Summer Track Workout Progression

This is a quick post to outline a series of track workouts that are appropriate for summer where base building is the norm but the track is where you want to be. More specifically, this is a series of workouts designed to build on one another over the course of a few weeks. This is not a long-term buildup type of thing. It's just for maintenance. It's appropriate for those who just like to hit the track instead of road running or those who are thinking about a fall marathon but aren't quite ready to start their buildup yet. These should keep you in shape during the summer without burning you out.

Follow the workouts in order. You can do them as frequently or infrequently as you wish, but you should do them in order.

1. Week 1
<= 30 mpw: 2x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest
<= 45 mpw: 3x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest
<= 65 mpw: 4x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest

2. Week 2
<= 30 mpw: 3x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest
<= 45 mpw: 4x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest
<= 65 mpw: 5x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest

3. Week 3
<= 30 mpw: 2.5 miles continuous run @T pace + 2x200m @R pace with 200m jog
<= 45 mpw: 3.0 miles continuous run @T pace + 2x200m @R pace with 200m jog
<= 65 mpw: 3.5 miles continuous run @T pace + 2x200m @R pace with 200m jog

4. Week 4
<= 30 mpw: 2x2400m@T pace with 90 seconds rest
<= 45 mpw: 3x2400m@T pace with 90 seconds rest
<= 65 mpw: 3x2400m@T pace with 90 seconds rest

5. Week 5
3-10 x800m @I pace with 200m jog recovery. Volume of hard running should be 7-8% of weekly mileage

6. Week 6
Note this is the same as week #2, but increase your pace 4-8 seconds faster per mile compared to workouts 1-4.
<= 30 mpw: 3x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest
<= 45 mpw: 4x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest
<= 65 mpw: 5x1600m@T pace with 60 seconds rest

7. Week 7
Same pace as workout #6.
<= 30 mpw: 3.0 miles continuous run @T pace + 2x200m @R pace with 200m jog
<= 45 mpw: 3.4 miles continuous run @T pace + 2x200m @R pace with 200m jog
<= 65 mpw: 4.0 miles continuous run @T pace + 2x200m @R pace with 200m jog

8. Week 8
Same pace as workout #6.
<= 30 mpw: 4x1600m@T pace with 75 seconds rest
<= 45 mpw: 5x1600m@T pace with 75 seconds rest
<= 65 mpw: 6x1600m@T pace with 70 seconds rest

Use a recent race to get your training paces here:
http://www.panix.com/%7Eelflord/vdot.html
-or-
http://www.runningforfitness.org/calc/rp.php