If you think the suit fits….tailor it.

If you think the suit fits….tailor it.

It is a rarity that you can go into a clothing store put on an outfit and it fit perfectly.  That is why for tailors will always be around. I guess you can comprise and convince yourself that it fits, even though it’s a little short there a little tug there…

I have found the same goes for training plans. Although, there are multitudes of training plans (http://www.halhigdon.com/, http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/marathon.html and http://www.waddle-on.com/), apps (http://mashable.com/2010/02/23/iphone-apps-runners/), and schedules…none of them fit me exactly. So I tailor them. Most have a day off that doesn’t fit my schedule or have a long run when I’m doing something else.

It is to ok make it your own plan. Use the best of those plans to custom fit it to you. I don’t run on Fridays…I like to do my long runs…Every now and then I miss a workout…life happens. It might be a different story if I was a pro, relying on the income. But since my running and cycling and soon to be core body workouts are for me to maintain a healthier body, I’m not as worried about.

Couple rules I use for both running and biking.

1)      If you training for a race make sure that by the time you run it your total distance run in a week equals twice the distance you are racing at (i.e. 10K race you should be running at least 12 miles is a week for Marathon you should be able to get to 50 miles).

2)      Try to mix it up. Short, long , that have hills, that have you do some sprinting, and that simulate the race pace .

3)      But if all else fails just remember, at least you are out there. "If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." John "the Penguin" Bingham

Here is my training schedule for the Marine Corps Marathon…its tailored for me. A lot of nips and tucks…

Week	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
9-Jul	Easy 6M	Hills	Easy 6M	Easy 6/ Bike 45 Min	Rest	LR=12M	Short Bike 60Min
		DT=6M
16-Jul	Easy 5M	Hills	Easy 6M	Easy 7/Bike 45 Min	Rest	LR=14M	Long Bike >60
		DT=8M
23-Jul	Easy 8M		Parvilla TT	Easy 6M	Rest	LR=12M
		Hills
		DT=8M					Long Bike >60
30-Jul	Easy 6M	Easy 8M	Easy 6M		Rest	LR=7M	Long Bike >75
				6 M Race pace
				Bike Hard 45 min
6-Aug	Easy 8M		Easy 6M	Easy 5/No Bike	Rest	Ben Moore Half  Marathon	Easy Bike <60
		Hills
		DT=8M
13-Aug	Easy 8M	Hills	Easy 6M	Easy 7/Bike 45 min	Rest	ABRT Church Creek Time Trial
		DT=8M					Easy 4M
20-Aug	Easy 8M	Hills Easy 8M	Easy 6M		Rest	Rest	A10M
				Easy 4M/No Bike
27-Aug	Ireland		Ireland	Ireland	Ireland	Ireland	Ireland
		Ireland
3-Sep	Ireland		Ireland	Ireland	Easy 4M	LR 12M	Long Bike> 60
		Ireland
10-Sep	Easy 6M		Devil Dog 7K	Easy 6/ Bike 45 min	Rest	Rest
		Hills
		Easy 6M					Navy Half Marathon/ 5M
17-Sep		8M	Easy 6M	Easy 8/Bike 45 min	Rest	LR 14M	Long Bike > 75
	Rest
24-Sep	Easy 6M		Parvilla TT	8M	Rest	LR 20M	Long Bike>90
		Hills
		DT=8M
1-Oct	Easy 8M	8M	Long Hills	Easy 8/Bike 45 min	Rest	Osprey Tri	@ Race Pace
			Hard				DT=15M
			DT=8M
8-Oct	Intervals	Rest		Easy 4M/No Bike	Rest	Hagerstown Du	Rest
	3x1
	@10K pace
	DT=6M		8M
15-Oct	Easy 5M	Easy 6M	Semper Fit 5K	Intervals	Rest	LR 10 M	Short Easy Pace Bike <60
				3 x1
				@5K pace
				DT=6M
22-Oct	Easy 3M	Easy 3 x1	Easy 3M	Easy 3M/ No Bike	Rest	Rest	MCM
		DT=4M					MCM 10K