Running Towards Fitness

Personal Awareness
The ancient Greeks used to believe that a healthy mind and a healthy body not only went together, but were both critical for happiness and a successful life. They were also intertwined, meaning that a weakness in either area would affect the other. When I started this transformation I was overweight and full of excuses. And by overweight I don't mean just a few pounds - I weighed over 70 pounds more than I do now. I finally took my life into my own hands and started exercising. At the time, I had no idea where it would lead - to a stronger body, a happier, more nimble mind, and a chest full of race medals. Healthy mind, healthy body, indeed! It hasn't been easy, or without issues, but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

Rethinking the Schedule

I may make a change to the new schedule to try to space my speed components out a little better, and to get all of my running into the mornings, when its cooler. This is what I’m looking at right now, but I’m still playing with it:

Morning (6am) Lunch Evening (varies)
Monday: lower body gym - spin class
Tuesday: 7 mile easy run   - 90 minute elliptical
Wednesday:   7 mile speedwork - -
Thursday: 3 mile easy run - 90 minute elliptical
Friday: - upper body gym   spin class, bodypump class
Saturday: 9:30 pace long run   - -
Sunday: 8:15 race pace run - -

I like that one better the more I think about it. It might make scheduling sense to drop my midday upper body workout, but that’s more of a social thing - replacing lunch on Fridays with some nice, solid weights and good conversation with friends. Maybe we’ll move it to Friday mornings or something, although getting to that particular gym early in the morning could be a pain, just because of traffic.

Either way that would give me no running at all on Mondays and Fridays, and a full recovery day between each speed session apart from the gap from the pace run early Sunday to the spin class on Monday evening - which is pretty decent by itself. I think this could be workable.

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About

I'm Richard Stanford, a fit, happy runner. Of course, that wasn't always the case. Dip into the archives to follow my progress from couch potato to sub-four hour marathoner.

I also like to cook, write, code, and play with power tools...

Personal Records

DistanceRaceTimePace
Marathon2006 Freescale3:54:078:56
20 Miles2006 RunTex3:00:089:00
30K2005 RunTex2:42:448:45
Half M2006 3M1:42:577:51
20K2005 Decker1:40:428:06
10 Miles2005 Pervasive1:20:138:01
10K2005 Dublin Dr Pepper48:437:51
5 Miles2005 Turkey Trot37:017:24
5K2005 Margarita Run22:327:15
4K2006 Fila Relays17:247:15
1 Mile2006 Congress Ave6:236:23

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One comment, leave your comment.
  1. Jay
    Nov 1st 2004
    7:58 PM

    Richard,

    I know that Higdon probably has those race pace runs the day before or after the long runs, but you might consider putting a rest/recovery day between those two workouts, so that you can give them both a good solid effort. Spacing those two hard workouts apart will also help you avoid injury issues, and will help you finish both workouts stronger.


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Famous Marathon Times

RunnerTimePace
Al Gore4:58:2511:23
Oprah4:29:3010:17
P. Diddy4:14:549:43
Will Ferrell3:56:129:01
George W. Bush3:44:528:35
John Edwards3:30:188:01
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Boston Qualifier3:10:597:17
Lance Armstrong2:59:366:51
Gilbert Tuhabonye2:23:075:28
Paula Radcliffe2:15:255:10
Paul Tegat2:04:554:46

People I Train With

Alex - Addicted to Exercise
Carrie - Tri to be Funny
Erine - Thousand Miles
Frank - Running Blog
Gilbert - Gilbert's Gazelles
Jay - Leotian Blog
Mike - BROTH