a few days per week. Folks like yourself who need structure in their week to stay active may run primarily, but do so at an easy, playful effort level. I've also found this to be true when working with runners who want to lose weight. Some love the structure of planning and evaluating calories consumed and expended, mileage, and improvement. Yet others prefer a more casual approach and focus on getting in activity regularly and reduce overall portion size. My point being, make your program work for you by creating your own off season recovery recipe. But remember, in order to boost your performance in next spring's marathon, you've got to invest in some down time and include the following ingredients in your recipe.
The idea of the off season isn't to not run, it's to run without purpose. There is a significant difference in training to run, versus running to be fit. When training, you're following a progression of specific running workouts at varied frequencies, intensities, and time (distance). When running for off-season fitness, you're running enough to maintain, but not to improve. A schedule that includes regular easy paced running will allow your body time to heal from the demands of marathon training and your mind to rejuvenate for the upcoming season. Based on your recent marathon time, your off season program post marathon recovery could look something like this.
Monday: Run - 45-50 minutes + flexibility
Tuesday: X-Train or Rest - 45-60 minutes strength training, non-impact cardio activities
Wednesday: Run - 45-50 minutes + flexibility
Thursday: X-Train or Rest - 45-60 minutes strength training, non-impact cardio activities
Friday: Rest or Short Run - 30-40 minutes
Saturday: 60 minutes + flexibility
Sunday: Rest
Keep it simple, easy and flexible.
Happy Trails,
Author, Marathoning for Mortals & Running for Mortals
Have a question for Coach Jenny? E-mail her at coach@jennyhadfield.comI just finished the Chicago Marathon in 4:44:05 and I really enjoyed my training season and the race. I can't wait for the next challenge, but my next race isn't until May, so I have some down time that will be filled with skiing and snowboarding on the weekends, but during the week in Colorado we typically have weather that is conducive to running through the winter months. I'd like to improve my speed and lose a couple of pounds of extra weight before starting to train for my spring marathon. I've been doing a lot of research online, but I haven't found very many examples of an off-season schedule to fill the gap. I've been running for three years; Chicago was my second full marathon, and I've also completed about five half-marathons. - Geneva
Hi, Geneva. Congratulations on your marathon! Having a "carrot" to strive for all season is one of the many reasons runners love to train for a marathon. It keeps you focused and accountable to your weekly workouts. I titled this blog "Training in the Off-Season" because I know runners are looking for that very structure post race and that they would read this blog. Truth is, off-season means off-schedule. It means less structure, and more play. Because as Jack Nicholson said in The Shining, "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." (Gosh, that movie still scares me...I had to take a moment to turn on the lights and check for monsters under the bed.)
You are on the right track with incorporating playful winter activities until you begin your spring marathon training. Doing so will rejuvenate your mind and body and allow you to train at your best this spring. In order to race at your best (peak), you've got to be willing to let go of the structure, recover, and not be at your best (peak fitness) all of the time. That's not to say if your goal is to run a marathon every month, you can't do so. But at some point, when you've reached your goal, the best way to improve and continue to run at your very best, is to incorporate an off-season in your overall plan for the year.
Coaches call this periodization, or a plan that involves purposeful phases of training with a target goal race(s) in mind. It ebbs and flows with stress and recovery just like our daily lives. The off-season is one of many phases, and the one that is least recognized for its contribution to optimal performance. Just like rest days allow us to adapt to the stress of a hard training session and grow stronger, the off-season promotes an overall rejuvenation of the body and mind. When you start a season fresh and invigorated, you're better able to push hard, recover efficiently, and reach your goals.
In order to be your best, you have to learn from the best. Paula Radcliffe once told me she takes one month off post marathon to recover. One month, folks. The Kenyan runners are known to take a running hiatus post race as well. It doesn't mean they aren't active. It simply means they aren't training. Invest in your future by playing during the off-season. Let go of the schedules, the heart rates, the splits, and the statistics and go have a little fun. Do what you makes you feel good, just don't follow a schedule. You may want to rest more, and exercise less. That's OK. Keep the effort easy and playful and take the time to go off the beaten path. Take up snowshoeing if that piques your interest. Take a Pilates or yoga class at the gym. Stay active and fit, and away from a specific regimen for a few weeks.
Plan out your 2010 season(s) and plot your strategy. The average time to peak for a marathon is about 22 to 24 weeks, depending on the schedule you follow. Which gives you a few weeks to play before the structure kicks in again.
I just finished my target race two weeks ago. I ran the North Face 50K Ultra Marathon Challenge and reached my goals for the season (37-minute personal record and third place in my age group). "Coach Jenny, you just finished The North Face 50K Challenge in personal record time; what are you going to do next?"
I'm going to mountain bike, orienteer with friends, and rake the leaves that are piled up so high we can't see our front porch! I'm not following a schedule, I'm following my perceived play rate. I play when I want, rest when I need, and enjoy the activities I've neglected due to my training schedule.
Happy Trails,
Author, Marathoning for Mortals & Running for Mortals
Have a question for Coach Jenny? E-mail her at coach@jennyhadfield.com