TrackWorkouts

This week you have a choice.  Are you training for a Marathon in 6-8 weeks?  You may want to start doing the marathon strength workouts.

Everyone:

Drills

Warm up 15-20 minutes

Strides 6 x 100

Cool down 10-15 min

Marathon Workout:

About 6-8 weeks out from a Marathon, is a good time to start shifting from speed work 5k-10k pace to strength work.  These workouts take a long time.  Pace is 10 seconds a mile faster than your target Marathon pace.  If your target pace for a marathon is 3:20, that equals 7:38 pace, you’d do the intervals at 7:28 pace.  They will seem a lot slower than you’re use to, but the volume is about double what you’re use to.

6 x 1 mile @ (MP -10 seconds) (400 meter rest)

Since it is likely to be dark before you finish this, I can be at the track earlier to get the Marathoners started if you like.

Road Racers:

2 X 1 Mile @ LT

2 X 1200 @ LT – 2

1 X 800 @ LT – 4 (10k pace)

1 X 400 @ LT – 8 (5k pace)

If you run less than 35 MPW  either drop one of the 1200’s or the 800/400

Those running less than 20 MPW:

Pace is comfortably hard, not all out and not a jog.

2 x 400 400 jog rest

4 x 200 200 jog rest

This week we’re back on the track, after a few weeks of exploring the area around the track.  Next week, I’ll offer some marathon specific training for those doing the Hartford Marathon in 8 weeks.  One more week of speed is probably good, before moving to more strength/endurance type of training.

If you are training for Hartford, another quality day is recommended of  5-8 miles at Marathon Pace (MP).  Probably Tuesday makes the most sense for this.  I understand some of you have been doing some kind of Tempo on Tues, which is a good addition.  If you’re MP and easy pace (EP) is pretty close together, as it can be for those running around 4 hours or more, then you can go closer to 1/2 marathon pace.  For Marathoners between 3-3:30 it is common to have about 60-90 second per mile difference between MP and EP.

If you’re running hard on Tues and Thurs, then Wed has to be a recovery day.  It doesn’t have to be complete rest, you can do an active recovery run of no more than 30-45 minutes, at the absolute easiest pace you can tolerate.  Think Kenyan Shuffle.  Don’t be afraid to run on tired legs, but you know your body the best and how much rest you need.  Personally I tend to take a complete day off every 2-3 weeks, when I have 3-4 days in a row where fatigue is accumulating, and easy days are not providing enough recovery.

It is likely to be warm and humid, so don’t be too concerned if you need to run a few seconds slower.  The feel is more important than the precise number.

Drills

Warm up 15-20 min

6 X 100 strides

3-6 X (1000, 400) (10k, 5k) (rest 200 jog after the 1k, 400 after the 400)

Do 1 set for every 10 miles you run per week.

30 = 3

40 = 4

50 = 5

Cool down 10-15 min.

I have a race on Saturday, and won’t be participating in this weeks workout.  I will provide encouragement and comic relief.

Any beginners please show up a few minutes before 6:30 so I can devise some appropriate work, dependent on your current fitness.

This week we’re doing hills.  Short fast no more than 2 minutes a piece.  We want to do them fast explosive, use your arms to drive up the hill.  Short strides, quick turnover.  If you’re gasping for breath by the end then you’re probably going too long.  This is intended to work your muscles more than your lungs.

This is a good strength workout.

Everyone:

Drills, we’ll do these together.

15-20 minute warm up

6-8 X 100 Strides

12-16 X 60-120 second hill repeats, we’ll switch up hills for some variety and do 4-5 on each one.  Jog slow back down for recovery.

10-15 minute warm down.

I have a family obligation on Thursday night, and can’t be at the track.  I already have missed several Thursdays due to vacation so am offering this weeks workout on Wed, if people want Friday instead or in addition I’ll do that as well.

Everyone:

Starting with Drills…yes you heard that right, we’re doing drills.  I’ve become convinced they are an important part of running.  We will look silly, and we will do them together, so we can look silly together.  It only takes about 5-10 min.

Warm up 15-20 min

6 X 100 Strides (focus on a gradual acceleration good form, use the arms this should be an exaggerated sprinting motion, but without the top end speed)

Group A: Those doing more than 25 miles a week

15-20 Minute Tempo Run, LT pace.  We’ll start on the track, for 800M to get our pace down.  Then we’ll head for a loop around pine banks park, since this is a continuous tempo you’ll have to focus extra as everyone splits off onto their own paces.

The time of the tempo is based on your current fitness.  If you’ve been doing 40 or more miles a week, and attending track workouts, 20 minutes should be reasonable.  If your attendance has been spotty, and your running less than that 15 minutes is more reasonable.

Keep track of your time.  When you hit 15 or 20 minutes slow down, start jogging you’re now doing your warm down.  I’ll be on a bike cajoling, encouraging and annoying in equal measures.

Group B: Those doing less than 20 miles per week

We’ll be doing the Warm up , drills, Strides and warm down.  This is a really nice workout if you don’t do a ton of mileage.  It helps with your efficiency, economy and you’ll end up running about 5 miles but it will go by fast, because of the variety of running.

If you have questions show up before 6:30, once the workout starts I don’t have lots of time for one on one explanations.