For those currently training for Spring Marathons: How much training over Xmas?

Pisco Sour

I'm wondering what sort of training are people doing over the Christmas period? For me there will be so many drinking sessions to attend, and so it will be hard to fit in many training sessions (as I dont like to run when hungover), so my frequency of training will be a lot less than usual. I expect an easy few weeks. Will it be hard to continue on then from where I left off after the holiday period? I've ran 11 miles LSR recently. Is it a case of continueing where I left off after Christmas and run 12 miles or will it take longer to get back to that level?

How does the Christmas period affect all of you?

Woddle

For me xmas will be much the same as I'm doing now but I'm not much of a drinker and doubt I'll be going out very much, I always enjoy getting out for a little run xmas morning, having the streets to yourself and also a race on new years day for xtra motivation.

But if you do like your beers and plan on going mad, well then do, I reckon after the holiday period it might take you a week or 2 to get back in to the groove, for me though that would be 2 weeks of xmas holidays followed by 2 more weeks of getting back into the groove and with Rotterdam only around the corner, well thats 4 weeks I can't afford to waste.

I suppose it comes down to your goals and how you prioritise running with the rest of lifes enjoyments.

RacoonQueen

I'll be the same as woddle only I've no kids so I'll have even more time. At home my dad will be working christmas day, mum will be at mass and visiting some of our elderly neighbours, my brother will be sitting round looking grumpy so I'm kinda planning a long run, hoping for one anyway. With little traffic on the roads I should get a good time in as I won't have to wait at traffic lights.

Be lots of spare time for me to run over christmas so I can't wait for extra training time when the relatives aren't around.

robinph

Damn it, I guess I now have to go out twice on Christmas day then?

My training plan, such that I have one, will not be too effected by beer related goings on I don't think. I'm more likely to be messed up by airports, and long drives than anything else over the next couple of weeks. Most likely thing to disrupt any training would be if I manage to go skiing between now and the beginning of April, but I think I may actually have to miss this northern hemisphere season this year.

Slogger Jogger

I intend squeezing in as much running as I can over Christmas / the new year, weather permitting. If I overdo it one evening on the wine, the next morning it'll be a long run to sweat it out. Last year I did long hill runs at the same time of year and it set me up nicely for the new year. So I'm hoping for the same this time around.

connie_c

Another one here looking forward to lots of time to run. Im training for connemara. I work in retail so as soon as xmas hits Ill suddenly have lots of time to run. I like a drink but hangovers never put me off once I have a few pints of water early. My tip is set your alarm for early, drink, go back to sleep. I was thinking of running to my aunts house where im having xmas dinner. 7 miles = no guilt. Get my Family to bring my clothes. I may chicken out of this on the day.

meathcountysec

robinph wrote: »

Damn it, I guess I now have to go out twice on Christmas day then?

Only twice?:D

Peckham

Next week is the first week of my structured training plan for London. It's a pretty normal week mileage wise, so not much extra training to usual...however having 10 days off work means training is much easier to fit in around partying etc. This week and early next week are more problematic as it's jugging work, training and too many social events. From Christmas Eve on, work is dropped from that equation.

+1 for the Christmas morning run, can't beat it and sets you up nicely for a "guilt free" day!

dna_leri

connie_c wrote: »

My tip is set your alarm for early, drink, go back to sleep. .

That's a great way of getting in your alcohol quota... must try it.

I usually prefer an evening run when the hangover has worn off and then you can be ready for the excesses of the next night.

The Rook

Don't plan on letting the festivities & late nights impact on the training really. This week for example i'm out at various things each night straight after work so instead of running in the evening I'm up early each morning to get the runs in before I go to work. Life shifts around but running happens regardless! Having said that I don't drink and have no kis so I'm in a bit of a different position to many ...

Krusty_Clown

I did 10 hungover miles in my santa hat on Christmas day last year, and it was magic. The family usually tries to get out for a walk/hike to break the chocolate/TV cycle, so I may go out for my run and meet them at the top of the local hill. I'm cooking for 15 this year though, so it'll be a struggle.

Have already started my marathon program, so the plan is to hit every mile in the program, and do some more on top. I may have to juggle the training days due to commitments, but otherwise business as usual. I am taking off a week to go skiing in January, but started the program a week early to compensate. I hope Santa brings lots of warm layers.

shels4ever

Will be doing more training over the christmas then I have been, will have some time off work so what better way to spend it.

