Training for the Elizabeth River Run

Advanced Training Program

This training schedule may be used by those who have developed a good aerobic base by jogging/running for some time, who have already participated in 5K or longer road races, and who desire to run faster. To improve your running ability, you should be training 5-7 days per week. In this training schedule, you may do one or two speed workouts a week, and a road race on a weekend may be used as a third weekly speed workout once or twice a month. You may modify the days in the week to fit your personal needs. Using this program for about 8-9 weeks before the Elizabeth River Run should considerably improve your race performance. These general guidelines for training are adapted from Daniels’ Running Formula by Dr. Jack Daniels, which you may obtain at local running stores or amazon.com for more detailed information.

Day	Type of training
Day 1	Easy running or off day
Day 2	Speed:Interval or Repetition
Day 3	Easy running
Day 4	Speed:Threshold or Tempo
Day 5	Easy running or off day
Day 6	Easy running, or Speed:Race
Day 7	Easy running

DETERMINING YOUR PACE FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAINING

Some guidelines for pacing your easy runs and speed running are presented below, but first you need to calculate your average pace per mile from a recent flat, fast 5K race. For example, if you raced a 24:48 in a recent flat course 5K (such as the Independence Run, not Mt. Trashmore), your average mile pace would approximate 8:00 per mile. [A time of 24:48 = 24.8 minutes; 24.8 minutes divided by 3.1 miles (5K) = 8:00 minutes].

Calculate your average mile pace.

______ Average pace per mile in a 5K race

Now calculate your average 400 meter (quarter mile) pace based on your mile pace. There are approximately four 400-meter segments in a mile. The average 400-meter pace for our 8:00 runner is 2:00, as 8:00 divided by 4 = 2:00. Calculate your average 400-meter pace.

______ Average pace per 400 meters in a 5K race

Here are some general guidelines for your running pace during the various workouts in this schedule:

Easy running - Easy running is designed to help make your muscles more aerobic and better able to oxidize fat. Your easy pace should be about 1:30 to 2:00 slower than your average per mile pace for the 5K. Thus, our 8:00 runner would do easy runs at about 9:30 to 10:00 per mile. One of your easy runs of the week should be somewhat longer than the others, maybe up to 8-10 miles in preparation for a 10K road race.

______ Calculate your easy running pace

Threshold running - Threshold, or tempo, running is designed to increase your lactate threshold. Your tempo runs should consist of 15 to 20 continuous minutes at a pace about 25 to 30 seconds slower than your average per mile pace for the 5K. Our 8:00 runner would do the tempo pace at about 8:25 to 8:30 per mile. You may do a short recovery if you do two tempo runs. You may also do cruise intervals, running distances of about one mile at tempo pace with a short one minute recovery between miles. Build up to 6 to 8 cruise intervals.

______ Calculate your threshold, or tempo, running pace

Interval running - Interval running is designed to increase your maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max). Your pace should be about 3 to 4 seconds faster than your average 400-meter pace in a 5K. Our 2:00 runner would average 1:56 to 1:57 doing intervals. Intervals should be done for 400, 800 or 1000 meters. Work up to 10-16 x 400 meters, 5-8 x 800 meters, and 4-6 x 1000 meters. Jog about half the distance for your recovery, e. g., jog 200 meters between 400-meter intervals. You may alternate interval and repetition running from week to week.

______ Calculate your interval running pace

Repetition running - Repetition running is designed to improve your speed and efficiency. Your pace should be about 9 to 10 seconds faster than your average 400-meter pace in a 5K. Our 2:00 runner would average 1:50 to 1:51 doing repetitions. Repetitions should be done for 200 or 400 meters. Work up to 10-16 x 200 meters and 5-8 x 400 meters. Have a full recovery between repetitions. You may alternate interval and repetition running from week to week.

______ Calculate your repetition running pace

If you previously have not done speed running, start by doing fewer repetitions. Try to stay close to your pace times as each type of training has its purpose. Do NOT run faster than necessary. Run a 5K race periodically to adjust your training pace for each of these different types of training.

10-WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM

The following 10-week training program may be used to improve your running velocity for various road races, such as the 5K and 10K, but will also improve speed in other race distances as well. It is modeled after the program described above, so you need to calculate your running speed for each of the different types of training. Here are some pointers.

1. On your off day you could do some cross training; if you want to run, you can do an easy run and simply add these miles to your total weekly mileage.

2. You may adjust the day of the week to meet your training needs, but Day 1 might typically be a Monday and Day 7 a Sunday.

3. Once you complete this 10-week program, you may modify your interval and repetition running. For example, on the days you run intervals, you may run multiple distance intervals. For example, you could do a pyramid workout, starting with 1 x 1000, 1 x 800, 1 x 400, and then back up the pyramid with 1 x 400, 1 x 800, and 1 x 1000. Variety in your workouts helps make them more enjoyable.

4. Faster running is more likely to contribute to injuries, so be sure to develop a good stretching program. Stretch easily before your workout, and stretch more after your warm-up and before your speed work. Stretch after your cool-down as well.

5. If you are keying your training for a special race, be sure to taper at least one week before the event, and do a longer taper for prolonged endurance runs such as marathons.

6. For recovery during speed work, the jog recovery between intervals should be very slow. The recovery between repetitions should be full rest, possibly walking 200 meters.

7. After completion of this 10-week training program, you may decrease the recovery jog between intervals. For example, you can jog easily for 400 meters between 800-meter intervals, and jog easily for 200 meters between 400-meter intervals.

8. After completion of this 10-week training program, you can increase the length of your repetition running from 200 meters to 400 meters. Again, have full rest or walk recovery between repetitions.