No Excuse

New Fit You is a class specifically for those who have been sedentary. A fitness class that takes you from zero then safely progresses into a fit lifestyle. 

KB500 is a calorie burning, sweat inducing, punching, and kicking workout. 

Run For Your Life is training specifically for runners. Beginner or experienced there is a workout for you. 

With one-on-one sessions and other classes still to come, there is no excuse to not get started. Contact me today. 

Steven O'Nan

Franklinkungfu@gmail.com

270-776-6873

Individualized Training Plan

This training plan is for R.H.

First of all, for anyone, before starting, increasing, or changing a workout routine check with your doctor and make sure that it is OK for you and your current health levels.

Now for the plan.

To put it together, I had to gather information to find out where he was starting.
He has been training for a year and has completed three half marathons with times of 2:55, 2:47, and 2:48. He runs 2-3 days per week, running 3-5 miles per run. He also gets in a bicycle workout once per week. As far as intensity level on his runs he said he does not push himself, and so continues to get the same results.

I am a big fan of Jack Daniel's running formula, and utilize a modified version of it when making plans for runners. Especially for those that have come to running after the advantage of youth has past us by. I am in that category, by the way.

R.H. has been doing Yoga 2-3 times per week, and I think continuing that will be sufficient for strength training for the time being. I'd like him to continue his bike cross training as well.

I decided to keep the three runs per week formula as it is working for him so far. If he would like to, he can add a fourth run of 2-3 miles each week.

Throughout the plan, R.H. can pick which days of the week work best for his training. If there is soreness after a quality run or long run, the next day should be a rest/recovery day. Light running or light exercise is OK on recovery days.


Easy runs will be approximately 14 minute 35 seconds per mile.
Phase 1.

Week 1: week of Nov. 11: 
3 Mile easy run, 3 mile easy run, 5 mile easy run.

Week 2:
3 Easy, 3 Easy, 5 Easy

Week 3: (Thanksgiving week)
3E, 3E, 5E

Week 4:
3E, 3E, 5E,

Phase 2. Week of December 9th
Week 1.
3 mile easy run,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down, 4 repeats of 400 meters (or quarter mile) with a goal of running 400 m in 2:45, with a 400 m jog between each interval.
Long run 5 miles

Week 2.
3 mile easy run,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down, 4 repeats of 400 meters (or quarter mile) with a goal of running 400 m in 2:45, with a 400 m jog between each interval.
Long run 6 miles

Week 3. Easy week (Week of Christmas)
3 easy
3 easy
5 easy

Phase 3:
Week of Dec 30.
Week 1:
3 easy
Quality run 4 miles including 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down, 2 repeats of 800 meters in 5:30 with 800 meter rest between.
Long run 6 miles

Week 2.
3 easy
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 7 miles

Week 3.
3 easy
quality run 4 miles including 1 mile warm up, 1 mile cool down, 2 repeats of 800 meters in 5:30 with 800 meter rest between.
Long run 7 miles

Week of Jan 20 Easy/recovery week
3 easy, 3 easy, 5 easy

Week 5.
3 easy
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 8 miles

Phase 4.
Week of February 3.
Week one
3 easy,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 9 miles

Week two:
3 easy,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 10 miles

Week three:
3 easy,
Quality run 4 miles including 1 warmup, 1 cooldown with 2 miles at a pace of 12:00 per mile.
Long run 10 miles

Week of February 24th
Taper Week.
3 easy
3 easy with faster strides if it feels good
7 mile long run

Race week
3 easy
3 easy with strides if it feels good
Half Marathon race.

Good luck R.H.!!

How do I make a training plan?

An overview of a training plan for a runner. In this case it is my own. I started with my goal race, a 50k in mid-March and a starting point for the training plan, which was the Monday after the 10K Classic, October 21. 

Keeping in mind what I feel I need as a runner I planned a three week taper period before the race, then I divided the remaining weeks into four phases based on a modified version of the Daniel's running formula. The biggest differences being that I take an easy week every third week and I increase mileage steadily throughout the program

Phase one: Four weeks with running emphasis on easy runs and strength training emphasis on bodyweight exercises specifically picked to address my needs. 

Phase two: four weeks, running emphasis 1- running reps or intervals, 2- tempo runs. Strength emphasis: lifting high weight for low repetitions, again focusing on my specific needs. 

Phase three: Six weeks, running emphasis 1- intervals or 2- tempo. Strength emphasis continues high weight low rep. 