How Strange

Hopefully I'll be back running by then If so I'll try to get out as often as possible. I don't expect to be drinking too much and my socialising will be meeting up with friends for dinner so I'll be keeping up my normal schedule.
I'm working from 29th - 31st so it will be business as usual from then until 1st when I expect I'll be temporarily a little worse for wear.

I actually enjoy getting out for a run because it balances out the over eating.

--amadeus--

I'm away over Xmas (23 - 28th in a nice hotel in Donegal; no cooking, only the briefest contact with relatives, limited rubbish TV, top quality pool and gym and lots for teh kiddies to do ). I don't think I'll hit every session planned for teh week (I suspect the LSR will bite teh dust, bit selfish to go away and then go running alone for 2 hours) but I'll hit most of them.

OP - you're a long way off the race yet so any impact from Xmas will soon be worked off but I suppose the generic advice would be not to do the dog and do as many sessions as you can.

RubyK

I'm hoping to up the miles over Christmas (apart from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). It's just the two of us, and the dog, so plenty of time to get out on the roads.

It'll balance out the over indulgent evenings/nights

tunney

Over Christmas? Cold weather training camp!! As much riding and running and swimming as I can fit in.

To be honest Christmas is not an excuse of extremes of excess - food or alcohol - for two weeks.

TheRoadRunner

I'll train as normal and if anything I will probably throw an extra few miles in. I do have a few extra beers during the Christmas period but nothing too excessive. May even try to do the odd race but won't be taking them too serious, just a chance to get out the door and an excuse the skip the extra serving of turkey and ham Christmas day.

Racing Flat

OP while it's probably obvious that training away as normal would be the best thing to do, I don't know if anyone should force this. In my experience if you force your way out to train when you'd rather not, it can get a bit demotivating. The time may well come when you want to train as normal over Christmas, but if you are not in that place yet, I wouldn't force it, it shouldn't be a chore.

Personally I don't train too well when I've too much time on my hands - if I don't get the session out of the way first thing I'm not too keen to do it, whereas when working I've no problem getting out before and after work. To try and imrpove the chances of keeping the finger on the pulse when I was less committed, I used to pencil in a race on Stephen's Day and/or New Years Day - I used to find an upcoming race was always good motivation to get out training when there may have been other temptations.

gerard65

tunney wrote: »

To be honest Christmas is not an excuse of extremes of excess - food or alcohol - for two weeks.

Yes it is:D

Stupid_Private

My aim will be to try get any training I have to do done first thing in the morning. That way I won't have training hanging over me for the rest of the day. If I don't manage to get out first thing then so be it - a day missed here and there over Christmas won't change much.

Figuring out how to race on New Years day though - now there's a tough one!

mloc123

Christmas week is my base2 peak week... so thats 11-12 hours for me, which is good I guess as I will have loads of free time to get the hours in. Need to plan it carefully tho as I'll be away for a few days with no pool access.

RedB

Training starts w/c 28/12 for the Limerick Marathon (Does May 2nd count as a Spring Marathon?) so what happens between now and then is between me, my liver and my sweet tooth .
Extreeeeeme Carbo Loading anyone?

johnocllk

I was just wondering is runireland.com the best running site in Ireland with regards to forums, info and running gear??

mloc123

johnocllk wrote: »

I was just wondering is runireland.com the best running site in Ireland with regards to forums, info and running gear??

Probably yeah... maybe you should take yourself over there instead

--amadeus--

johnocllk wrote: »

I was just wondering is runireland.com the best running site in Ireland with regards to forums, info and running gear??

:eek:

As if!

As it happens myself and HM know the guys behind Run Ireland (indeed one of them is an occasional poster here) so I know that this isn't a shilling post. It is though very off topic for this thread so we'll leave discussion of that for another place.

RacoonQueen

tunney wrote: »

Over Christmas? Cold weather training camp!! As much riding and running and swimming as I can fit in.

To be honest Christmas is not an excuse of extremes of excess - food or alcohol - for two weeks.

Same here, I get sneered at in work for this very attitude. I'm sorry for favouring something I enjoy over getting hammered. :rolleyes:

aero2k

tunney wrote: »

To be honest Christmas is not an excuse of extremes of excess - food or alcohol or running- for two weeks.

