How They Train!
Felton Wright - September 2010
Age
How many years have you been running?
Lifetime personal records
- 5K - 15:34
- 5 Mile - 25:07
- 10K - 31:55
- Marathon - 2:34
Consider your training over the past 6 months to one year. How many miles a week do you typically run when not injured and consistently running?
What running events (sprints to ultra-distance) do you train for or what are your training goals?
- I want to run a marathon in all 50 states. I have completed over 40 marathons, but only 20 states.
What does your typical week of running look like?
- 5 running days 3 swimming days
- Monday - Swim workout - 3000 meters
- Tuesday - Intervals on a track - 3 miles of fast, intense repetitions interspersed with short rest periods; the repetitions vary each week and include combinations of distances from 400 to 1600 meters on the track; for example one workout is 3 times 1600 meters, another workout is 6 times 800 meters and another is 2 times 1200, 2 times 800, and 2 times 400 meters; 15-20 minutes of warm-up and cool-down running is included
- Wednesday - 9-10 miles; easy run
- Thursday - 9-10 miles or tempo run that is an easy run with either 20 minute pickups or hill repeats
- Friday - Swim workout 3000- 3500 meters
- Saturday - Long run 13-20 miles; easy pace
- Sunday - 10 miles and Pilates workout; for the long run, usually the first half is easy with the second half harder; I run with the Sunday morning Forest Meadows group until I get dropped.
How does your training vary over the course of a year?
- My long run gets longer when I am marathon training. I try to build up to 20 miles once a week for my long run when preparing for a marathon.
Do you take recovery or down time?
Do you peak for certain races?
- Yes, but it doesn’t seem to be working!
What time of the day do you normally run?
- I run in the early morning and usually get 7 hours of sleep at night.
What injuries have hampered your training over the past year?
- Broken toe, pulled hamstring, bone spurs on my heel.
Do you take any dietary or medical supplements?
What type of running shoes do you prefer?
- Nike Pegasus and race in Asics
Do you use weight training?
- Yes, once a week, mainly for the body core. I use abdominal machines, dumbbells, chest press, but no weights for my legs.
Do you stretch?
- Yes, I try to stretch daily using a rope.
What are your favorite running routes?
- Forest Meadows and Tom Brown Park
What running resources do you like that would benefit someone else?
If you have been running for many years, how has your training changed over the years?
- The pace has gotten slower. Now I don’t run every day or as far as I did when I was younger.
What examples can you give of specific training methods (for example, long slow distance, hill repeats, track intervals, trail running, etc.) that have produced results?
- Gary Droze’s Tuesday morning intervals.
What were the results?
- I am still waiting on them!
What advice do you have for beginning or experienced runners to help them with their training?
- Make the training fun! Find a group to run with! Tallahassee is blessed with many running groups of all different ability levels.