Hansons Week 8
It is hard to believe week 8 is in the books! As with last week, I took some liberties with the plan as I found that I needed some time to recover from my race. Here is what the week looked like for me:
Monday:6 miles easy Rest
Tuesday:Speed 6 X 800m with 400m recovery Tempo 5 miles
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday:Tempo 5 miles Speed 6 X 800m with 400m recovery
Friday:5 miles easy 6 miles easy
Saturday:6 miles easy Cross training
Sunday: 10 miles long (on the trail)
The biggest change was that I switched the tempo and speed work. I found that my legs were still really sore from the race and jumping into speed work might bother my hamstrings. After my previous hamstring injury, I am very conscious of the fact that speed work bothers them more than anything and made this adjustment.
I do not regret my Monday rest day as that is just what I needed after recovering from the race and enabled me to feel refreshed for the tempo run on Tuesday. While I typically would never take a rest day before my long run as this goes against the Hansons' training theory, I was not able to fit this run in and did what I could with the time that I had. This means my mileage last week dipped down a bit, but I know the additional recovery will only help me succeed with training and as I mentioned in previous posts, I believe in flexibility and listening to my body more than anything. I know that the time I spent cross training will help strengthen my body so that I am less likely to become injured and it feels great to move my body in a different way than running with the same forward movement.
Week 8 brought a run in the rain, which is always an experience in itself. I personally do not mind a little rain and when it is hot out, nothing feels better. The best part of running in the rain is the mental strength that comes with experiencing something challenging. If you always train in perfect conditions, how do you handle challenges that may come your way on race day? By running outside year round, I have had to endure a lot of what Mother Nature has thrown at me and I do believe it has made me a better runner and able to mentally handle all types of weather.
Long run:
Hansons is no different than most marathon plans in having a weekly long run that is run about 30 seconds to a minute slower than race pace. Most plans progressively add miles over the weeks leading up to the marathon, however Hansons peaks at 16 miles. This is where the plan is like few others and scares some people from ever trying it. I will admit that I was nervous about never running more than 16 miles at a time, however I am not new to the marathon and I know I can manage the distance. If this were my first marathon, I would recommend trying at least one 18 or 20 miler simply to help strengthen your mental training. However, Keith and Kevin Hanson write in their book that there is no magic number and that 18 and 20 mile runs are simply round numbers that most plans recommend in training to take you close to marathon distance. Because Hansons is based upon the cumulative fatigue effect, the 16 mile runs are run after 3 days of tempo and easy runs so you are running this mileage on very tired legs that will simulate the later miles of the marathon. Having run a marathon, I can attest to the fact that this principle is important and learning to run on fatigued legs may make the difference in how you finish the last half of the race. After my first marathon experienceI wanted a plan that would train me to endure the later stages of the race. While this plan feels like punishment some days, I do not doubt the benefits will be worth it as I clearly saw following the half plan. Additionally, other plans typically have the greatest percentage of weekly mileage in the long run. This is great for runners who do not have a lot of time during the week for training, however I personally understand why it is necessary to make each run important. There are no "junk miles" in Hansons and each run plays a purpose. The long run is certainly important, but it does not comprise the majority of the miles for the week. This is another area I wanted to focus on from my previous training, as higher mileage across the entire week has been shown to improve marathon success. As already mentioned, this may not be the right plan for a first time marathoner but a more experienced runner who knows what he or she wants to improve upon may really see the benefit in this type of training.
Long runs are challenging, but I find that by switching up the location of these runs helps keep my mind interested and I enjoy the runs more. While it is recommended to train on the same type of terrain as the race, I still find the trails to be the best place to run. The impact of the trail is much softer thereby reducing some of the fatigue my body feels and I feel I can recover quicker. The natural hills provide some challenges that strengthen my legs and the overall beauty of the trail makes the miles fly by. I also like to plan my route so that I can run back to my car or another water stop and hydrate/fuel which means I do not have to carry water and gels with me. I also like to listen to podcasts and audiobooks as I find this is much more stimulating than listening to music. Don't get me wrong - music has it's place in training. But getting really caught up in a good audiobook encourages me to stick it out in the later miles of a run, and I often look forward to running so that I can continue the story. I try to listen to certain books or podcasts only while running so that it is something motivating when I am dreading the longer miles.
Here are some of my favorite audiobooks and podcasts:
Coach Jenny Podcast - this is always easy and fun to listen to. The podcasts are informative for runners of all levels and are positive and uplifting.
