Training Plan Changes

At the tail end of July, I started a 12 week training plan to get ready for the Mankato Marathon (half-marathon distance). I shared my original plan HERE. It was a very aggressive training plan for me; running four times per week, including longer long runs and more long runs, incorporating speed work, and maintaining cross training.

After the first (+ some) month of training, it wasn't working. If you read regularly, you know August was not a great month for me. In fact, I only ran 50 miles total and my longest run was just over 8 miles .... on the 31st of the month! I think a lot of this had to do with the busyness of the last month of the summer; however, there was a part of me that enjoyed the amount of cross training I was doing in July that it was hard to go back to a more rigid running schedule.

Going forward between now and race day, October 19, I am making a few changes.

• first, I am going back down to three runs per week. At this point, I would rather have three solid runs, than be missing runs or forcing them.
• second, I am pulling back on the long runs. Typically I consider 10+ to be long, but this training plan incorporated it's share of 8+ miles run, including a few weekends of two double digit runs. With a nagging pain in my left knee, that hasn't been felt as much this week!, and the low mileage of August, I want to be smart about adding miles for September. I should still have a 100+ mile month for September, but I am only adding roughly three miles per week, and only two per week to the long run.
• While I am taking away a run, I am planning to add an additional cross-training session. With Sunday hours back at the Y, they are changing a class they offer. It will be 20 minutes of cycling, 20 minutes of kettle bells, and 20 minutes of yoga. With Ava starting dance I will only be doing kettle bells on Thursdays (not adding cycling or kickboxing to it) so this class will give me the chance to make up some of that time. Plus, I am really looking forward to the 20 minutes of yoga - maybe I can stretch these hip flexors out!

So, there you have it - scaling back a little on the runs, but adjusting the cross training. I still feel good about the training cycle as a whole. I was a little frustrated with my effort last month, and I think adjusting the training plan instead of sticking to something that wasn't working or feeling obtainable will do the mental game some good.

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What do you do when a training plan just isn't working? Tell yourself to suck it up and get 'er done, or readjust? Obviously this time I am readjusting, but that is not to say I think the "easy" option should always be taken.