Phase four: 4 weeks running emphasis 1- tempo, or marathon pace runs, 2- tempo or long runs. Strength emphasis: plyometrics. 

Peak mileage is 58 miles in a week. This is less than a lot of runners do in a week for shorter distances than 50 K, but enough to get my body prepared to finish the race. 

After peak mileage I have a three week taper. It could be more than I need, but I would prefer to toe the line with too few miles under my belt than too many miles under my belt. 

Peak miles 58

Taper week 1 - 36 miles

Week 2 - 20 miles 

Week 3 - 9 miles PLUS 50K race. 

Strength and Nightmares

I woke to the sound of terrified screams and running footsteps. A white shock bolted up my spine stopping at the base of my brain. Protective instincts kicked in before I was even fully awake. Still unsure of what was happening, or even where I was, I sat up and called my daughters name three times so that she could find me in the darkness. She ran straight to me and I leaned forward, still sitting and now bent forward, nearly bent double, I scooped her into arms and pulled her up onto the bed. I lifted quickly to get her feet past the reach of the monsters under the bed. I pulled her close and wrapped my arms around her until the nightmare faded and the reality of being safe in bed with Mom and Dad settled her down and calmed her fears. 

This surprise midnight lift was not an ideal lift. I did not set my feet and lift with my legs. I definitely did not warm up first. I didn't even have time to think of proper technique. All there was was the instinctive need to protect my daughter. 

The single reason that I did not destroy my back when snatching an uneven uncontrollable 50 pound kid from the ghost that appeared in the lunch line in her dream is that I have been in the habit of strength training. 

I admit, the amount of strength work I do meets the bare minimum guidelines of what strength training should be, but as I tried to get back to sleep I was thankful that I value fitness. Without this minimum of strength training I would probably be laid up with a severely hurt back that may have even required a trip to the doctor. 

So by investing time and effort on my health and fitness I avoided missing work (missing pay), a trip to the doctor, and pain and suffering as well. 

Run For Your Life!

To be successful at anything, it is important to know what your goal is and where you are starting. So logically, when I am working with runners I start by determining where they are, and where they want to get. 

For an absolute beginner, someone who has been sedentary and wants to start running for health benefits, we start from the absolute beginning. 

We start with brisk walks, with the goal of building up to 30 minutes of continuous brisk walking. Then we gradually introduce running intervals into the walking building up the run to walk ratio gradually and in a safe manner. The goal being 30 minutes of continuous running at an easy pace. 

Along with the running, it is important that the runner is doing some strength training. Strength training is also built up gradually and safely. The goal of the strength work is to strengthen the muscles that are the prime movers of running, as well as muscles involved in stabilizing the hips and core, muscles important to good running form and posture, etc.

This is important to make running easier and to reduce the risk of injury to new runners. 

If you are getting started running and want help, contact me. I have programs at GT Fitness for runners of different experience levels including strength classes, running plans, and training runs so that you can learn the right effort level at which you should be learning. 

Steven O'Nan

Franklinkungfu@gmail.com

Inspired by the Runners.

First of all, you guys and girls that finished the 10K Classic in Bowling Green in under 30 minutes, that is awesome, I am inspired by all your hard work and accomplishments in the field of running. I, however, am more inspired by some other people at the race that day.

The woman who ran the 10K after recovering from a brain tumor, she inspires me. The folks who ran the 5K that day who have never run a 5K before. The woman who finished the 5K near the back of the pack, who gritted her teeth and ran just a little faster when her daughter yelled, "Go Momma, I'm so proud of you." The girl who raced in a wheelchair, not one of those nice racing wheelchairs, an ordinary wheelchair that may have never been intended to go that fast.

I am sure there are people who ran this 5K and 10K race that one year ago were living a sedentary lifestyle and decided to get off their couches and take charge of their health.

Those are the ones who inspire me.

New Running Programs at GT Fitness Coming Soon

The first round of running workouts has been awesome so far and I am very excited to see how people perform at the end of it all. I do have some news for runners about future programs.

I will be expanding my offerings for runners very soon.  I am putting together a program that caters to brand new, first time, just got off the couch runners, as well as programs for more advanced runners.

There will be options to just do group strengthening classes, as well as options to go on training runs. The training runs will be more than just a group run around town, they will each have a different focus so you can learn how to do different types of training as appropriate for your fitness level and running experience.

There will also be the option for some one-on-one sessions to help set and meet specific goals, or to put together a personalized training program.

So get ready runners I've got a lot in store for you!