It's almost race season! So that means it's time to start training!
This year I've signed up for a few 10-mile races. The 10 miler is my favorite distance to run and I'm so happy that more races are starting to offer that distance. There's just something about it that makes it the perfect length for me - its not too long, but it's also challenging and something I can train for.
I have two 10 mile races coming up this Spring and my plan is to use my Peloton Bike and Tread to train on. In this post, I'll share with you my race training plan and what I used to create it.
Table of Contents
Setting a Goal
The first thing I do when I'm getting ready to train for a race is to set a goal. This can be anything from finishing the race to finishing in a certain time. It's been a while since I've been able to race so for my first race this season my goal is to finish strong. To me, this means finishing feeling good at the end of the race. I'm not concerned with time at this moment because I really want to focus on just how I complete the race.
Since I'm just getting back into running after having my baby, I'm going to use a beginner training plan. I like to use Hal Higdon training plans as a base for miles and workout types each week, and then just tweak slightly based on my schedule each week.
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Using Peloton Classes for Race Training
Once I have a training plan, I'll plan out which runs I want to schedule on my training days. Since my goal for my race is to finish and not a time goal, my focus for my workouts each week is distance-based. As long as I hit the distance my training plan calls for that day I'm happy.
Low Miles
The beginning of the training plan is usually pretty low miles - 2-3 mile runs 2x a week, with a long run on the weekend (starting at 3 miles). In Peloton classes I know that generally in a 30-minute class I'll get to about 3 miles, 45 minutes is a little over 4 miles, and so on. So for a day that calls for a 2 mile run I'll schedule a 30 minute running class.
This is a personal preference, but I like to choose classes that I know I'll exceed the distance so I know I'll definitely hit the mileage goal. If I choose a class that it'll be close (like a 20 minute class for a 2 mile day) then it put extra pressure on me to run at a certain pace and possibly might make me not be able to follow along with the instructor (which I'll get more into this later on). I want to make sure my training runs are done comfortably and not too fast or intense.
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High Miles
When I get into longer runs that can't be done in a single class I get a little creative. Depending on the mileage, I could stack classes together to get to my goal distance or I could stack a few 10 minute "Extra Mile" runs.
The 10 minute "Extra Mile" runs are really great for getting in a little extra distance, or stacking to get a long run done. There really aren't many cues in them but you do still have the instructor and music to help distract. After warm up and cool down time the average pace in these classes is an 8 minute mile, but realistically you can use the whole time to get the mile done in.
Another option would be to not use an instructor at all and just run using the "Just Run" mode but for me, that gets a little boring. One time I ran a half marathon on my tread (in my pre-Peloton days) and really have no desire to repeat that. I'm not the type of person that can watch a TV show or listen to a podcast while working out - although at my gym for some reason I LOVED watching infomercials on kitchen gadgets. That got me through a ton of training runs. So random!
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Follow the Instructor Cues - Or Not?
Once I figure out the classes I want to take, it comes time to decide - am I actually going to follow the cues during the class or am I doing my own thing?
And it really depends.
I personally like to follow the cues of the instructors - in my mind, why take a class if I'm going to do my own thing? However, some cues I will skip if it's something that I don't need. For example, a walking break after a run period. I might not need the walking break and end up skipping it for a light jog.
I like following the cues because it gets me to do things in my running that I normally wouldn't - like hills and speedwork. On my own, I have a tendency to basically set it and forget it with my treadmill on 0 incline. Classes help me get in the extra work that I'll need for race day.
I've chatted with other runners about their strategy using the classes for training and it's come down to these options:
- Follow Class as Instructed
- Do your own thing - either the entire class or until you hit your mileage goal and then start following instructor cues afterward
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Using Peloton For Cross Training
For cross-training, I'm planning to use my Peloton bike. I like to do Power Zone rides because of how personalized the rides are. For cross-training days I don't want to go too hard on my legs so generally like to keep it in an endurance ride, with a TSS (training stress score - the higher the score the more intense the workouts are. I use Power Zone Pack's site to find each ride's TSS. ) lower than 40.
You could also use regular rides for cross-training, but I do recommend making the workouts a little easier. You don't want to burn out by doing too intense of a workout and then have your run suffer the next day.
I also use Peloton for strength training, stretching (the foam rolling classes are amazing for recovery!), and meditation. I'll usually add on a 15-20 minute strength class after a shorter run or ride.
Final Thoughts
I'm really excited for my upcoming race season and I know with my Peloton race plan I'll get into great shape for them. I hope this blog post has been helpful in how to use Peloton for racing!
[…] Related Post: How to Train for a Race with Peloton […]