Viking Girl
08-Mar-09, 15:19
From Monday 16th March the next stage of the beginners programme for the Castle of Mey 10k starts. The training programme will enable you to run the event in 60 minutes. It involves training just 3 days a week and again, the main thing you need is the commitment to follow the programme. It starts off gently and then builds speed and endurance. You should be able to jog for 30 minutes continuously before starting the schedule.
WEEK ONE – week beginning Monday 16th March
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, then 4 x 400m (or 1 min 30) steady with 3 min jog/walk recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 2 miles easy, 2 miles steady – jog cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday – Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 3 miles easy
WEEK TWO – week beginning Monday 23rd March
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, then 4 x 600m (or 2 min) steady with 400m (or 3 min) jog/walk recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 15 minutes easy, 10 minutes steady, jog to cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 4 miles easy
WEEK THREE – week beginning Monday 30th March
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, 4 x 800m (or 3 min steady) with 3- 4 min jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 30 – 40 min easy but including hard efforts on hills
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 5 miles easy
WEEK FOUR – week beginning Monday 6th April
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, 6 x 400m (or 1 min 20 steady) with 3 min recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 1 mile easy, 2 miles steady, 1 mile harder, 1 mile easy
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 4 miles easy
WEEK FIVE – week beginning Monday 13th April
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, 8 x 500m (or 1 min 40 steady) with 3 min jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 35 – 45 minutes fartlek – varied efforts and recoveries, jog cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 6 miles easy
WEEK SIX – week beginning Monday 20th April
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1.5 mile easy, 5 x 800m (or 3 min) with 3min jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 2 miles easy, 2 miles steady, 2 miles harder, jog cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday – Rest or cross train
Sunday – 7 miles easy
WEEK SEVEN – week beginning Monday 27th April
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 2 miles easy, 8 x 400m (or 1min 20) steady with 2 min jog recoveries, 2 miles easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 1 mile jog, then 3 x 1600m steady (or 8 min) with 4 min jog recoveries, jog cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday – Rest or cross train
Sunday – 5 miles easy
WEEK EIGHT – week beginning Monday 4th May
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 2 miles easy, 5 x 500m (or 1 min 40) steady with 3 min jog recoveries, 2 miles easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 4 miles easy
Saturday – Rest
Sunday - RACE
10k’s mean “speedwork”!
To be able to learn to run faster runners use “speedwork”. This can involve “repeats” – where you run a set distance at a faster pace, then slow right down to recover for a set distance, then repeat the process for a number of times. How fast you run the faster section is important and initially difficult for a beginner to get right! The repeat should be run at a pace at which it is difficult but not impossible to talk. Remember that you might manage the first couple but you may have 6 repeats to do and each should be run in the same time – if you do the first couple too quickly you will not be able to maintain the pace for the full session. So, initially take it conservatively until you get to know how you feel at a faster pace. Repeats improve your overall speed.
Another way of increasing your overall pace are “tempo” runs. For example a 4 mile tempo run would be where you run the first mile at an easy pace (you should be able to hold a conversation and run at this pace without a problem), then the next 2 miles are run at a faster pace (holding a conversation is possible but difficult), then the final mile is back down to your easy pace. This increases your overall pace and your endurance.
Hills improve your overall endurance. It is important to learn how it feels to run up a hill and not to avoid them on your routes! When running up a hill slow down and relax – easier said than done but very effective in building endurance.
The final type of speedwork is “speedplay” or “fartlek”. This is where you kind of “make it up” as you go along. It is best done with a partner and you alternate in choosing what you are going to do next. For example, you would start off with a mile of easy running then the first runner will choose what to do – for example he might say “run 5 minutes hard then recover for 3 minutes”, after the recovery the other runner might say “sprint up this next hill then 1 minute recovery”. After this the first runner could say to do 6 x 200m repeats with 1minute recovery between each, this could be followed by a mile of easy running. You could sprint for two lampposts then jog between two lampposts for 5 minutes – the list is endless! Try to aim to do 40 – 45 minutes and finish with an easy “cool down” mile.
For the schedule “easy” means able to hold a conversation whilst running, “steady” means able to hold a conversation with difficulty, “hard” means unable to talk whilst running – just gasp the odd word!
