Progressing workouts throughout a season

Trying to start a discussion among self-coached runners who for the most part maintain a good base all year-round. Mostly interested in how the tempo, interval runs, and long runs should be periodized in both length and intensity.

I too am interested in this topic

That's very similar to the weekly structure I follow, but for 5k training at 45-50 mpw. However, I don't look at it in terms of a progression of increasingly difficult workouts, so much as sticking to similar workouts but making them progressively more difficult (pace, volume, recovery).

In that way, you can work toward goal race pace while not introducing much of a fatigue build-up, and it's easier to time the peak because it isn't dependent on where you're at in a training cycle.

Dan

I haven't trained for the half yet but I'll give you my opinion.

I would try to do a long tempo one week and then a faster steady long run the next (keeping a long run each week, just one easy pace and the following week a faster one). I would also alternate between a shorter tempo at a faster pace/jack daniel's style threshold intervals(3 x 2miles 2min rest, 6 x mile 1min rest etc.) with a standard light v02 max workout (6-8 x 1000 with 2-3min rest). I wouldn't worry about the exact distances and paces but over the weeks you could either extend the long tempos at the pace you usually run or have the pace get faster for the usual time you run.

Example for long term training

Day 1 - 40min tempo (15k-half marathon pace)

Day 2 - Easy

Day 3 - Easy w/ strides

Day 4 - 7 x 1000 with 2-3min rest at 5k pace

Day 5 - Easy

Day 6 - Easy with short hill sprints (walk recovery)

Day 7 - Long at steady pace

Day 8 - Easy

Day 9 - Easy

Day 10 - 20min tempo (8-10k pace)

Day 11 - Easy

Day 12 - Easy w/ strides

Day 13 - 40 min tempo (15k-half marathon pace)

Day 14 - Easy Long

etc.

Your pace will get faster as the weeks go on. if you stay the slower pace you will feel as if you can go further than the last time as well. Both have benefits

I noticed that in your second week, you get rid of intervals and do essentially two threshold workouts. Do you follow this 14-day pettern so that the third week will look like the first week?

Once again I never really trained for halfs on the road (although I wish I could right now instead of training for track!), but I would alternate the v02 max intervals with a shorter tempo/threshold every other, especially early on in the training. I would repeat something similar to the first week after the 14 days.

Also, as the goal race approaches, I would spend about 4-6 weeks straight of doing 1 v02 max workout a week (in addition to the long tempo) and then 2ish weeks spent on peaking workouts. The schedule I posted is more for earlier season training