Running clinic dilemma

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Andes
Johnny Miles
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Running clinic dilemma

Postby Andes » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:15 pm

So, I decided to sign up for a Running Room 1/2M clinic. I have never raced before, but I thought that a clinic would give me the motivation to begin extending my long runs again, and more importantly, would add some structure to my mid-week runs and give me a group to run with in the dark so I can get off the treadmill.

The thing is, I didn't review the training schedule prior to signing up. Most of the runs on the clinic night are 4-5K (I prefer to run 7-8K mid week), and the long runs don't get beyond 10K until Week 9. The distances do build over time, but I find it hard to get excited about the starting point. I've been thinking about switching to the marathon clinic since the starting point is more aligned with the distances I'm currently running, but I don't actually have any interest in running a marathon until I've done a couple of half marathons and a solid history of running longer distances.

So, what would you recommend? Drop the clinic altogether (and join the drop in sessions when I choose to)? Stay in the 1/2M but add mileage at the end of the sessions? Or, throw logic out the window and join the marathon clinic?
Thanks! :)

BJH
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Postby BJH » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:21 pm

It depends where you are taking the clinic. You could talk/email the clinic leader beforehand. You may not be the only person taking the clinic with a stronger base. You can easily add extra mileage to the mid-week sessions and the clinic leader may have those options available. You may quickly find a running partner who is interested in running longer distances with you.

In terms of the long runs on Sundays, those runs are open to everyone and there will be a variety of distances offered on any given Sunday. Pick the one you want.
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dgrant
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Postby dgrant » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:26 pm

What's your mileage history been in the past year or two? What's your half marathon aspiration?

RunningRoom programs are very low mileage (relative to many others), so their marathon program might be perfect as your half marathon program... with a few minor tweaks for intensity.

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bnn
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Postby bnn » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:34 pm

Those clinic runs are supposed to be tempo runs so why not pick a challenging pace group and see what you can do. You can continue to do your midweek runs in the 8k range and you'll be fine..... no? What's another 8 week slow build going to hurt?
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Andes
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Postby Andes » Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:21 pm

Thanks everyone!

BJH, I hadn't thought about finding others in the clinic who want to run a bit longer, but that could be a good option.

Dgrant, my mileage the past few months definitely isn't huge (about 30-35km/week), but it is on par with the first few weeks of the Higdon novice marathon program, so a low mileage marathon program isn't out of the question. I was running about 45-50km in the summer before losing about 6 weeks to injury, so I do need to be a bit careful in how I ramp back up though. I'm shooting for a 1:55 time, but since this is the first time around I am not too concerned about the time.

Banane - you're right, if I dial up the intensity on those shorter days, that should make up for shorter distance. I wasn't sure if the clinic days were meant to be true tempo runs, since the suggested paces based on target finish times seems odd (slower than race pace).

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MichaelMc
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Postby MichaelMc » Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:45 pm

I'd consider just keeping your long runs as-is, or building them slower than the RR clinic. You could do the clinic runs as ambitiously as you like, and add extra mileage (up to your current distance) elsewhere.

I find the RR MARATHON clinics #1 somewhat short, and #2 they start from a fairly modest base. They err slightly on the low side of mileage (which makes sense given #1 and 2), they build a little faster than ideal to try and expose people to 30+k runs. Since you have the luxery of a bigger base I'd smooth that out with a slower build from a higher base, even on a 1/2 clinic.

I'm not sure anyone would sign up for a 30 week marathon course, but that is about the minimum to build up sensibly from 10k long runs to 32ish. IMHO half marathon training should include some 22-23k runs, if the object is to RACE 21.1k . To "complete", one obviously doesn't have to train as high. I think the marathon training would start out OK, but I suspect if you did the training it would get hard and you propbably would end up running a marathon :lol:

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scrumhalfgirl
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Postby scrumhalfgirl » Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:14 pm

I did the RR clinic before my first half marathon (and before I realized I much prefer running on my own most of the time). I found that some of the runs at the beginning were too short to be "worth" the extra time and effort to go to the RR. I took the "add on" approach with some of the runs, especially in the first couple of weeks.
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a-slow-5
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Postby a-slow-5 » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:09 pm

When I did my first 1/2M clinic, I ran on my own until the clinic hit 12K. It was a winter clinic so I did most of them on the t/m at the gym after we did our clinic talk. I figured it was time to get off the t/m at about 12K and get in to the group element. I picked a good time to jump in as the weather was starting to clear and warm at the same time.
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Jwolf
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Postby Jwolf » Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:29 am

You're right that the clinic days might not be true tempo runs, but if you find a faster group you might be ok. On Wednesdays and Sundays you can run with any group, not just your clinic. (On Wendesdays at most stores there is group doing 10K.) You could always do the 7-10K runs with the clinic on Sunday and then a longer run on your own if you want (or add some mileage afterwards or before). The clinic night also provides the speakers and the group environment. If you don't want that, you might be better off in a Personal Best clinic (a night of speed work or hills, and the particiants join in with whatever Wednesday and Sunday runs that they want). Note that the Wendesday and Sunday runs are open for anyone whether or not you're a member of the clinic. Whatever you do, I wouldn't drop your mileage now to match the clinic mileage.
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Andes
Johnny Miles
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Postby Andes » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:09 pm

So, based on the feedback, I think that I will stick with the clinic and see how I like it. I will do the group long runs on Sunday and then add on mileage where I feel the need to. I think that like scrumhalfgirl I will find at first that it doesn't feel "worth it" to drive to the store for some of the shorter runs on the clinic night, but hopefully I'll find some speedy people to chase, which will make me glad the runs aren't any longer :D .

Quick question - how do the clinic nights normally work? You meet in the store, listen to a speaker for a few minutes, and then head out for the run after that? Do they give out maps of where to run, or does everyone stay close enough together that you can't get lost? I don't wear my glasses when I run, so if anyone can get lost after stopping to tie a shoelace, it's me :roll:

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MichaelMc
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Postby MichaelMc » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:21 pm

Usually you meet, listen for a while (more than a few minutes), do the run together (but with various pace groups), then come back stretch etc. I found the clinics a very nice way to get into/improve my running: lots of info exchanged, many nice runners met.

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Postby BJH » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:21 pm

Andes wrote:Quick question - how do the clinic nights normally work? You meet in the store, listen to a speaker for a few minutes, and then head out for the run after that? Do they give out maps of where to run, or does everyone stay close enough together that you can't get lost? I don't wear my glasses when I run, so if anyone can get lost after stopping to tie a shoelace, it's me :roll:


It's been a while since I took a clinic, but when I did take them, the talk was usually about 30 minutes, run after that.

You should receive a map. Paces vary enough that it is not practical for everyone to stay together for anything other than a short warmup run to a loop or hill where repeats will be run.
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bnn
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Postby bnn » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:53 pm

I've never seen a map :shock: and I've been dropped on the occasional group run. So - ask where you're going!

In my current clinic I'm group leading the back of the pack. I get to sweep so that means no one gets lost (unless I do). But for clinic nights we do an out and back after about, yah, 30 minutes of talk.
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Jwolf
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Postby Jwolf » Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:57 pm

At the store I go to, there are no maps, but instead a short description of the route. Sometimes a map might be posted or sent in an email.

There should be enough people that you'll run with at least a small group, if not close to a pace group leader.

I should also say that none of the half-marathon clinics I've been in or group-led have actually led runs as short as 3K, even if that's what the early weeks of the clinic say. The shortest was 5K.
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