Eight Weeks until the Sun Run!

I signed up for the Sun Run taking place on April 17th, so it is time to stop dragging my heels and start training again! The last race I did was the Scotiabank half marathon October, 2010. For this race I trained with my friend Jesse Jind and ran the whole race with him. It was really fun. I'm hoping Thomas will start running with me to get ready for this upcoming race, it is so much easier to push yourself when you have a running partner. Also, since I am alone most of the time with my studies and lesson prep it is especially good for me to run with someone. And of course I just want Thomas' company. In 2009 I ran the Sun Run in 41:57 and Thomas ran it in 41:52, I still don't hear the end of that one hehe. This year since I am not training the way I used to (in 2009 I was training 1-2 times per day, 6 days a week) I am aiming for sub 44 minutes. My original dream was to run it in under 40 minutes, I so want to join the sub-40 club!:) But I think I will have to be patient.


I've recorded my training program below. If you haven't created a run program before I've been told the basic rule is to include 3 hard workouts/week with one long easy run, one interval training session and one tempo run (continuous run at just below race pace). Geoff Reid, (who btw, has run ten km in 32 minutes) very helpfully sent me a list of interval workouts that I used to make my program. The other parts of the program I got from the Runners World Website: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--6851-3-2X5X8-4,00.html  Two years ago I ran my first 1/2 marathon and followed this free Runner's World 1/2 Marathon Training program quite diligently and thought it was pretty good (although as Vince put it, I blew up in the race...but that is another story). I'll be mixing some bikes and swims into my program since triathlon race season is also creeping up! 


I am working on my nutrition training plan and I'm having fun browsing through high-energy recipes. Will post information about this soon.

Week 1

• Stair workout (Wreck beach stairs X 3), 2 X 15 minute bike ride- rode my bike to the stairs
  
• Easy Run 6.5 km (ran 35 minutes in the woods, difficult to map trail runs since I don't have a garmin watch)
  
• 2 miles easy, 2 X 10 minutes@tempo pace, 2 miles easy
• Easy run 11 km

Week 2

• 10 X 400m with 90 second rest between each
• Easy run 6.5 km
• 6 km continuous run
• 12 km easy run

Week 3

• 9.5 km including hill repeats
• Easy run 3 km
• 4 km easy
  
• 4 km tempo run + 4 X 100 meter strides
• 8 km easy run

Week 4

• 400, 800, 400, 800, 400, 800, 400 w 2 minute rest between each
• 2 miles easy, 3 X 10 minutes at temp pace, 2 miles easy
• Easy run, 6.5 km
• 13 km easy

Week 5

• Wreck beach stairs x 4 + 2 X 15minute bikes rides
• Easy run 6.5 km
• 5 km race/time trial
• 13 km easy

Week 6

• 800, 1200, 1600, 1200, 800 with 2 minute rest
• Easy run, 7 km
• 9 km temp, 5 minute easy warm-up, hard 2 minutes, easy 1 minute
• 11 km easy

Week 7

• 1 min, 2 min, 5 min, 3min, 2 min, 1min, with 1 minute jog between each
• Easy run, 7 km
• 9 km tempo
• 15 km easy

Week 8

• 4 X 400, 1 X 200
• 2 X 400 tempo with 200 jog, 200 sprints
• 3 km easy
• RACE DAY!!:)

An important tool you might not know about if you are a new runner:


Vince told me about the gmap pedometer. This is amazingly helpful for running since you can map out all your runs and figure out your routes according to distance.
 
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

**Update/Race Results: I followed this program almost exactly and ended up running the race in 41:17. Was pretty happy. Hoping that maybe next year I will run it in sub 40 minutes!:)