FYP!
I did a rough draft of my program for Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago, and 25th Dec was just another Friday. As many others have said, it is lovely to run that day, so I'll be doing 45-60 min in the park. The only concession I made to the season was a bit of juggling to fit in the Tom Brennan 5k - Fridays are usually easy days for me.
Oh, I do love beer, cake, chocolate, biscuits, wine, stuffing..but lately it seems that I love running even more.
To answer the OP, behave in a way that's aligned with the outcomes you desire: in other words if you desire hangovers, then drink loads of alcohol, if you want to run fast then train properly and look after your body. If you want both of the above then you'll find a conflict and you'll have to work out how best to resolve that yourself.:)

Nialloooo

this may sound weird, but i actually dont mind running when im hungover, after the first few miles you dont really notice it any more, my girlfriend hates seening me leave when im hungover, she says that i always say ill b back in 40 mins and usually dissapper for 1.30hrs.. i have a treasure hunt on stevens morning for her sailing club so that will be lsr sorted, not ideal but nice sea air cant beat it, xmas morning ill be outn the bike for a little while and then the short 3 miles to mams for the dinner, cant wait

BeepBeep67

tunney wrote: »

Over Christmas? Cold weather training camp!! As much riding and running and swimming as I can fit in.

Nice to spend some quality time with the loved ones over the holiday period!

BeepBeep67

God willing I'll run everyday except Christmas day, mainly mileage and hopefully a trot and pint in Greystones with a few boardies and a trip round the Annacurra trails with Slogger. Plus I've been informed I'm Mr MC for the Djouce run on the 28th so pop up for a laugh!

watch the hop

New poster here -
Agree entirely with mloc123 - Christmas holidays a great time for base building

those who sneer will do so even when we run in the heat of summer (or what passes for it in Ireland) and no explanation will ever suffice!

chinguetti

The plan is to do some speed work mainly and a couple of 5/6 miles run to get the base level back up before i start targetting Edinburgh. I've a fair bit of driving to do over the hols and a bit of meeting people so the long runs will wait until January.

My work goes mental leading up to christmas (year end) so no time for real training, just to try and keep ticking over.

size5

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Nice to spend some quality time with the loved ones over the holiday period!

Unless its a week with the inlaws;)
My xmas training won't kick in till I head up to them for the 5 days

Running Bing

Cant feckin wait...I'll finally have the time to relax and get some quality running in at my leisure instead of fitting it in everywhere around work and lectures. Having said that I will eat like a small horse as there's just too much good food to pass up. Its one of the few weeks of the year where I just dont pay attention to what I eat.

Still debating whether to do the goal mile on Christmas day.

Pisco Sour

Very interesting replies.

I think what I'm going to do is just train on an ad-hoc basis rather than trying to stick to 3 runs a week. Its a busy time of year and it seems like theres millions of people to meet etc. I've built myself up to 11 miles LSR so I plan to get one 12 miler in over the next couple of weeks, but besides that it will just be 4 milers all the way.

village runner

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I'll be the same as woddle only I've no kids so I'll have even more time. At home my dad will be working christmas day, mum will be at mass and visiting some of our elderly neighbours, my brother will be sitting round looking grumpy so I'm kinda planning a long run, hoping for one anyway. With little traffic on the roads I should get a good time in as I won't have to wait at traffic lights.

Be lots of spare time for me to run over christmas so I can't wait for extra training time when the relatives aren't around.

i did 18 last xmas day and 20 new years day.

theboyblunder

the goal mile on christmas day.

Has to be done. Nothing like nearly getting sick at 10am to make sure you dont overindulge on the turkey

Abhainn

In Uk from 23rd to 28th and to keep focused managed to find a good 10k race on the 27th.
But it is pretty much the same as usual for me. Just a couple, of rest days with runs on the 24th and 26th to shake off the excesses. A long 20 miler planned around New Year Eve (sadly not around the mountains of Sligo this year) and a bike or two also.

misty floyd

Lots of training over xmas. Some unavoidable drinking sessions too. Looking forward to both.

DustyBin

For a change I've got longer holidays than Mrs DB, so hope to get in some good quality long cycles, and also a couple of brick sessions on these days.
Gotta remeber too that there have been DIY jobs stacking up for a while now so ...
For the rest of the holliers there will be nights out to go to, friends & family to visit, all the usual Christmas stuff. Not setting any specific training plans for Christmas but plan on tricking away and get out when I can. If Santy delivers some nice gear then I'll surely have to go out to test it?
Hope to hit the swimming lessons in good swim shape come January. (bigger belly will make me more buoyant I think?)

runforrest

so glad i checked in to boards tonight cross country race on sunday and i know i was going to down tools for week but reading the posts is encouraging me to get out early and run i have the motivation but conflicted with commitments but i am going to make the time thanks everyone:o