I have a friend called Pedro who wants to run the 10 english mile Dam ToT Dam race in Amsterdam, in late September. Pedro really likes running, however, he has not been running for quite some time due to lack of time (work, family) and due to injuries. Even his physiotherapist told him that if he could not run faster than 6 minutes per km, then running was not his thing. I am very against the physio’s opinion and every time I see Pedro I encourage him to start running again.
Running is a great way to get in shape and release stress. So Pedro decided to give it another try, and asked me if I knew a training plan he could follow. I went one step further and I designed a training plan for him.
Click here to see Pedro’s training plan
Pedro can only run for 3-4 times per week. I first ask Pedro to follow an easy introductory phase of 4 weeks. The goal of this phase is to build a running base and strength. All runs should be made at a very easy pace, at which Pedro can have a conversation while running.
The following phase is called the fundamental phase, a period when Pedro will begin with gradual workouts to stimulate running speed. After week 6, there will be a long run at the end of each week, when Pedro will have to start running for longer periods of time. I do not ask Pedro to complete certain number of km. The plan only asks for running time on his feet. The long runs will gradually increase in bits of ten minutes. So Pedro can absorb the effort and recover appropriately.
The following paragraphs give a detailed description of Pedro’s training plan. However, besides following the plan I will ask Pedro to do a 30-40 min. strength routine twice per week. This routine will be a prevention strategy to keep Pedro away of running injuries. Have a look at the strength routine here.
Guide to Pedro’s Training Plan
At the end of the introductory phase there is a workout called 1 Mile Test. This workout is of great importance because brings adaptability to the plan. Meaning that all the workouts in the fundamental phase will be adapted to the speed and effort that Pedro can hold and follow.
To understand this better let me explain the idea of the test. It is there to help Pedro understand his speed zones. We all have speed zones, these are basically paces at which we can complete a 5k, and 10k or even a marathon. The speed you run at for a 5k race will be way faster than the pace you would hold for a marathon. Therefore the 5k speed zone is more challenging than the marathon speed zone.
1 Mile Test
WARM-UP: 12–15 min. very easy jogging followed by 4 x 30 sec. pickups, building speed to a moderate/fast effort, with 1 min. rest in between. Then run 2 min. at a moderate effort with 2 min. rest just before the mile.
THE TEST: Reset your watch to record only this part. Run 1 mile as fast and as steady as you can. Avoid starting out too fast and slowing way down at the end. Aim for a consistent pace. Stop your watch at the finish—use this time!
COOL-DOWN: 5–10 min. easy.
After the test, Pedro will have his 1 mile speed. He needs it to determine his speed zones.
DETERMINE SPEED ZONES
1-mile pace = _______ We will now call this 1MP.
Convert time to decimal, so 9:30 would be 9.5, for example, and then convert the results back to times. For each speed zone, your pace should be between A and B.
Speed Zone 1 (easy/recovery pace)
1MP x 1.35 = 1A
1MP x 1.30 = 1B
SPZ 1 = 1A to 1B
Speed Zone 2 (marathon training pace)
1MP x 1.25 = 2A
1MP x 1.20 = 2B
SPZ 2 = 2A to 2B
Speed Zone 3 (half-marathon training pace)
1MP x 1.19 = 3A
1MP x 1.15 = 3B
SPZ 3 = 3A to 3B
Speed Zone 4 (10K training pace)
1MP x 1.14 = 4A
1MP x 1.10 = 4B
SPZ 4 = 4A to 4B
Speed Zone 5 (5K training pace)
1MP x 1.09 = 5A
1MP x 1.05 = 5B
SPZ 5 = 5A to 5B
Speed Zone 6 (1-mile training pace)
1MP x 1.04 = 6A
1MP x 1.00 = 6B
SPZ 6 = 6A to 6B
Speed Zone 7 (fastest effort)
1MP x 0.99 = 7A
1MP x 0.95 = 7B
SPZ 6 = 7A to 7B
Now that Pedro has his speed zone paces, he is ready to begin with the fundamental phase of the plan. The workouts in this phase are designed to help him gain speed and build strength. Therefore as the weeks pass the workouts will become more challenging, but since it will be gradual, Pedro will be able to follow them, trust me Pedro! A good summary of this phase is “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable”. Pero will soon understand why. 🙂
It is important to notice another feature of the training plans: the recovery weeks. These weeks are there for Pedro to rest and recover from the hard workouts of the previous weeks. So Pedro, do follow them! During these weeks take time to rest and do some stretching.
In the workouts, there are a few abbreviations. For instance, 20 min in SZ1 + 5x30sec building speed to SZ4 by the end of each rep. w/1 min RI. Means run 20 minutes at the SZ1 pace and then run 5 times for 30 seconds at the SZ4 pace. Between each repetition allow for 1 minute recovery. Another example, 4-5×3.5min in SZ5 w/3 min RI, means make 4 or 5 repetitions of fast runs at SZ5 for 3.5 minutes and allow 3 minute recovery (at this point Pedro can walk if he needs to) between each repetition.
The tapering phase occurs during the last 2 weeks of the plan. During this time, there are less workouts to complete, so that the body can absorb the training, recover and be ready for the race!
Some final notes before starting the program. It is good to always incorporate a daily warm-up: 10–15 minutes at a pace slower than SPZ 1 before each workout. The speed zones give you and Pedro an upper (A) and lower limit (B) to aim for, so you can take into account how you feel, the terrain, the weather, etc. Don’t stress about precisely hitting the specific zones. As you gain experience, it’ll be easier to dial into what the speeds feel like. Try not to look at your watch every 2 seconds. In the plans, RI stands for “rest interval”, when you recover before your next speed interval. The more difficult the speed interval, the easier the RI should be. Feel free to walk!
Happy running!