I always tend to make running too complicated
I always tend to make running too complicated
If you want super simple one that was allegedly common among serious runners in the 70s was 2 runs a day Monday through Saturday and a long run on Sundays. 20 miles a day, or 2 hours a day, whichever you prefer. So you could do 2 60 min runs, a 70 and 50, whatever to get your 2 hours in.
Lastly, race often like 25-30 times a year at a wide variety of distances for your speed work. And if you feel good in training and don't have a race in the next day or two don't be afraid to push the pace if you feel like it.
Australian complex training is about as simple as you can get, doubles most days, some sort of fartlek, hills, track or tempo session two-three times a week and a long run. Ie Deek training.
Run about an hour a day.
Run faster once a week.
Run longer once a week.
Race a couple times a month.
Rest when something bothers you.
Sunday- Long Run
Monday- Intervals faster than race pace (if you're a miler, then stuff at 400-800 pace)
Tuesday- easy run
Wednesday- Intervals at race pace (if you're a miler, then stuff at mile pace)
Thursday- easy run
Friday- easy run or off day
Saturday- Intervals slower than race pace (if you're a miler, then stuff at 3k-10k pace)
I was told by Jack Daniels that the program I used when I coached high school was a simplified version of his program.
Basically- build a base then do two workouts a week.
If you want to train year round (not a season, so to speak) for workouts do:
Hill repeats
Tempo runs
Longer reps on the track or road
Shorter reps on the track or road
Keep it simple.
Keep the interval at 1:00-2:00 on your reps.
Watch as many Matt London videos as possible. Do everything you see him do. Eat wedding soup, listen to Pantera, heavy dumbbell calf raises, you can do this!
Go run !!!
Repeat !!!
Seriously
Left. Right. Repeat.
Alternatively:
Right. Left. Repeat.
1337runner wrote:
Sunday- Long Run
Monday- Intervals faster than race pace (if you're a miler, then stuff at 400-800 pace)
Tuesday- easy run
Wednesday- Intervals at race pace (if you're a miler, then stuff at mile pace)
Thursday- easy run
Friday- easy run or off day
Saturday- Intervals slower than race pace (if you're a miler, then stuff at 3k-10k pace)
So hard interval work out the day BEFORE a long run with hard intervals the day AFTER the long run?
Space those things out man, you need some recovery days between all 3 of those.
Base Phase (many, many weeks)
Run 7 days a week, with one day 50% longer than the rest, i.e. a long run. Gradually increase mileage, the more the better (within your current commitment level, time constraints, injury limitations).
Run very easy 4 days a week.
Run up tempo 3 days a week.
Up tempo one day per week, in middle of easy run, run 1 rep at goal race pace for 1 minute, then jog 1 minute. Each week add a rep,.
Up tempo one day per week, in middle of easy run, run 400 at "3/4 effort" (tempo effort). Each week increase distance at tempo effort by 400 but keep the pace the same.
Up tempo one day per week, during long run, run easy most of the long run, then run progressively faster the last 400. Each week add 400 to the distance that you run progressively faster at the end of the long run.
If you plan to compete at middle distance races (800, mile, 3000K), you also need to work on basic speed as follows. If competing at 5K and up, don't bother.
One day per week do 5 x 200 (200 full recovery which is walk if unfit/beginner, 100 walk/100 jog if moderately fit, 200 slow jog if very fit). Start at current 2M fitness pace and work down very gradually over many weeks to slightly faster than 800 goal pace.
One day per week do 5 x 40 with flying start (1 minute walk recovery). First one medium-hard, the next 4 hard but no harder than 90% effort
One day per week do 5 x short hill with flying start (walk back down recovery). Pick a distance that takes about 7-10 seconds. Run the first one medium-hard, the next 4 hard but no harder than 90% effort
Race Phase
Week 1
2 x 800 (400 jog),4 x 400 (200 jog), 2 x 200 (200 jog)
Over distance race
Week 2
mile (800 jog), 800 (400 jog), 4 x 400 (200 jog), 2 x 200 (200 jog)
3 mile tempo
Week 3
800 (400 jog), 4 x 400 (200 jog), 4 x 200 (200 jog)
Under distance race
Week 4
800 (400 jog), 5 x 300 (200 jog), 3 x 200 (200 jog)
The Big Race!
runn wrote:
I was told by Jack Daniels that the program I used when I coached high school was a simplified version of his program.
Basically- build a base then do two workouts a week.
If you want to train year round (not a season, so to speak) for workouts do:
Hill repeats
Tempo runs
Longer reps on the track or road
Shorter reps on the track or road
Keep it simple.
Keep the interval at 1:00-2:00 on your reps.
Only because you reference JD, Intervals ( meaning VO2 max type work out, not the "rest") would be 3-5 min, not 1-2 min, true reps are shorter, faster and longer rest. If, on the other hand you meant literally- the rest -on your reps when you say interval, I am not familiar with 1 min rest on JD rep speed. Longer rest to put harder effort in. "Purpose of the workout". And 1:1 on true interval workout. Guidelines only. Otherwise great plan.
JD used to coach at a small college close to where I live. We talked about peaking for the championship races at the end of the season. This is a combination of JD and Igloi. Yes, the interval is the rest interval.
Typically, you would start the season with longer intervals (2:00-2:30) and decrease it as the season progressed.
I had a sub sub 4:10 miler doing 62 sec 400's with 45 sec rest before his State Championship mile.
I referenced JD because he's the one I talked to about it. Igoi was a long time ago.
I never read JD's book- I talked to him on several occasions very casually in a sporting goods store and at high school coaching clinics we'd have around here.
KISSit wrote:
Run about an hour a day.
Run faster once a week.
Run longer once a week.
Race a couple times a month.
Rest when something bothers you.
This is almost exactly what I'd have said. I'd have specified that this is a one run a day approach and if you want to be a bit more ambitious add a second shorter, easy, run on as many days as you can manage.
Run 3-5 times a week
Listen to your body
Do the race distance you like
This from KISSit is exactly what I was going to post. My old coach told me to do this once when I started being coached by him and was burnt out, exactly as KISSit states, but then in order so 1. run an hour a day and only when that is comfortable 2. run faster once a week .etc .etc. Works a treat!
KISSit wrote:
Run about an hour a day.
Run faster once a week.
Run longer once a week.
Race a couple times a month.
Rest when something bothers you.
I have been near the top of my masters age group in XC and middle distances for a number of years and my training is only slightly more formal than the above quote, and is the following most of the year :
Mon- run very easy about 75 minutes
Tue- run hills at moderate effort about 75 minutes
Wed- run very easy about 75 minutes
Thu- run hills at moderate effort about 75 minutes
Fri- run very easy about 75 minutes
Sat- run trails hard about 60 minutes
Sun- run trails moderate about 90 to 120 minutes
Race (from mile to 10k) about once a month
Run 10 miles a day. That's it.
robert678 wrote:
If you want super simple one that was allegedly common among serious runners in the 70s was 2 runs a day Monday through Saturday and a long run on Sundays. 20 miles a day, or 2 hours a day, whichever you prefer. So you could do 2 60 min runs, a 70 and 50, whatever to get your 2 hours in.
Lastly, race often like 25-30 times a year at a wide variety of distances for your speed work. And if you feel good in training and don't have a race in the next day or two don't be afraid to push the pace if you feel like it.