Serial - Before there was "Making a Murderer", there was Serial! If you have not already become obsessed with both seasons, you will after one listen.
Running on Om - I started listening to this after my favorite elite, Lauren Fleshman, was a guest and I have never stopped tuning in. Another podcast geared towards running, there are a lot of inspirational stories and guests to motivate you through your runs.
Runners Connect - Interviews and tips from various runners, coaches, and industry-leading professionals that will provide you with plenty of good tips for training that will motivate you to become a better runner.
You - The narrator of this audiobook is worth a listen alone. The story is fantastic, but Santino Fontana's reading of the characters is phenomenal.
Eat & Run - Listening to Scott Jurek talk about running hundreds of miles makes your long run seem like nothing in comparison. Scott is one of my favorite elites and is so inspiring. Whether you listen to this as an audiobook or read the book, it is on just about every runners favorite reading list.
What I Talk about When I Talk about Running - Another great book whether you read it in print or on a run, but there is something about Murakami's thoughts about running that are so relateable that you cannot help but want to run...so why not listen WHILE running!?!
There are many more, but these are by far my favorites. I am always looking for new stories and podcasts to enjoy during the long runs and love getting suggestions!
Fatigue Level:
This week I was feeling a lot of fatigue right after the race which is to be expected after a hard effort. That is why I took a rest day on Monday, and was able to complete the tempo and speed workouts later in the week with success. I also got a massage this week which really helped speed up recovery and I could notice an immediate difference in my running the day after. I made sure to foam roll and do some yoga after my long run, but long runs are draining and the next run will be slow going.
Nutrition:
Having focused on carbs the last few weeks, my protein was lacking quite a bit and this is something I always find challenging. Because I am a plant based runner, it is always hard to find good protein sources without resorting to the same old (nuts, seeds, lentils, quinoa, dairy). While most of us do not need protein as much as we like to think we do, I do make an effort to eat more after runs and I found this to be lacking this week. Protein is good for recovery and I need to focus more on eating a good protein source right after a run.
Mental & Emotional Strength:
I had a stressful week at work that combined with having to care for a rabbit's nest (including handling a hurt/dead baby rabbit), put me in tears quite a bit. This added to the overall fatigue that I felt, but running actually helps my stress quite a bit and I used that as an outlet for managing some of my stress. My yoga practice was light as well in comparison to past weeks, so this is another area I need to focus on in the coming week to help manage stress.
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday: 10 miles long (on the trail)
The biggest change was that I switched the tempo and speed work. I found that my legs were still really sore from the race and jumping into speed work might bother my hamstrings. After my previous hamstring injury, I am very conscious of the fact that speed work bothers them more than anything and made this adjustment.
I do not regret my Monday rest day as that is just what I needed after recovering from the race and enabled me to feel refreshed for the tempo run on Tuesday. While I typically would never take a rest day before my long run as this goes against the Hansons' training theory, I was not able to fit this run in and did what I could with the time that I had. This means my mileage last week dipped down a bit, but I know the additional recovery will only help me succeed with training and as I mentioned in previous posts, I believe in flexibility and listening to my body more than anything. I know that the time I spent cross training will help strengthen my body so that I am less likely to become injured and it feels great to move my body in a different way than running with the same forward movement.
Week 8 brought a run in the rain, which is always an experience in itself. I personally do not mind a little rain and when it is hot out, nothing feels better. The best part of running in the rain is the mental strength that comes with experiencing something challenging. If you always train in perfect conditions, how do you handle challenges that may come your way on race day? By running outside year round, I have had to endure a lot of what Mother Nature has thrown at me and I do believe it has made me a better runner and able to mentally handle all types of weather.
