RunAgain ambassador Lauren Høivik is now halfway in her half marathon training with running world champion and coach Ingrid Kristiansen. Check out this update and tips!
11-Week update! by Lauren Høivik
11 weeks of training done. 11 to go! It's been a steady climb and I'm feeling stronger every week. Not big on stats but I thought it would be fun to check. Turns out I am now running more than twice the mileage I ran before, but feeling better!
I used to get injured every time I bumped up my mileage (even gradually) but old injuries are not popping up! Why? Read on…
ALL TIME HIGH
Due to various injuries the past 3 years, and running too hard (which I didn't realize I was doing!) I was averaging around 2 hours a week (15-20k). And I truly felt I was just built that way. Higher mileage was not for me.
But after only 4 weeks on Ingrid's plan I doubled that! Then I hit a high of about 5.5 hours of running in week 6 (about 50k!). I can run 35-40k every week now and it feels good. I'm really amazed.
It has built up gradually and safely, following Ingrid's plan. Before, I was running less but my legs felt heavy on about 2 out of 3 runs. Actually wondered if something was wrong with me.
Now I am still running 3 times a week but double the duration. I do not feel burned out after a run anymore. Quite the opposite. Now running energizes me. Heart rate, heart rate, heart rate.
RUNNING IS FOR EVERYONE
Before I thought .. why can others do it and I can't? And now I realize… if I can do it, anyone can!
Lesson learned: Hold focus, trust the process and never give up. And so important: don't compare yourself to others. But DO learn from others!
So far the most important thing I have learned is that running based on heart rate is key for my growth.
I am a middle-of-the-pack runner with zero running history from my youth. I chose sports that involved NO running in my childhood actually!
Ingrid asked me in our first meeting “How long have you been running” and I answered “Six years” and she replied “OK, so not that long” and I thought oh! I felt it was a long time!
You have to start from where you are and build gradually. Hurrying the process only leads to frustration and maybe injury. I am 44 years old. Injuries will happen, but reducing the likelihood means I get to run more. So, yes PLEASE to that. And though it takes time to reach the big goals, incremental results come pretty quickly!
How to get started following heart rate? You need to know your heart rate zones. Ingrid's threshold test achieves that. And you need a heart rate monitor strap (not just a wrist watch with built-in monitor). Keep most of your mileage in your “easy” zone, a little bit in “moderate” and a little bit at threshold. Work hard to follow that and watch the magic happen!
Check in next time for mental strength insights & interval tips!