Park Run, Long Run, Club Running. Help!!!

Hi all, I'm due to take part in the Cambridge Half Marathon on the 3rd of March (which gives me 9 weeks to train if my maths are correct!). I'm currently running around 16 miles a week so need to up my mileage considerably.

I love taking part in park run on a Saturday & use this as my tempo session for the week (with a half mile warm up/cool down at easy pace either side), I then follow this up with my 'Long Run' on a Sunday, which is currently only 5-6 miles (this will increase to a peak of 12 miles over the coming weeks). Sounds so good so far? Hopefully! :). However,to throw a spanner in the works just before Xmas I joined the local running club & they annoyingly meet on a Monday night & do the usual running club speed work (200's, 400's 800's etc).

I love all 3 of these 'sessions' and don't want to drop any of them. I've toyed with the idea of placing my long run halfway through the week, however as my mileage increases, due to time constraints, I can't see this being possible. My forth running day is simply an easy run & I plan to add a 5th easy running day into my programme over the next few weeks.

My question is does anybody on here have a similar schedule where they have 3 sessions on consecutive days? I know that in an ideal world this wouldn't be the case, but is doing so a recipe for disaster or is it manageable?

I dearly love park run & the social aspect it brings & really don't want to drop it to do a tempo session on another day, time constraints dictate my long run has to be on a Sunday, and my club are just a pain in the bum and hold their session on the wrong day!! :wink:


In addition, I wonder if people could give me some advice on pacing.

5k PB- 21:29
10k PB- 47: 18

Easy Running Pace: 10:30-11 m/mile
Tempo Pace- 7:42 m/mile

I'm concerned my tempo & easy pace are too far apart. I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are?
I run my easy pace based on heart rate & try to stay at around 150bpm.
My current tempo pace is dictated by Jack Daniels VDOT tables.

Many thanks in advance!!

Comments

  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    You can still do your parkrun if it's so important to you, just don't race it.   You could even incorporate it in your long run, then rest Sunday and club session on Monday.   

    Re training paces, RW calculator here https://www.runnersworld.co.uk/rws-training-pace-calculator
  • Agree with above - I quite often incorporate parkruns into my long runs while marathon training. There is a parkrun 9 miles away from me, so I have been known to run there, do the parkrun (slowly) and then run home. This gets all the social benefits of the parkrun but gets the miles in as well. If you do the extra miles before the parkrun then you can run the parkrun at any speed you like. If you do the parkrun first then there's a danger of running too fast and suffering on the later miles.

    Three sessions on three days is a bit much, particularly if the middle one is a longer run which is likely to leave you run down and tired. Recovery will be more important the next day than training.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    It's a shame when clubs hold their session night on a Monday as so many now do parkrun Saturday and the staple long run on a sunday.

    Definitely follow the above and don't try and do all 3 as you will get injured as you up the mileage.

    Whilst the tables are a good guide, easy pace should ideally be what feels easy on the day. On Tuesday easy came out at 8.45 for me and then last night 8.15mm. My tempo pace is around 6.20 if that helps.

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    Monday is a stupid day to pick for intervals.  Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is much better.
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    JGav said:
    Monday is a stupid day to pick for intervals.  Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is much better.
    It might be the only night the club can use the facilities and/or the coaches are available.
  • Thanks for all of the feedback guys, I've taken in on-board! Today I ran just shy of 3 miles to park run, slowed down my park run to 9 min/mile pace & then added another mile on the end to total 7 for my long run of the week. Sunday will now be a rest day, with my interval session taking place on Monday.

    Thanks for the timings DT19. That's made me feel a bit better about my easy day pace now :)
  • SHADESSHADES ✭✭✭✭
    That's great, now you can enjoy your rest day tomorrow and be fresh for Monday's club session.
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