Running Around 6-29-09

I know you all are smart runners, but I want to remind everyone that hydration is a full-time job this time of the year. Be proactive by drinking throughout the day. It will help you avoid a hydration deficit before you even start running. You need to be ahead of the curve before your workout starts.

We'll continue with base training this week. The recommended workout is an easy run on the roads or greenways. Since we're trying to build mileage in this phase, try adding 1/2 mile or a mile per week to your Tuesday run.

For those that are interested in staying on the track, follow the series of summer track workouts.

If you're racing on Friday or Saturday, be sure to do some striders following the Tuesday run. I wouldn't worry too much about the workout affecting your race. You'll have plenty of time to recover. Plus, this time of year races should be secondary to training, so don't compromise your training in favor of a race unless it's a really important one.

Week 6 of base training .... Now for the workout summary:

1. Easy road run 4-10 miles -or- Summer track maintenance workout see http://trackworkouts.blogspot.com/2008/06/summer-track-workout-progression.html.

2. Striders: 4-6 x 100m

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

Running Around 6-21-09

Happy Fathers Day to add the Dads out there!

Hot summer days mean base training. More of it this week. The recommended workout is an easy run on the roads or greenways. Since we're trying to build mileage in this phase, try adding 1/2 mile or a mile per week to your Tuesday run.

There are a few reasons we do base during this time of the year. First, you can't be at your peak all the time, so I setup the training cycles to peak in May and November. Also, starting a new training cycle is a great time to build your mileage back up or increase it from where you were in the previous cycle. Adding mileage is one of the more stressful aspects of training. So we want to be smart about the training workload. Doing hard workouts or intervals while building mileage is a lot of stress and will increase the risk of injury. Finally, it's hot and humid and sunny. Conditions are tough for running in general, and they're even worse on the track. So it's a good opportunity to get away and run some shady routes at easier paces.

For those that are interested in staying on the track, follow the series of summer track workouts.

Week 5 of base training .... Now for the workout summary:

1. Easy road run 4-10 miles -or- Summer track maintenance workout see http://trackworkouts.blogspot.com/2008/06/summer-track-workout-progression.html.

2. Striders: 4-6 x 100m

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

Running Around 6-14-09

I'm going to assume that everyone has completed their rest, so we'll be working on base building for the next few weeks. That means easy runs on the roads or greenway. Recommended routes include 3rd Creek Greenway or along the river on the Neyland Greenway.

For those that are interested in staying on the track, I've put together a series of summer track workouts: http://trackworkouts.blogspot.com/2008/06/summer-track-workout-progression.html


Week 4 of base training .... Now for the workout summary:

1. pick one ...
   a. Road run 4-10 miles
   b. Summer track maintenance - see link above.

2. Striders: 4-6 x 100m

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

Running Around 6-7-09

First things first ... a huge congratulations to Angela and Greg who announced their engagement this week!!!! 

Short and sweet this week. Basically the same as last week: Road run or rest is the recommended workout.

If you're looking at running the mile race on Thursday, I'd recommend a workout consisting of a short warmup/cooldown plus just a few 200s. Running economy and good form are essential in the mile, so focus on that during your workout. 

Week 3 of base training/rest .... Now for the workout summary:

1. pick one ...
a. Rest week or road run
b. 2-6 x 200m @R pace with 200m jog. 
c. (Maintenance mode or low intensity) 3-5 x1600m @T pace with 1 min rest. 10% of your weekly mileage.

2. Striders TWO times this week. 4-6 x 100m

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