Week 1 – Berlin to Chicago training
As I said in my previous post, I’ve hired a running coach. If you haven’t read that click HERE to read it now.
I was really excited about my training plan, I didn’t really know what to expect, or anything. But everyone I spoke with they highly recommended Denise and her coaching plans.
I’ve officially started my training on the 14th of May. The plan itself is an 18 week-long plan to Berlin and the 3 more weeks to Chicago.
My weekly plan follows the below schedule:
- Monday : Easy paced run
- Tuesday: Cross training ( I’ll alternate between, swimming, cycling and the cross training machine )
- Wednesday: Track training ( to get faster )
- Thursday: Easy paced run
- Friday: Rest day
- Saturday: Long run
- Sunday: Cross training or rest day
It looks a lot, and definitely after completing week 1 it feels a lot, but I know if I stick to the plan I’ll get the results I really want. I really want to break 6hrs in Berlin and the Chicago as well. I’ll put all the training in I can, and also will try to eat a bit healthier. Probably if I lose some weight that will help me to get faster as well.
Every sunday I’ll write a post about how I got along with my training during the week. you can find them all under the Training tab.
Also every now and then , maybe every 4th week I’ll make a post about comparing my pace with Week 1, so you and I all can see if I improved at all or not, if I did then you’ll see by how much.
14.05.2018. Monday
REST DAY
15.05.2018 Tuesday
Easy paced 5 mile run
This run didn’t feel easy at all. Not too sure why, but I was struggling with it from the beginning. Probalby it didn’t help that I went out when the sun was really hot and didn’t take any water with me. I usually run later or first thing in the morning. But this day I couldn’t go any earlier. Usually my running pace is around 8.10mins/ km but this time i was almost a full minute slower.
If you click on the images below, you can see all of them in full size.
16.05.2018 Wednesday
Track training.
Since I started running I haven’t done ay kind of speed workout. Or you can call it Track training. Unfortunately I haven’t found any running tracks around me, so I decided to run around the local pond.
The plan I had to do was:
2 mile easy warm up
4x 1/4mile repeats ( 2 mins recovery between )
1 mile easy cool down
I wasn’t too sure how fast am I supposed to run when I do the 1/4mile (400m) intervals, so I gave it all my best. As you can see from the splits below, that the first one was completed in 3:05mins, second one in 2:53mins, third one in 2:42mins and the last one was in 2:36mins. To my surprise I managed to get them done faster and faster. At least now I have some kind of idea how fast am I supposed to do them later on. Also I had no idea what am I supposed to do in the 2mins rest period, so I just kept slowly walking. Since then I’ve spoken with Denise and I can just stop in the rest periods.
I have to say I’m really pleased with this workout. I’m really far to be a fast runner, but sooner or later I’ll get there 🙂
Look at those splits 🙂
17.05.2018 Thursday
Easy paced 3 mile run
have to be honest I couldn’t do this workout. After work I had to sort out my citizenship application and totally ran out of time 🙁
18.05.2018 Friday
Rest day
18.05.2018 Saturday
Long run – 7 miles
After totally failing my run on Tuesday, and feeling bad about myself, I’ve decided to give “jeffing” another go. I love jeffing, but then some people keep calling me a walker, and not a runner. Yeah I know well that I’m not running all the distance but when I “jeff” I am much much faster . So I decided to “jeff” all 7 miles on saturday.
Running vs. Jeffing 
😲😲
😍
😬
Tuesday vs. Saturday.
When I “jeff “ I run 1mins and then walk 30secs.
For me it sounds totally unbelievable that I can be this much faster if I take regular walk breaks.
Look at my average pace , 9.03mins/km when I give my best in continuous running and compare it with my 7.25mins/km when I ran-walk.
How is it possible ?! Well to me it doesn’t matter , I think I’ll stick with my jeffing. And don’t listen to others who’s keep telling me I shouldn’t do races if I can’t ran it continuously.
And now lets see my Saturday run compared with my Tuesday run:
As you can see, when I ‘ jeff ‘ my splits are more even and definitely much faster. I love the 60:30 ratio , mainly because I can run fast for 60 seconds, and then the 30seconds recovery is more than enough. I get my heart rate down and cath up my breath. Then off I go again with the run.
20.05.2018 Sunday
Cross training or Rest day
Because I couldn’t do the training on thursday I decided I do need to do today’s cross training. Jumped on my bike and cycled on the turbo for an hour.
Week 1 is done and only 17 more weeks to go 🙂
Love,
