goofy challenge

many people are searching for tips on training for the goofy challenge, and i can understand why. after i registered for the goofy i wondered how in the world would i train for such a feat. running a half and full marathon in the same weekend is a daunting task!

googling for training plans was unsuccessful, so i created my own training plan for the 2009 goofy challenge.

after deciding on how long the plan was going to be (20 weeks), i figured out what my max mileage would be (mid-upper 50's) and calculated the weekly mileage using the 10% rule with a cutback week every 3-4 weeks. i then filled in each week to add up to the weekly total following some basic guidelines i set for myself and my abilities:

• monday - short and easy (3-5 miles)
• tuesday - tempo runs (6-9 miles)
• wednesday - easy run, about an hour (6-9 miles)
• thursday - speed work (800's or mile repeats)
• friday - off day, could cross-train (usually yoga)
• saturday - 'short' long run with some goal marathon pace ("mp") miles (6-10 miles)
• sunday - long run, extra easy pace (10-20 miles)

because the goofy requires running two long runs back-to-back, i wanted to practice that as much as possible throughout training with long runs on saturdays and sundays.

**disclaimer** this was my plan and although it worked well for me (1:34 half / 4:04 full), all training plans should be adapted to suit your abilities and lifestyle... i take no responsibility for anyone who chooses to take this plan and tweak it into their own.

my original plan

as with most things in life, you can't follow every plan perfectly. i also had too much scheduled speed work and not enough recovery. my actual plan reflects these realistic changes that were made day-to-day depending on how i felt:

my actual training (click to enlarge)

as for my personal goofy experience - it was awesome! you can read the full recap here, including my summary of training, the half marathon race report, full marathon race report, after-thoughts of the weekend, and even the mundane details of each week.

if you decide to tackle the goofy challenge, good luck! feel free to comment or email with any questions.