Training Diary of a Raceless Runner
For the first time in a long time, I’m a raceless runner. I haven’t signed up for any races. I don’t have any races on my 2015 calendar. Of course, I’ll run some races, but I’m not currently training for a goal race. In some ways, that feels uncomfortable and unnerving. On the other hand, it feels freeing and exciting to be able to focus on other workouts and goals and run “just because.”
I receive many questions from readers asking about my training schedule when I’m not officially focused on a race. I thought I’d give you a peek into my training log from the past 3 weeks so you can get an idea of what “training for fun” looks like for me lately. This month, I’ve been most excited about having a ClassPass membership and trying a variety of new classes and workouts. I can’t get enough of it!
Week of 12/22
Monday 12/22: Ran 3 miles (7:57 pace)
Tuesday 12/23: Strength workout: 0.35-mile warm up + dynamic stretching; 0.55-mile run, 75 squats, 50 sit-ups, 25 push-ups, 15 burpees, 25 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, 75 squats, 0.55 mile run. (1.5 miles of running)
Wednesday 12/24: REST (aka cook all day)
Thursday 12/25: Ran 4 miles (7:49 pace) followed by 15 minutes of abdominal work
Friday 12/26: Ran 7 miles (8:30 pace)
Saturday 12/27: 1 hour at Orange Theory (0.75-mile warm up on the treadmill, 4 rounds of 400-meter run + rowing and 7 strength exercises including squats, lunges, plank rows, push-ups, shoulders, biceps and abs. Total run mileage = 1.5 miles)
Sunday 12/28: REST
Week of 12/29
Monday 12/29: Ran 3-mile easy progression run (8:54, 8:32, 8:19) followed by 5 rounds of 10 decline push-ups, 15 dips, 20 sit-ups and 25 squats
Tuesday 12/30: Ran 3 easy miles (8:30 pace)
Wednesday 12/31: 45 minutes at Flywheel via ClassPass (estimated 23 miles of cycling)
Thursday 1/1: Ran 10 miles (Slow 1 mile warm up. 8 miles at or below 8:30 pace: 8:26, 8:22, 8:15, 8:33, 8:13, 8:21, 8:18, 8:15. Slow 1-mile cool down. This was a training run one of my friends needed to run for her upcoming March marathon.)
Friday 1/2: 1 hour of Pure Barre via ClassPass
Saturday: 1/3: Ran 10 miles easy in the rain (9:24 pace)
Sunday 1/4: 90 minutes of restorative yoga via ClassPass
Week of 1/5
Monday 1/5: 45 minutes at Torq Cycle via ClassPass (estimated mileage + 18)
Tuesday 1/6: AM: Ran 4.6 easy miles (8:58 pace); PM: 1 hour arms and abs strength training at Fit: To Be
Wednesday 1/7: 1 hour Cardio and Body Sculpting at Atlanta Sports Complex via ClassPass (combines cardio work like boxing with strength training)
Thursday 1/8 planned: 5 easy miles of running with one of my coaching clients
Friday: 1/9 planned: 45 minutes of Flywheel via ClassPass
Saturday 1/10: 10-11 easy miles of running
Sunday 1/11: 90 minutes of restorative yoga via ClassPass
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When you’re not training for a race, what does your workout schedule look like? What are your favorite non-running workouts? If you’ve tried ClassPass, what is your favorite new workout or studio you have discovered?
Comments
Can I just say that I’m jealous Atlanta has enough options to have a ClassPass? I love all the options you tried – and would love to take classes like that more regularly.
When I’m not training for a specific race, I tend to run 20 to 25 miles a week and will run whatever the group is doing on the weekend (fitness permitting). It’s terribly cold here right now so I’m on the treadmill more, which means I’m adding some intervals in for sanity sake. Otherwise, I don’t necessarily keep up quality workouts.
Kim, I know we are so lucky to have this. It just started here a little over a week ago and the classes and options seem endless. More than I could ever go to or try unless I explored for a whole year. Some of the surrounding communities are also in it, so if I was willing to drive further there are additional options. I will be trying lots of new classes throughout the month and I’ll share about some of them. I’m most excited about a 1-hour arm and ab class I found that is super intense .. great for runners who want to do strength training without a ton of legs during the training season. It has also been fun to be back on the bike … and by fun I mean hard and painful. LOL. Come move to ATL and workout with me 🙂
I so wished I lived somewhere that had access to all kinds of great classes like that!! I would love to try so many different workouts when I’m not really training for anything…although I’m not sure when that would be?? Hahaha
Keep having fun. That’s what it’s all about 🙂
I also don’t plan to have a big race on the schedule this year. At first I was struggling with motivation but then I set some other goals to help me get into a plan. It’s nice to be able to run what I want to run instead of what a plan says I should run! That’s great that you are taking advantage of so many classes!
Right now I have awhile before my next race – so I am working on strength and cross training. I haven’t run more than 10K in a week in some time. Basically work out Mon-Friday almost every day.
I too am a raceless runner….it’s kinda nice. I haven’t ran a timed race since last April 2014. That seems like ages ago. It’s hard to register for timed 5k and 10k when I do them on a daily basis. I’ve gotten into creating races and invinting my family and friends. We just had our second Friends of the Hungry race on Thanksgiving. Both years we have had about 60 people. I admire all the fun classes you are taking and must say I am jealous :). I love barre!! I definitely think my life is missing cycling/spin at the moment.
Thanks! Good luck with all the exercise and keep it up!!
All those classes look like so much fun!
I love the idea of ClassPass! I wish we had that here!
I don’t think I’ve ever not been in training for something. Having races on my calendar is the carrot that keeps me going. I take little breaks here and there, but something is always on the horizon.
So far, I have only dabbled in yoga and I’ve really enjoyed that. I’d like to try barre or something else but the studios and gyms are all so far away, and I wouldn’t be able to go consistently :/
When I’m not training for a race, I still run 4-5 times per week but only have one hard workout and one long run instead of two workouts and a long run. I love to do Pilates, yoga, and kettlebell as non-running workouts. ClassPass sounds amazing and I wish we had something like that around here!
Class Pass sounds so awesome, and amazing that you have such variety.
You’ve got a great mix of workouts there lady! I love the freedom of post race time. Enjoy it!
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