The key to my half marathon training these first few weeks continues to be flexibility. My toe is finally doing better. My knee *might* be okay for a run-walk starting next week, I know I can at least try and find out. But this week, I'm still doing workout substitutions.
I am okay substituting my cycling minutes on the trainer right now for running minutes. I am also okay having Friday marked as an easy day with the idea that it's just some un-prescribed walk. My training plan calls for a long run on Saturdays and last week I tried substituting an hour trainer ride, but ended up bailing on it and doing a 5 mile walk. I was okay with that too.
For this week, I only needed to do a 3 mile run.
Here is the dilemma. Yesterday (my easy day), I did a 45 minutes walk which ended up being 2.6 miles. I could easily count that as my 'easy' day, just like it says in the plan.
Today I did not run, cycle, or walk. But I did work on erecting a field fence (150 linear feet completed today) and boy am I tired! To be honest, I didn't do the bulk of it, but the part that I did wore me out. I'd have no issue counting this as my exercise for the day if it was supposed to be a strength workout at the gym, but it's supposed to be a 3 mile run. I am unsure whether I should count it or not.
You may be thinking that I'm totally over thinking this. You might be correct. However, I'm taking great pleasure in checking off easy prescribed workout as it or a reasonable substitute gets done and I'm not sure if my 3 mile run should get checked off or not and it's making me crazy!
What do you think? Did the fencing work provide a good enough substitute for a 3 mile run in week 2 of my half marathon training? Should I leave it unchecked as *gasp* a missed workout in my half marathon training? Is there something else I should do, like try to fit in a trainer ride Sunday? Am I completely over thinking this?
Update: I am not counting it. My arms are sore, my legs are fine. Fence building was a strength thing, not a cardio thing. Also, my step count was ~9950 steps compared to ~15000 the day before, so clearly I wasn't even doing a lot of walking in the process. I also feel that I should add...I know that the best was to train for a running event is to run. I need to be creative in my training to let both my knee and toe have time to recover. Fingers crossed that I'll be running next week.
Just try to do your long runs and most of the short ones. I think fence building is more strenuous than running, but you will need running to get better at running. I used a 3-day/wk running plan and cross trained on the other days.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be doing 3 runs per week as well. As soon as I can start running again...
DeleteIn my humble opinion (done four halves) it's important to get the runs in. Good luck in any case and hopefully you're not feeling too tired from fence building!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know. Good think the half isn't until April! I should be able to run soon. I just can't right now :-(
DeleteI think it's down to personality! I rarely miss workouts (I exercise first thing and make pretty realistic training plans), so if I'm considering it, it usually means I'm injured, ill or really fatigued. In those cases I've learnt it's ok to miss the scheduled activity. On the flip side, I have some friends who will miss workouts quite regularly and they have found they need to make them up or their running ability suffers. It's what works for you :)
ReplyDeleteThat's basically the issue...recovering from injury
DeleteHope your knee is better soon! Mine has been a little stiffer than usual, probably thanks to the cold.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I think I will try running with a run-walk next week. It is feeling better. I just don't know how much better (yet)
DeleteI believe that a half needs running miles.... The good news is that while you rehab you can definitely do some serious working out on your bike trainer. Say you have a 6 mile run in the plan- do 10-12 on the trainer at your scheduled effort to make it a comparable workout. The deal is, you'll be getting in cardio and moving your legs without the high impact. (but for a half, you clearly do need to spend time getting your legs used to higher mileage. Always tricky when you are recovering! Good luck!!!) :-)
ReplyDeleteI know that I need to get running, but your idea is good. Since I'm in rehab, I need the cardio for what should have been running.
DeleteI do the same. Technically, a run is a run. Don't beat yourself up - you still got a good work out in!
ReplyDeleteI know that a run is a run and everything else is something else, but the other option is that I modify my plan again to show that I can't run right now and plan for the different workouts. *sigh*
DeleteYou can only do what you can do. There's no point in getting stressed over it. I would have counted the fence building as a workout but then I counted a walk with my friend that was interrupted by breakfast and later by an ice cream break as a workout.
ReplyDeleteI'm counting it as a workout, just not a substitute for the run. It will be a strength day. I had to do more work on the fence on Sunday too. Good for upper body!
DeleteI don't do my workouts in the order prescribed. Can you cross it off for the strength day and do your run then? Don't stress. Do what works for you.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea! D'oh! Why didn't I think of that?
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