Thursday, May 03, 2007

IN THE END, I DO IT MY OWN WAY...

I must read a zillion training plans in books, magazines, and on websites.

I bookmark them. My books are full of ribbons and Post-It notes.My "
Favorites" sidebar has folders within folders within folders. I Xerox them. I write them down. I copy them onto spreadsheets in Microsoft Works.

I save the paper ones in my paper files, one of those fancy-schmancy two-tone vinyl expandable deals with umpteen separate filing compartments and an external buckle and carrying handle.

I save the downloaded and spreadsheeted ones in a gajillion separate folders in a master folder in "
My Documents" called "Ellie's Stuff."

Within "Ellie's Stuff" I have:

  • Running Stuff
  • Training Stuff
  • Marathon Stuff
  • Triathlon Stuff
  • Bike Stuff
  • Swimming Stuff
  • Ironman Stuff
  • Ultramarathon Stuff
  • Food Stuff
  • Other People's Stuff (stuff others have posted somewhere that I've copied to my own files)
  • Just Stuff (stuff that's relevant but doesn't fit exactly into any of the other stuff)

I save all this stuff, because I'm going to refer to it as I train according to all of it.

And then I do my own thing anyway.

For instance:

Nowhere have I found a suggestion to run 10 miles every other day, then just double that on the appointed day for a 20-miler. It takes so much less space, on paper (like, none), in my computer, and in my mind, than the M-T-W-T-F-S-S plans that go 6-4-XT-8-rest-10-rest , over which I've labored on paper, in Works, on the road, and in my head.

The 10+ (actually more like 10.5) miles every other day has been working gorgeously for me. Today we'll see what doubling it does.

I'm formulating my own plan as I go along, writing it as I accomplish it. Kind of like my life.

6 comments:

Dr. Iron TriFeist :) said...

You always excel when you find your own way. Good luck on this part of your journey!

Flo said...

I do the same thing!! I have a thousand plans for a thousand different events. I keep them everywhere. I study them, tweak them, fit them into my schedule, then do what I want to .

I think it works better if you find what works for you. I'm trying to not be so obsessive about planning, develop a general plan and then day by day fill in the details.

Linda said...

I do the same thing but with cookbooks. I buy them, read them and save them but never really "use" them.

ShirleyPerly said...

I too do the very same thing! I try to base my training on existing programs but they don't ever seem to allow for running 4-5 marathons a year ;-)

ShirleyPerly said...

PS - Hope you don't mind that I've copied your idea of having a US Map with the states you've completed colored in.

Holly said...

Sometimes the best plan is the one that you can embrace as your own! Keep up the good work Ellie!