General Distance Training Protocol (5K to Half-Marathon)
General Distance Running Program (5k to Half – Marathon)
Focus is to build stamina, efficiency, and a sense of pace over the course of 100 days. This would be followed by the final week of the standard taper protocol the week before your goal race.
10 Day Microcycle
Q1: EZ 2 Mile warm up + 3 x 1 Mile at your Half Marathon GOAL pace with a 1:00 rest in between + 2 Miles EZ
Q2: 3 mile Warm-Up followed by 6 x Short Hill Repeats (30 seconds average climb) at a 90% effort effort with a 2:00 jog/walk recovery after each + 1 Mile cool down jog.
Q3: 2 Mile Warm up + 6 x 2:00 (or 400m if on the track) at your Current 5k Race Pace with a 90 Second walk/jog recovery after each. 1 Mile Cool Down.
Q4: Endurance Run of 10 miles over hilly terrain.
*Try to incorporate a 5th run of an easy 30-45:00 anywhere in this cycle.
10 Day Microcycle
Q1: EZ 2 Mile warm up + 2 x 2 Miles at your Half Marathon GOAL pace with a 2:00 rest in between + 2 mile cool down.
Q2: 2 Mile Warm up + 5 x 3:00 (or 600m if on the track) at your Current 5k Race Pace with a 90 Second walk/jog recovery after each. 1 Mile Cool Down.
Q3: 2 Mile Warm up + 6 x Short Hill Repeats (30 seconds to climb on average). Take and EZ 2:00 walk/jog between each. 2 Mile Cool Down.
Q4: Endurance Run of 11 miles over hilly terrain.
*Try to incorporate a 5th run of an easy 30:00 anywhere in this cycle.
10 Day Microcycle (Recovery)
Q1: 2 Miles EZ + 30:00 at your STEADY STATE Tempo pace + 1 Mile cool down.
Q2: Endurance Run of 11 Miles with a fast finish (run the last 3 miles progressively faster so that you finish at your 8 Mile GOAL race pace over the last 5:00 of the run).
**Run 2-3 more days this week but all EZ efforts with a duration of 30-45:00.
10 Day Microcycle
Q1: 2 Mile warm up + 5 x 1 Mile at your Half Marathon GOAL pace with a 1:00 rest in between + 1 Mile EZ
Q2: 2 Mile Warm up + 8 x Short Hill Repeats (30 seconds to climb on average). Take and EZ 2:00 walk/jog between each. 2 Mile Cool Down.
Q3: “Reverse Ladder Fartlek Workout”: 2 miles EZ + 1:00 at your Mile race pace + 1:00 walk/jog recovery + 2:00 at 5k pace + 1:00 walk/jog recovery + 3:00 at 5k pace + 2:00 walk/jog recovery + 4:00 at 10k pace + 2:00 walk/jog recovery + 5:00 at 10k pace + 1 mile cool down jog.
Q4: Endurance Run of 12 miles over hilly terrain.
*Try to incorporate a 5th run of an easy 30-45:00 anywhere in this cycle.
10 Day Microcycle
Q1: EZ 2 Mile warm up + 2 x 2 Miles at your Half Marathon GOAL pace with a 2:00 rest in between + 2 x 1 mile at your HM GOAL pace with 1:00 rest between + 1 Miles E (total will be close to 10 miles)
Q2: 2 mile Warm-Up Walk/Jog followed by 10 Short Hill Repeats (30 second climb average) with a 2:00 walk/jog recovery). 2 Mile Cool Down Jog.
Q3: 2 mile Warm Up + 5 x 4:00 (or 800m if on the track) at your 5k race pace with a 2:00 recovery after each. Finish with a 1 mile cool down jog.
Q4: Endurance Run of 13 Miles over hilly terrain.
*Try to incorporate a 5th run of an easy 30-45:00 anywhere in this cycle.
10 Day Microcycle
Q1: 2 Miles EZ + 35:00 at your STEADY STATE Tempo pace + 1 Mile cool down.
Q2: 2 mile Warm-Up Walk/Jog followed by 6 x LONG Hill Repeats (60-90 seconds average climb) at your 5k Race pace effort with a 3:00 jog rest recovery after each + 1 Mile cool down jog.
Q3: 13 Miles: Start very easy and every 30:00 pick up the pace a bit until you finish at your 10k race pace for the last 5:00.
