Training Programs abound. But how can any particular program cater for a range of runners with different needs, different circumstances?
“Dear Coach,
“I am wanting to have a crack at half marathon distance and I was thinking the YMCA half. So, I need some advice. I'd love to come in with a new personal best and I was just wondering with 7 weeks to go if you could give me a rough training guide. I can only run 3 days per week. Monday intervals, Wed 6-12 km tempo and Sunday long run. Any help appreciated. Thanks”
Dear Runner,
Knowing how fit you are, I know you will be able to get by with this training pattern, though I do recommend you see if you can find an extra day for an easy recovery jog of 30-40 minutes.
Your interval training on Mondays need not be all out sprints. The best session for you at this stage is either continuous intervals where you alternate hard/easy but keep the tempo going, or fartlek running where you throw in surges in a longer run. Either way, meeting others for this session is ideal as it ensures a good solid workout where you spur each other on. Intervals can be quite short, e.g. 200m, as long as the running is continuous without breaks.
“Dear Coach,
“Any idea what pace I should be running my tempos in? Also, what should be my longest tempo run? Would you do the same distance each week or vary it with some longer, some shorter?”
Dear Runner,
A tempo run is a sustained run at faster than usual training pace. Before a tempo run, go through your normal warm-up and stretch routine, as if racing. Then do one single tempo run rather than repetitions. Run at 15 or 20 secs per km slower than your flat out racing pace, trying to sustain the pace all the way to the finish, and following this with a good cool-down. Tempo runs can be quite fast if instant recovery is there. It is important that they are run evenly, no fast start, no fast finish. Breathing and pulse should return to normal quickly after the run is completed. Next day it won’t feel like you have raced.
As you say, anywhere between 6-12k is ideal. What I like to do is the same run each week, what happens then is that (a) you learn pace judgement (b) you can slightly increase the target pace from week to week, and (c) you can gain a lot of confidence when repeats on the same course start getting faster and easier. I like to run a Wednesday tempo run on the same 6k course each week, but you decide. Sometimes variety helps, especially with motivation, but as for me I could just run around and around the same track each day! Everyone is different.
“Dear Coach,
“What should be my longest long run before the day?”
Dear Runner,
How far are you running now? Anyway, I would suggest 14k be the minimum distance, and no real upper limit. How to progress from week to week? Increase distance each week if you are comfortable with that. Speed? Probably no need to slow down unless you need to in order to run further. In any case, don't worry about having to run anywhere near race pace. The distance is the important thing, not the pace.
Of course you cannot keep increasing distance indefinitely because in the last week or 10 days there needs to be some sort of taper. Just what form that taper takes will depend on how you are feeling, we can cross that bridge when we come to it. One thing you will need to do is cut out the strength work in the gym in those last ten days. That will take some discipline I suspect. But you will get back into strength work soon enough afterwards, once the celebrations are over. Just follow the plan and you will be fine. I can’t wait to see how it all pans out!
“Dear Coach
“So no weights 10 days before! I looooove strength work but ok. Many many thanks.”
