Hi
Ir's 4:30 in the morning and another sleepless night. Just looking for some advice.
I've been with my partner for eight years and one thing that bought us together is the love of all things to do with cycling, running and swimming. She had ran several marathons before I had met het and had done a few triathlons .
Eight years on we both run, but we don't share the love and passion for it. We're both doing the Paris marathon, and we have a few smaller halves entered. I'm a strong believer in active recovery, cross training, core work but she's adamant that she won't do any as she has a RW marathon programme that does not tell her to do any of this and that RW is right and I'm wrong. She's not interested in any Parkruns or any races I may suggest. She dismisses everything I suggest, and she no longer cycles, or swims.
I feel we've partly got into this situation partly because of a RW marathon schedule.
It would be great to hear from the editor that there are benefits for cross training, active recovery, core work, gym work, proper nutrition ( she says she's old school and would rely on just water to do a marathon ) and what to do when a passion we once shared is tearing us apart.
Many thanks
Comments
Personally cross training is keeping me running, I know if I only ran sooner or later.i would be injured. Core work for me means half way through a long run I can keep going and run 'strong'. Swimming uses muscles in a totally different way, and I can be swimming and not pushing my CV system. Cycling to me means an enjoyable ride in wonderful country side and a workout at the same time.
When I last looked RW advocated cross training, certainly the magazine does.
Sorry can be no more help.
However, as your partner has run marathons previously then I think you should back off and let her train the way she wants too. We all choose how much or how little training we do. I have friends that run marathons with no training, even running, that's their choice.
I would guess there are underlying issues, to blame this on an RW schedule is ridiculous. Most other marathon training plans are for the running training only, that's the usual format.
I've been running marathons for 25 years and coaching marathon runners for over 15 years, I never advise a runner to swim or cycle as I would prefer them to run more, training should be sports specific. However, I do advise them that a Pilates or Yoga session plus a light weights gym/strengthening session once a week can be beneficial, more for injury prevention than anything else. But most don't do that as they don't have the time or are not interested, and it's their choice.
- you're getting a break from each other, and
- both maintaining the enthusiasm to get out the door.
You present as being a tad possessive/controlling. What are you like when you disagree about a meal or TV choice?!Many, many of the top coaches and teams advocate core training, Google some of the Tour de France winners routines!!!
I run a fair bit but I don't do any core, lifting, cross-training, etc even though I know it would be good for me. I just don't enjoy those things and I'd rather be out running, playing with my kids or relaxing with my wife.
You need to let it go. Sometime people need to make their own mistakes to learn. You are her partner, not her coach. If you can't happily let her do her own thing, that's your problem, not hers or RW.