race versus run

So I while back I mentioned that I have been thinking about the 13.1 Run plan versus the 13.1 Race plan. I have now done both and thought I’d offer these reflections in the event they are helpful to anyone at all. Just my opinion – I’m totally interested to hear from others who have done both plans or are considering another TLAM cycle with a different plan.

Last winter I completed the 13.1 Traditional Run plan for my first half marathon. I have been running for more than 15 years and had a pretty good base. I run track intervals once a week but most often didn’t do a long run longer than 10 km. The training cycle was textbook. I nailed every workout, was ridiculously proud of myself every weekend when I ran further than I had ever run before and felt myself getting stronger and leaner. I struggled a bit to fit that mid-week medium run in but shifted my work schedule every week and somehow made it work. I sailed through those weeks injury free and ended the winter with an awesome race and a goal time achieved.

I absolutely couldn’t recommend the experience enough and told everyone who asked about AMR and TLAM. The only thing that niggled on my brain was that I did the run plan and not the race plan. Writing that now is clearly ridiculous. It was my first half. It went well. But there was something about the race plan that felt stronger, faster, shinier, cooler…

This year I really wanted to have the same (or similar) awesome experience and so I signed up for 13.1 Race. Less than a week into the plan I knew it wasn’t going to be the dream cycle of last year. An injury that had been hanging around for a couple of weeks got more persistent and when I couldn’t ignore it, I headed to the doctor and then the physiotherapist. I was totally relieved to learn it was *just* shin splints and not a stress fracture.

The PT recommended I keep training for my goal race, let go of my time goal and dial back the mileage – subbing for cross training some of the time – until the pain before, during and after running went away. I did a really great job of consistently doing my PT exercises alongside the pre-hab exercises and SSSCs and a really bad job at letting go of my time goal and of dialling back my mileage. At one point Dimity even sent me an email or fb message letting me know I could move to the Run plan if that was the best thing for managing my injury. I just couldn’t give up the idea that the Race plan was where I should be.

And so I slogged on.

The interval, hill and circuit run workouts were very do-able. The long runs all felt incredibly slow and sloggy. I often did 2-3 miles less than the plan said because I could hear the voice of my PT in my head as I carried on. He would have recommended 10km – the plan would say 20km so I’d do 16km as a “compromise” for example. And I didn’t once complete the middle race pace distances or the strong finish – my legs just couldn’t push when they were tired – and I was always worried that if I quickened my pace the pain in my shins would get worse or I would injury myself more.

The tempo runs were similar. Early on, I nailed them – probably running too fast but pushing the pace for the noted distance. As the length of the tempo runs increased I couldn’t get up to or sustain the speed. My pace jumped all over the place, I couldn’t settle in and every day brought a new twinge or niggle in my leg. When I look back on my strava records I think I titled one tempo run something other than “Ugh. Sloggity slog slog slog.”

So here’s my take –

Choose the Run 13.1 plan if –

• It’s your first half marathon. Full stop.
• You haven’t played with pace a lot – if you can’t easily rhyme off your tempo / race / easy / 5K pace – you may not reap the benefit of this plan.
• You like straight-up, honest, simple plans that work.
• You are injured or injury-prone.

Choose the Race 13.1 plan if –

• You have run multiple marathons. The race plan requires you to do many (like 4-5) long runs at or above 13 miles. This will be no biggie if you’ve done longer mileage.
• You have run multiple half marathons and have realistic time goals. This plan focuses on speed and will therefore help you achieve a PB (if you set one that is realistic!)
• You know your paces and want to get better at a variety of workouts.
• You are going to stick to the plan. To get the most out of this plan, you have to commit to it. One workout builds on the other and if you pick and choose what you get done, you are basically doing the Run plan and should start there.

It’s hard to regret training for 16 weeks, hanging with amazing BAMRS and completing a TLAM plan. I ran a really solid race and came within two minutes of a PB. I kept moving through a small-ish injury and got leaner and stronger. But I do *kinda* regret not moving to the Run plan so that I can truly say I nailed all those workouts and earned every sticker on my chart. We’ll see what I choose next time!