My current training As my regular reader (or possibly readers) will know, I’ve decided from a couple of months ago to not do any long distance running this year, or at least until the latter part of the year. Instead I’m focusing on middle distance running and races. To that end I’m working off a 10k plan that I found online (I really don’t remember where, sorry) and then proceeded to “cut and shut” it.
The plan was in miles, so I had to convert it to metric. Then there’s certain days I usually don’t run on, like a Monday, but I can cross-train then, so I edited that. Also, I’ve never done a "tempo run" in my life, and I’m happy with that, so I took that off too. Then I moved the interval/speed sessions to suit the evenings when I go to the track. Then I put in all the races I have planned for the 10-12 weeks or so and put in rest days around them to suit. Before I knew it the plan bore very little resemblance to the original!
I’ve been reading up on running websites etc about different training plans and trying out some of the speed sessions, not enough room here to go into them all. But I even did one recently on an evening when the weather was just horrible, but I did it on a treadmill. I’m not a fan of treadmills, but needs must.
The speed session was a warmup jog of 7 mins, then put the incline to 1% and run hard for 1min and easy for 30sec – repeat 6 times. Then go straight into 30sec hard and 30sec easy – repeat 8 times. All of this was followed by an easy jog and then walk. I did all of it in my VFFs too, which I love.
So my running/training week looks like this…
Monday – Rest or cross train. Cross training for me is gym work. It is mostly free weights with some time on the rower and also body weight exercises.
Tuesday – If I didn’t get to do cross training on Monday I’ll do it today, but without leg work, just upper body and core. That will be before work. In the evening the club has it’s track session, so I’ll do my speed work then. Usually intervals based around multiples of 400m or 800m, but can also be time trials or 1,600m repeats.
Wednesday – Usually 40mins easy pace with HR kept low
Thursday – Speed session again, nicknamed "Fartlek Thursday" as I usually do a fartlek but change it from week to week. Once every 4-5 weeks I’ll do a time trial (TT) on Thursday’s. They will either be distance or time based. TTs are either 3k, 5k or 15mins.
Friday – Cross training in the morning if I can and may either be a rest-from-running day or an easy 40min run, depending on the weekend schedule.
Saturday – May be either a rest day or a long run. If a long run then Friday will be a rest day. "Long" runs on this plan don’t go over 90 mins, again at an easy pace.
Sunday – If long run was Saturday then today is a shorter run or a rest day. Short runs are 45mins, mainly to get used to running on tired legs. This is done at an easy pace.
Note: Apart from speed sessions, all of my runs are at an "easy pace". This is done keeping my HR low, zone 1-2 to build on endurance and my aerobic base.
One of the hard parts I find is trying to fit in an "easy week". I was wondering about this recently and I happened to get a head cold, so no training for 4 days. I guess that was an easy week!
Keep running,
Eoin
The plan was in miles, so I had to convert it to metric. Then there’s certain days I usually don’t run on, like a Monday, but I can cross-train then, so I edited that. Also, I’ve never done a "tempo run" in my life, and I’m happy with that, so I took that off too. Then I moved the interval/speed sessions to suit the evenings when I go to the track. Then I put in all the races I have planned for the 10-12 weeks or so and put in rest days around them to suit. Before I knew it the plan bore very little resemblance to the original!
I’ve been reading up on running websites etc about different training plans and trying out some of the speed sessions, not enough room here to go into them all. But I even did one recently on an evening when the weather was just horrible, but I did it on a treadmill. I’m not a fan of treadmills, but needs must.
The speed session was a warmup jog of 7 mins, then put the incline to 1% and run hard for 1min and easy for 30sec – repeat 6 times. Then go straight into 30sec hard and 30sec easy – repeat 8 times. All of this was followed by an easy jog and then walk. I did all of it in my VFFs too, which I love.
So my running/training week looks like this…
Monday – Rest or cross train. Cross training for me is gym work. It is mostly free weights with some time on the rower and also body weight exercises.
Tuesday – If I didn’t get to do cross training on Monday I’ll do it today, but without leg work, just upper body and core. That will be before work. In the evening the club has it’s track session, so I’ll do my speed work then. Usually intervals based around multiples of 400m or 800m, but can also be time trials or 1,600m repeats.
Wednesday – Usually 40mins easy pace with HR kept low
Thursday – Speed session again, nicknamed "Fartlek Thursday" as I usually do a fartlek but change it from week to week. Once every 4-5 weeks I’ll do a time trial (TT) on Thursday’s. They will either be distance or time based. TTs are either 3k, 5k or 15mins.
Friday – Cross training in the morning if I can and may either be a rest-from-running day or an easy 40min run, depending on the weekend schedule.
Saturday – May be either a rest day or a long run. If a long run then Friday will be a rest day. "Long" runs on this plan don’t go over 90 mins, again at an easy pace.
Sunday – If long run was Saturday then today is a shorter run or a rest day. Short runs are 45mins, mainly to get used to running on tired legs. This is done at an easy pace.
Note: Apart from speed sessions, all of my runs are at an "easy pace". This is done keeping my HR low, zone 1-2 to build on endurance and my aerobic base.
One of the hard parts I find is trying to fit in an "easy week". I was wondering about this recently and I happened to get a head cold, so no training for 4 days. I guess that was an easy week!
Keep running,
Eoin
