We are obviously getting into the thick of the summer racing season (heat in tow).
Coming off of last Friday’s 5k — which functions as powerful training effort, pushing you to your maximum aerobic capacity — this Tuesday’s track workout will focus on anaerobic power, speed, and running ecomony.
I’m in Iowa this week and next, but Tom Walker will be present Tuesday night and if you need to adjust your workout for any reason, be sure to talk to him to help you dial things in and have an effective workout.
It’s expected to be hot, so be sure to bring water and/or electrolyte drinks. (The heat might be another reason to alter the length or number of intervals).
If you’re aiming for a fall marathon, you’re dialing in your long runs along with your overall mileage and threshold work. Check those three boxes (in step with staying healthy) and you’re on a solid path.
Suggested Key Workouts for the Week
Q1: Tuesday: Repetition Work (Woburn HS 5:45pm)
1-2 mile easy run warmup
6 striders
8-10 times 400 at R pace (R pace meaning fast– as if you were racing a mile. The sum amount of high-speed interval running is ideally 5% or less of your weekly mileage). After each quarter, jog a slow quarter. This is more about speed than endurance so seek a full recovery between reps.
1-2 mile warmdown
Coach Tom’s mobility/core strength workout.
Q2 ENDURANCE WORK
Easy 1-2 miles of running to warmup
4 striders
6 x 3-minutes at “H” pace — roughly your 5k race pace or whatever it is that feels hard to you. This is an endurance-focused workout so we’ll keep the recoveries tight — 2 minutes of easy jogging between 3-minute reps.
1-2 miles easy running to warmdown
Q3: Easy Long Run
Keep the pace easy so that this functions both as a base-building workout but also as a mental recovery from the harder workouts of the week. The rule of thumb is to be able to hold a conversation the entire run. If you’re too out of breath to chat with a running buddy, it’s best to slow down. A good long run is about 25% of your weekly mileage. If you’re running 40 miles per week (for example), a 10-mile long run would be pitch perfect.
Fill the remainder of your week with easy runs 30- 60 minutes long for recovery and basebuilding, a day or two off if you need it, and any strength training you can squeeze in.