You now have 15 weeks of training left before the “Ache” in September. On average you are going to be running or run/walking 3-4 times a week so this leaves you with somewhere between 45-60 training sessions – just think of all those miles you will be able to log in. YES, you are going to log them in your training journal. That can be something as simple as a piece of paper you keep near the door or as complex as an online journal that keeps track of all your miles, heart rate zones and times. Write it down and make yourself accountable!

Now I can already hear you thinking…”oh no, I have to run 45 times on my same 4 mile route. I am going to go insane!” Here is the beauty of training for a race – variety.

Here is the way week 1 should look:

Day 1 – Easy 30 min jog. If 30 min is way too much then 20 min. If you need to jog 30 seconds and then walk 30 seconds for the entire thing that is ok. If you are planning on only walking then alternate 30 seconds of hard walking with 30 seconds of easy walking. You are going to need a watch for this – actually you are always going to need a watch so invest!

Day 2 – It is best if you can take a day of rest inbetween. Today you are going to find a good long hill. Walk/jog 5-10 min to get your muscles warm and then walk/jog up-hill for at least 30-45 seconds. Use your arms and lean forward and get up on your toes. Now, you did it! You should walk back down to the bottom and do it again. These are called hill repeats, they will make you strong. Do be careful running down the hill if you have problems with your knees. Also note that the hill does not have to be very steep for you to get the benefit.

Day 3 – Long Slow Distance (LSD)- Today is the day that you go further and easier than you have on the otehr days. Depending on your fitness level this should be anywhere from 45-60 min. For the first few weeks those of you planning on running might end up walking more of this than running. That is ok, you have to start somewhere.

Questions or comments are welcome.

 Katie

If you’ve stepped outside your door in recent days here in the Southeast, you’ve quickly left spring and jumped straight into the sweltering dog days of summer. You can barely amble to your hot car, so forget about walking or running outside the confines of a treadmill and an amped up AC unit.

But the hilly five miles of Ache Around the Lake are awaiting you in September. And to get to race day, you MUST conquer the heat and humidity.

I know how tough it can be to tackle a brand new training program, make some headway, and then boom – the heat blasts in and you feel like you’re back to square one in terms of endurance. But don’t get discouraged – there is a secret weapon:  acclimatization! 

Acclimatization to heat takes about 10 days to 2 weeks of gradual and moderate training in hot weather. It makes sense that you can’t do your comfy workouts at the gym at 68 degrees and then try to hoof it around the lake at a temp of 82 degrees w/ 90% humidity. It ain’t gonna happen. In fact, you could set yourself up for some serious risks of heat stroke.

Start this weekend and just take your normal mileage and pacing down a few notches and be sure you are HYDRATED BEFORE you hit the road.  Even take a sports drink w/ you if you will do more than 4 or 5 miles.  Try to get in 3 workouts/week…outside either early morning or late evening…and just let your system get used to functioning more efficiently in the heat and humidity.

I remember a couple of years ago when Katie was training me for my first race, which happened to be the Ache. I had been running since February and doing okay in terms of making it around the lake, running the whole way. But I’d been sneaking away to the treadmill at the gym as the thermometer started going up in late spring. Katie and I met at the Tea House about 10 am on a June morning. It was probably already about 78 degrees and the humidity was full-on!  I thought I was going to die!!! Here I was trying to show off my beginner running chops to an accomplished athlete and I was about to pass out every mile or so. By the end of the run (which technically mutated to a sluggish walk), Katie figured out I wasn’t acclimatized. Ah, I had no idea! New to this whole new world of endurance sports, this was a real revelation.

So don’t let this heat wave–and the ones sure to come all summer long–get you down. Slowly build up and in a couple of weeks you’ll be back on track and then some.

Stay Cool…

Scarlette