GOOD LUCK!!!!! :D:D
WEEK ONE – week beginning Monday 16th March
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, then 4 x 400m (or 1 min 30) steady with 3 min jog/walk recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 2 miles easy, 2 miles steady – jog cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday – Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 3 miles easy
WEEK TWO – week beginning Monday 23rd March
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, then 4 x 600m (or 2 min) steady with 400m (or 3 min) jog/walk recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 15 minutes easy, 10 minutes steady, jog to cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 4 miles easy
WEEK THREE – week beginning Monday 30th March
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, 4 x 800m (or 3 min steady) with 3- 4 min jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 30 – 40 min easy but including hard efforts on hills
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 5 miles easy
WEEK FOUR – week beginning Monday 6th April
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, 6 x 400m (or 1 min 20 steady) with 3 min recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 1 mile easy, 2 miles steady, 1 mile harder, 1 mile easy
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 4 miles easy
WEEK FIVE – week beginning Monday 13th April
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1 mile easy, 8 x 500m (or 1 min 40 steady) with 3 min jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 35 – 45 minutes fartlek – varied efforts and recoveries, jog cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday - Rest or cross train (walk, cycle, gym etc.)
Sunday – 6 miles easy
WEEK SIX – week beginning Monday 20th April
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 1.5 mile easy, 5 x 800m (or 3 min) with 3min jog recoveries, 1 mile easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 2 miles easy, 2 miles steady, 2 miles harder, jog cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday – Rest or cross train
Sunday – 7 miles easy
WEEK SEVEN – week beginning Monday 27th April
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 2 miles easy, 8 x 400m (or 1min 20) steady with 2 min jog recoveries, 2 miles easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 1 mile jog, then 3 x 1600m steady (or 8 min) with 4 min jog recoveries, jog cool down
Friday – Rest
Saturday – Rest or cross train
Sunday – 5 miles easy
WEEK EIGHT – week beginning Monday 4th May
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – 2 miles easy, 5 x 500m (or 1 min 40) steady with 3 min jog recoveries, 2 miles easy
Wednesday – Rest
Thursday – 4 miles easy
Saturday – Rest
Sunday - RACE
10k’s mean “speedwork”!
To be able to learn to run faster runners use “speedwork”. This can involve “repeats” – where you run a set distance at a faster pace, then slow right down to recover for a set distance, then repeat the process for a number of times. How fast you run the faster section is important and initially difficult for a beginner to get right! The repeat should be run at a pace at which it is difficult but not impossible to talk. Remember that you might manage the first couple but you may have 6 repeats to do and each should be run in the same time – if you do the first couple too quickly you will not be able to maintain the pace for the full session. So, initially take it conservatively until you get to know how you feel at a faster pace. Repeats improve your overall speed.
Another way of increasing your overall pace are “tempo” runs. For example a 4 mile tempo run would be where you run the first mile at an easy pace (you should be able to hold a conversation and run at this pace without a problem), then the next 2 miles are run at a faster pace (holding a conversation is possible but difficult), then the final mile is back down to your easy pace. This increases your overall pace and your endurance.
Hills improve your overall endurance. It is important to learn how it feels to run up a hill and not to avoid them on your routes! When running up a hill slow down and relax – easier said than done but very effective in building endurance.
The final type of speedwork is “speedplay” or “fartlek”. This is where you kind of “make it up” as you go along. It is best done with a partner and you alternate in choosing what you are going to do next. For example, you would start off with a mile of easy running then the first runner will choose what to do – for example he might say “run 5 minutes hard then recover for 3 minutes”, after the recovery the other runner might say “sprint up this next hill then 1 minute recovery”. After this the first runner could say to do 6 x 200m repeats with 1minute recovery between each, this could be followed by a mile of easy running. You could sprint for two lampposts then jog between two lampposts for 5 minutes – the list is endless! Try to aim to do 40 – 45 minutes and finish with an easy “cool down” mile.
For the schedule “easy” means able to hold a conversation whilst running, “steady” means able to hold a conversation with difficulty, “hard” means unable to talk whilst running – just gasp the odd word!
GOOD LUCK!!!!! :D:D