Current Training

After completing a half marathon in September, I do not plan to train for another race until the 2011 Boston Marathon.

Here is the training plan from my most recent race:

Wicked Half Marathon in Salem, MA on September 25, 2010.

My 12-week Training Program:

WEEK 1 (July 5-11)

• Mon. – 5 miles easy. 4 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – 45 min. fartlek run (alternate 5 min. moderate pace with 1 min. 5k pace = 6:47).
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides. + Body Pump
• Thurs. – warm-up. 6 x 800 m repeats at 5 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:42, jog 400 m between repeats. cool down.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Sun. – warm-up. 8 miles (first 6 easy pace, last 2 at goal pace = 7:23).

WEEK 2 (July 12-18)

• Mon. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – warm up. 4 x 1600 m repeats at 10k pace = 7:04, easy jog 800 m between repeats. cool down.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm-up. 7 x 800 m repeats at 5 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:42, jog 400 m between repeats. 6 x 400 m repeats at 20 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:27, jog 400 m between repeats. cool down.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Sun. – warm-up. 45 min. at 15 sec. per mile slower than 10k pace = 7:19. + Body Pump

WEEK 3 (July 19-25)

• Mon. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – warm up. 2 x 400/800/1200 m supersets [400 m at 20 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:27/ 800 m at 5k pace = 6:47 / 1200 m at goal half marathon pace = 7:23], no rest in between distances, recover between sets 800 m easy. cool down. Modification: Treadmill ladder (starting at speed 6.8, increasing by .1 every minute until speed 8.0, then back down to 6.8); 20 minutes of 2 min. “on”, 1 min. “off”. cool down. 7.5 miles total.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm-up. 8 x 800 m repeats at 5 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:42, recover with easy 400 m between repeats. 6 x 400 m repeats at 20 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:27, jog 400 m between repeats. cool down.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides. + Body Pump
• Sun. – warm-up. 10 miles (first 8 easy, last 2 at goal half marathon pace = 7:23).

WEEK 4 (July 26-Aug. 1)

• Mon. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – warm up 1 mile easy, 6 miles at half marathon goal pace = 7:23 at 7:30 to 8:00. cool down 1 mile easy.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm-up. 10 x hill repeats (steep, at least 100 m) at “feels like” 5k pace = 6:47 (actual will be slower due to incline), run 20 m past top of hill and jog down to recover.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 4 acceleration strides. + Body Pump
• Sun. – warm-up. 60 minutes at 20 sec. per mile slower than 10k pace = 7:24.

WEEK 5 (Aug. 2-8)

• Mon. - 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – warm up. 6 4 x 1600 m repeats at 10k pace = 7:04 or 15 sec. per mile slower than 5k pace = 7:02, jog 800 m between repeats. cool down.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm-up. 20 minutes, alternate 30 sec. at 20 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:27 and 30 sec. at easy pace. cool down.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Sun. – warm-up. 12 miles (first 9 easy, last 3 at goal half marathon pace = 7:23).

WEEK 6 (Aug. 9-15)

• Mon. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides. Rest/a little walking.
• Tues. – warm up. 4 x 12oo m repeats at 5k pace = 6:47, recover in between repeats with 800 m easy. cool down.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm-up. 5 miles on a gradual/consistent uphill at “feels like” 10k pace = 7:04 (actual pace slower due to incline) or put do on a treadmill elevated 3 to 5 degrees. 70 min. tempo run: warm up 10 min, challenging pace 10 min, 10k pace 30 min, challenging pace 10 min, cool down 10 min.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Sun. – warm-up. 2 x 20 minute repeats at 10k pace = 7:04, jog 5 min. between repeats.

WEEK 7 (Aug. 16-22)

• Mon. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – warm up. 7 5 x 16oo m repeats at 10k pace = 7:04,  jog 800 m between repeats. cool down.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm up. 2 x 400/800/2400 m supersets [400 m at 20 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:27 / 800 m at 5k pace = 6:47 / 2400 m at goal half marathon pace = 7:23], no rest in between distances, recover between sets 800 m easy. cool down 800. 1.5 mile jog, 2 x 20 min. stairmaster intervals (1-2 min. fast/slow), 1.5 mile jog; Slow Flow Yoga
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Sun. – warm-up. 14 miles (first 10 easy pace, last 4 at goal half marathon pace = 7:23).

WEEK 8 (Aug. 23-29)

• Mon. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – warm up. 2 miles at 10k pace = 7:04, then 5 miles at goal half marathon pace = 7:23, then 800 m at 5k pace = 6:47. cool down. 40 minute fartlek workout. cool down.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm up. 30 minutes alternate between 30 sec. at 20 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:27 and 30 sec. at easy pace. cool down. 1 mile warm-up, 2 miles hard, 5 miles challenging, 1 mile cool down.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides. warm-up. 10k race or time trial, best possible time.
• Sun. – warm-up. 10k race or time trial, best possible time. – moving day.

WEEK 9 (Aug. 30-Sept. 5)

• Mon. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – warm up. 4 x 24oo m repeats at 10k pace = 7:04, jog 800 m between repeats. cool down 800 m jog. jogging/walking/cross-training.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides. yoga & stretching.
• Thurs. – warm up. 3 x 400/800/1600 m supersets [400 m at 20 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:27 / 800 m at 5k pace = 6:47 / 1600 m at goal half marathon pace = 7:23], no rest in between distances, recover between sets 800 m easy. cool down. 6 miles easy.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training. warm up. 4 x 800/1600 m supersets [800 m at 5k pace = 6:47 / 1600 m at goal half marathon pace = 7:23], no rest between distances, recover between sets 800 m easy. cool down.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Sun. – 16 13 miles (first 11 easy pace, last 5 at goal half marathon pace = 7:23). all at easy pace.

WEEK 10 (Sept. 6-12)

• Mon. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. -  3 1.5 miles easy, 7 miles at goal half marathon pace = 7:23. cool down 0.5 miles.
• Weds. – 6 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm up. 2 x 800/1200 1600/3200 m supersets [800 m at 5k pace = 6:47 / 1200 1600 m at 10k pace = 7:04 / 3200 m at goal half marathon pace = 7:23], no rest in between distances, recover between sets 800 m easy. cool down.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Sun. – warm-up. 8 miles at goal half marathon pace = 7:23.

WEEK 11 (Sept.13-19)

• Mon.- 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Tues. – warm up. 6 4 x 1600 m repeats at 10k pace = 7:04 half marathon pace = 7:23, recover between repeats 400 800m easy. cool down.
• Weds. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – warm up. 20 minutes 2 15-minute segments of alternating between 30 sec. at 20 sec. per mile faster than 5k pace = 6:27 and 30 sec. at goal half marathon pace = 7:23. (5 min. jog between the segments). cool down.
• Fri. – rest/cross-training.
• Sat. – 4 miles easy. 5 acceleration strides.
• Sun. – 4 miles easy, 6 4.5 miles at goal half marathon pace = 7:23. cool down.

WEEK 12 (Sept.20-25)

• Mon. – rest/cross-training. – 30 min. AMT elliptical + stretching
• Tues. – warm up. 6 3 miles at goal half marathon pace = 7:23.
• Weds. – 3 miles easy. 3 acceleration strides.
• Thurs. – 3 1.5 miles easy. 3 acceleration strides / rest.
• Fri. – rest.
• Sat. – WICKED HALF MARATHON – completed in 1:38:14