*Try to incorporate a 4th run of an easy 30-45:00 anywhere in this cycle.
10 Day Microcycle (Recovery)
Q1: 2 Miles EZ + 40:00 at your STEADY STATE Tempo pace + 1 Mile cool down.
Q2: Endurance Run of 14 Miles over hilly terrain.
**Run 2-3 more days this week but all EZ efforts with a duration of 45:00 followed by 6-8 Strides after the run.
10 Day Microcycle
Q1: EZ 2 Mile warm up + 4 Miles at your Half Marathon GOAL pace followed by a 4:00 jog + 2 miles at your HM GOAL pace + 2 Miles EZ
Q2: 2 mile Warm-Up Walk/Jog followed by 8 x LONG Hill Repeats (60-90 seconds average climb) at your 5k Race pace effort with a 3:00 jog rest recovery after each + 1 Mile cool down jog
Q3: Fartlek run of 2 miles EZ + 4 x 2:00 at your 5k race pace with a 1:00 recovery after each + 8 x 1:00 at same pace with a 1:00 recovery after each + 8 x 30 seconds at your mile race pace effort with a 30 second recovery after each. Finish with a 1 mile cool down jog.
Q4: Endurance Run of 15 miles
*Try to incorporate a 5th run of an easy 30-45:00 anywhere in this cycle.
10 Day Microcycle
Q1: EZ 2 Mile warm up + 4 x 1 Mile at your 10k Race pace with a 2:00 jog rest in between each + 2 Miles EZ
Q2: 3 mile Warm-Up Walk/Jog followed by 8 x 200m (or 45 seconds if on road) at your Mile Race pace effort with equal jog rest recovery after each + 1 Mile cool down jog.
Q3: 5-10k Race Test Effort!
Q4: Endurance Run of 12 miles at a comfortable pace
10 Day Microcycle
Q1: “Reverse Ladder Workout”: 2 miles EZ + 1:00 at your Mile race pace + 1:00 walk/jog
recovery + 2:00 at 5k pace + 1:00 walk/jog recovery + 3:00 at 5k pace + 2:00 walk/jog recovery + 4:00 at 5k pace + 2:00 walk/jog recovery + 5:00 at 5k pace + 1 mile cool down jog.
Q2: Endurance Run of 14 Miles with the last 8 at HM goal pace.
**Run 2-3 more days this Cycle but all EZ efforts with a duration of 45:00 followed by 6-8 Strides after the run
Speed Training for 5K
Follow this training schedule pattern for 4-6 weeks before a “target” 5k Race:
Day 1 (Sunday)
Long Run (Gradually build up to running 75-90 minutes at your EZ pace). Follow run with 4 x 30 second quick strides.
Core Training and Stretching
Day 2
Rest from Cardio or Cross-Train
Strength/Core Training
Day 3
Run 45:00 with the last 20:00 at Tempo Steady State Pace
Stretch & Visualization (Positive Race Imagery)
Day 4
Warm-up
2 x 600m at Mile Race Pace +3 seconds with 600m easy jogs after each +
3 x 400m at Mile Race Pace with 400m easy jogs after each +
4 x 300m at Mile Race Pace – 1 Second with 300m jogs after each +
6 x 200m at FAST Pace (estimated 800m race pace) with 200m jogs after each.
Cool down.
Day 5
45:00 or so nice and easy.
Follow with Strength/Core training
Day 6
30:00 Run + 8 x 100m (estimated) fast accelerations on soft, level grass surface in bare feet
Day 7 3 Sets of the following:
2 x 200m at Mile Race Pace with 200m jogs after each +
1 Mile at Tempo Interval Pace (10K race pace) with a 1:00 recovery +
1 x 200m at VERY FAST pace (sprinting at 95%).
*Take 2-3:00 rest after each set.
Important Notes:
- Please stay true to your assigned paces per workout…we will adjust as your fitness improves every 6 weeks or so.
- Strength and Core Training is still very important during this phase. Strength circuits should be done at least 2 x week.
- Follow the “Eat Like A Pro” Nutrition Plan to a “T”! Understand the importance of protein in your diet!!
- Your workouts should always “negative split”.
- Core Training (Abdominal and low back) should be done a minimum of 3 x week.
- You should be maintaining your mileage at approx. 40 miles per week during this phase.
- Please e-mail me a report of your major workouts and total mileage at the end of each week. ([email protected])