 |
| A little rain during this hot run would have helped! |
Long run:
Hansons is no different than most marathon plans in having a weekly long run that is run about 30 seconds to a minute slower than race pace. Most plans progressively add miles over the weeks leading up to the marathon, however Hansons peaks at 16 miles. This is where the plan is like few others and scares some people from ever trying it. I will admit that I was nervous about never running more than 16 miles at a time, however I am not new to the marathon and I know I can manage the distance. If this were my first marathon, I would recommend trying at least one 18 or 20 miler simply to help strengthen your mental training. However, Keith and Kevin Hanson write in their book that there is no magic number and that 18 and 20 mile runs are simply round numbers that most plans recommend in training to take you close to marathon distance. Because Hansons is based upon the cumulative fatigue effect, the 16 mile runs are run after 3 days of tempo and easy runs so you are running this mileage on very tired legs that will simulate the later miles of the marathon. Having run a marathon, I can attest to the fact that this principle is important and learning to run on fatigued legs may make the difference in how you finish the last half of the race. After my first marathon experienceI wanted a plan that would train me to endure the later stages of the race. While this plan feels like punishment some days, I do not doubt the benefits will be worth it as I clearly saw following the half plan. Additionally, other plans typically have the greatest percentage of weekly mileage in the long run. This is great for runners who do not have a lot of time during the week for training, however I personally understand why it is necessary to make each run important. There are no "junk miles" in Hansons and each run plays a purpose. The long run is certainly important, but it does not comprise the majority of the miles for the week. This is another area I wanted to focus on from my previous training, as higher mileage across the entire week has been shown to improve marathon success. As already mentioned, this may not be the right plan for a first time marathoner but a more experienced runner who knows what he or she wants to improve upon may really see the benefit in this type of training.
Long runs are challenging, but I find that by switching up the location of these runs helps keep my mind interested and I enjoy the runs more. While it is recommended to train on the same type of terrain as the race, I still find the trails to be the best place to run. The impact of the trail is much softer thereby reducing some of the fatigue my body feels and I feel I can recover quicker. The natural hills provide some challenges that strengthen my legs and the overall beauty of the trail makes the miles fly by. I also like to plan my route so that I can run back to my car or another water stop and hydrate/fuel which means I do not have to carry water and gels with me. I also like to listen to podcasts and audiobooks as I find this is much more stimulating than listening to music. Don't get me wrong - music has it's place in training. But getting really caught up in a good audiobook encourages me to stick it out in the later miles of a run, and I often look forward to running so that I can continue the story. I try to listen to certain books or podcasts only while running so that it is something motivating when I am dreading the longer miles.
Here are some of my favorite audiobooks and podcasts:
Coach Jenny Podcast - this is always easy and fun to listen to. The podcasts are informative for runners of all levels and are positive and uplifting.
Serial - Before there was "Making a Murderer", there was Serial! If you have not already become obsessed with both seasons, you will after one listen.
Running on Om - I started listening to this after my favorite elite, Lauren Fleshman, was a guest and I have never stopped tuning in. Another podcast geared towards running, there are a lot of inspirational stories and guests to motivate you through your runs.
Runners Connect - Interviews and tips from various runners, coaches, and industry-leading professionals that will provide you with plenty of good tips for training that will motivate you to become a better runner.
You - The narrator of this audiobook is worth a listen alone. The story is fantastic, but Santino Fontana's reading of the characters is phenomenal.
Eat & Run - Listening to Scott Jurek talk about running hundreds of miles makes your long run seem like nothing in comparison. Scott is one of my favorite elites and is so inspiring. Whether you listen to this as an audiobook or read the book, it is on just about every runners favorite reading list.
What I Talk about When I Talk about Running - Another great book whether you read it in print or on a run, but there is something about Murakami's thoughts about running that are so relateable that you cannot help but want to run...so why not listen WHILE running!?!
There are many more, but these are by far my favorites. I am always looking for new stories and podcasts to enjoy during the long runs and love getting suggestions!
Fatigue Level:
This week I was feeling a lot of fatigue right after the race which is to be expected after a hard effort. That is why I took a rest day on Monday, and was able to complete the tempo and speed workouts later in the week with success. I also got a massage this week which really helped speed up recovery and I could notice an immediate difference in my running the day after. I made sure to foam roll and do some yoga after my long run, but long runs are draining and the next run will be slow going.
Nutrition:
Having focused on carbs the last few weeks, my protein was lacking quite a bit and this is something I always find challenging. Because I am a plant based runner, it is always hard to find good protein sources without resorting to the same old (nuts, seeds, lentils, quinoa, dairy). While most of us do not need protein as much as we like to think we do, I do make an effort to eat more after runs and I found this to be lacking this week. Protein is good for recovery and I need to focus more on eating a good protein source right after a run.
Mental & Emotional Strength:
I had a stressful week at work that combined with having to care for a rabbit's nest (including handling a hurt/dead baby rabbit), put me in tears quite a bit. This added to the overall fatigue that I felt, but running actually helps my stress quite a bit and I used that as an outlet for managing some of my stress. My yoga practice was light as well in comparison to past weeks, so this is another area I need to focus on in the coming week to help manage stress.
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