I have been training for the Marine Corps Marathon and the official training started the last week of June. I had already been swimming after my runs and on my off days ever since the water has been warm enough to swim in. And recently I have been turning some miles on the Lifecycle at the gym after my run workouts and for cross training. So...I was off from work today and I wanted do something interesting for my training today. My regular training called for one hour of running at tempo pace with some speed intervals towards the end. Since I was at the fitness center using the treadmill, and I have been riding the Lifefitness cycle for 30-40 minutes after the run, I decided to do my hour of running on the treadmill, then an hour on the cycle and when I get home I could do one hour of laps in the pool...and that's what I did.
Run: Warmed up first by walking on the treadmill at 4.2-5.0 mph for three minutes. Then I reset the treadmill and started my run at 7 mph for one minute, then upped it to 7.5 mph for one minute then increased it to 8 mph for the first part of the run for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, I increased the speed to 8.5 mph for 10 minutes, then 9 mph for 10 minutes, then 9.5 mph for 10 minutes and finally 10 mph for 10 minutes and then backed it down to 8 mph for two minutes and then stepped up the speed 0.5 mph every minute till 10.5 mph and then back down to 8 mph for the final minute. Final total on the run: 8.58 miles in one hour.
Lifecycle: Was already warmed up so I selected the Random setting, set the time for one hour and started at level 6 and started peddling. I increased the level from 6-10 depending if I was on the hills or not. I tried to keep the peddle turnover at 100/min or higher. At the end of an hour I had gone exactly 15 miles...so I guess I was averaging 15 mph...Looks like I need some improvement here!
Swim: Left the fitness center and went home to the pool and swam laps for one hour. The pool is only 40 feet long so there was a lot of laps to keep track of...which is really hard when you're trying to concentrate on proper strokes and breathing...I usually try for a five strokes to a breath so I breath from each side...I think I added extra laps and may have missed some laps but I think it all evened out in the end. I didn't do flip turns because doing those would only leave me about 5-7 strokes before getting to the other side. So I just touched the sides with a slight push off from the wall. At the halfway point I had 80 laps and the last half hour was also 80 laps...so I was consistent...consistently slow...but none the less consistent. I had problems with muscle cramps about half way through...especially in the toes...but I finished the hour. Total laps: 160 for a total of 1950 meters...like I said...really slow.
Next time I do something like this...I want to reverse the order...swim, cycle and run...just like they do in the TRIs...but want to add the miles to the cycle to 56 and the run to 13.1. The swim distance was fine...just need to work on the speed as well as speed on the cycle. Let's see how this training goes...of course my primary training is for marathon running...the next one being the MCM in October with a couple of halfs...one in September and one two weeks before the MCM.
But...It is all good cross training...Isn't that Right?
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2 comments:
That's great Charlie. And I think since you tend to have problems with over training injury that the cross training will give your running a muscles enough of a break that maybe you can avoid injury completely. Just keep in the long runs and the speed work and I think your marathon training will be fine. I find that it is nice to do something different. You should get a bike. It is fun and give sme the opportunity to scout out new running routes.
Oh, and btw, my FIL is planning on doing MCM too. He is not as fast as you and he is 61-- so not in the same age group. Someday I might want to do MCM but I just can't miss Halloween when I have young kids.
I haven't had any significant training injuries since I recovered from my shin problems at the beginning of the year and I think the major reason is I'm only running every other day and cross training with weights and swimming on the off days. I have a couple of bikes...a road bike and a 10 speed racer. The 10 speed needs new tires and brakes...then I will be hitting the road!
Charlie
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