Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (F.I.R.S.T.) acolytes!

1 lurker | 118 watchers
Aug 2010
11:09am, 17 Aug 2010
10,321 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Can't share Word docs in here. I'll fmail you my email address (if that makes sense?!) and you could just email it across to me, perhaps?

I like yoga too (only the gentle stretching one, I found ashtanga too hard!) I didn't mind rowing in the gym, but again, anything more than 30 mins just seemed really boring!

Like Ultracat (hi UC *waves*!) I love to be out running anywhere, lots and often just slowly. But I'm not allowed to do that now :-( . Of course, another solution, instead of changing training regimes, would just be to change the bliddy physio!! :-)G
Aug 2010
11:12am, 17 Aug 2010
10,322 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
rduck - that's part of what I'm hoping to get advice on. That Mon: spin + core was exactly that - a hard 45 min spin class plus 15 mins abs at end. Brilliant fun! But marathon training includes lots and lots of aerobic training, and 45 mins of hard intervals isn't building aerobic base. 2 hours of steady running or biking might be. That's where I need the advice, I think! :-)G
Aug 2010
11:17am, 17 Aug 2010
88 posts
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Karen S
I forgot to add that I do try to fill in gaps between the 3 hard session with easy/recovery runs if time permits!
Aug 2010
11:29am, 17 Aug 2010
1,326 posts
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lunaman
Re. biking: I think I got it a bit wrong for the marathon plan (though for Halfs and 10ks it was fine), by not biking far enough - and I couldn't cope with more than 90 mins on the stationary bike - ugh! So the road biking was a nice surprise to me this summer - I'm still on a bog standard hybrid bike, so no super speeds, just time on pedal(?), but I can understand your fears Happy, ouch!

FWIW I blogged a bit about the difference in training for a standard marathon schedule and the Furman schedule this spring: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/blog_other.php?id=10866
Aug 2010
11:31am, 17 Aug 2010
10,323 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Karen, thanks for that document. Really useful.

I'm intrigued though - did you type this out from a book or did you download it from somewehere? If the latter was it the "First marathon training"? (Annoying acronym FIRST is their training name but in this case they mean "1st marathon" as in "never done a marathon before"!! WHich is confuserling!)

furman.edu

:-)G
Aug 2010
11:40am, 17 Aug 2010
89 posts
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Karen S
I downloaded this from the intranet, I can't remember specifically but I think I found it through a Runners World link?- it is the FIRST as in the Furman plan. It's just a coincidence that it's also my "first" marathon I'm training for....
Aug 2010
11:46am, 17 Aug 2010
90 posts
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Karen S
Just had a look and this is on runnersworld website under training/training plans/marathon training/3 day schedules

runnersworld.co.uk
Aug 2010
11:49am, 17 Aug 2010
10,324 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Luna - I'd forgotten how good that blog of yours was! Thanks for pointing me back to it. I could/should just have started there! Do you mind if I add a link to it in the thread header? It really is a great, practical analysis of a real world experience of using Furman training.

However, it's a bit scary - effectively you are saying that without a mahooosive amount of long, aerobic cross train, you won't get the endurance build up that is needed to run the marathon distance/time?

I will see what the book says, but for the novice marathon schedule it seems to imply that the cross training is incidental "Participants are also encouraged to cross-train for 40 to 45 minutes on two other days per week." Well, your experience shows that it should probably read, "Participants are also encouraged to do a hoooge amount of cycling, rowing or other mid intensity, mostly aerobic work per week in addition to this tiny, teeny amount of running" Or somethign!! :-)G
Aug 2010
11:56am, 17 Aug 2010
10,325 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Thanks for that Karen. Now, this is NOT directed at you, but... I HATE that article! It's the one that Grep posted as part of the Run Less, Run Faster thread. It's a terrible piece of journalism!

One para says, "... train less, run faster" claim backed up by the experiences of real runners who followed the programme and got results." But the very next paragraph explains that what really happened was: "when Bill Pierce and Scott Murr decided to enter a few triathlons way back in the mid-1980s. There was just one problem: they hit the wall when they added cycling and swimming to their running. The demands of three-sport training were too much, so they cut back their running from six days a week to four. To their surprise, they didn’t slow down in local road races."

Yes, but the point you've missed is that they were doing triathlons and doing massive swim and bike work! It then goes on to explain about their scientific study of 25 runners, 15 PB'd etc. I won't get into it, but where's the rest of the science? Control groups, other factors, what was their previous training like etc? Just for one example, what if the 15 who PB'd were all lazy ar*es and didn't train at all before? Arrrrrrgh! I hate bad science and I hate bad journalism.

Thanks for the link that Karen! :-)G
Aug 2010
12:00pm, 17 Aug 2010
3,503 posts
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runner duck
hg, i'm not sure i agree that you 'need' to do lots of long steady aerobic training. i certainly didn't, in fact i only managed to cross train twice a week and was more than ready aerobically for the challenges of the marathon - it was the gremlins that did me in on that first one :)

one thing i did used to do tho was a spin class then 5k on the rower then a swim. that was enjoyable and prob took 90mins to an hour.

and i think you can underestimate the aerobic benefits of intervals, they have a massive cv training effect and push the heart to work hard and supply oxygen to the muscles even when you're fatigued.

About This Thread

Maintained by Lalli
This thread is for those who are currently doing or want to do Furman type training, to share tips, log progress etc.

What is Furman? Simply, it's "Run 3 days, do non-running exercise for 2-3 other days". And that's it really!

Some links:
Furman home page: www2.furman.edu
Furman mara plan (you will need to copy and paste the link into your browser as this is a download document): www.wu.ece.ufl.edu/marathon%20training-first%20marathon.pdf
Runners World published version (another downloadable): www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/the...marathon-schedule/2493.html
Furman core/strength exercises: beginners.runnersworld.com
Furman cross training examples: www2.furman.edu

The book (other booksellers are available...! ) amazon.co.uk

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/blog-view.php?id=10866 - Link to lunaman's blog of his experiences of 2 marathons based on Furman. Really good read based on real-world.

My own (HappyG) marathon experience off back of 6 month's very-Furman training. Yes, it was a Peeb! http://www.fetcheveryone.com/blog-view.php?id=13263&y=2011&m=4#240604

And here's a nifty little pace calculator courtesy of lunaman: fellrnr.com

Upcoming target races...

March 2016
HappyG(rrr) - 20 March - Alloa Half

April 2016
GeologyRocks - 17 April - Brighton Marathon

FenlandRunner - 24 April - VMLM

Furman focus, will bring rewards.

(Pls let me (Lalli) know if you want to be added or removed from the side panel).
Good luck everyone!

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