Intermediate Run Half Marathon Training Plan Week 5
Week at-a-Glance
| Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 5 Jun 24 |
Jun 24 Run 50 mins |
Jun 25 Cross-Training 50 mins |
Jun 26 Run+Speed 50 mins |
Jun 27 Cross-Training 50 mins |
Jun 28 Run 40 mins |
Jun 29 Run-Endurance 9 miles |
Jun 30 Rest Day |
Daily Breakdown
Monday - Run50 mins @ 65-70% heart rate max
Warm up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run at an easy paced conversational effort for 50 minutes. Finish with walking 5 minutes to cool down.
There will be days where your workouts are easy, the time flies by and your outfit matches. But there will also be days where every minute is a challenge, it feels like your first day, and you wonder if you're ever going to finish! Roll with the peaks and prepare for the valleys. It's all part of the journey to race day.
Tuesday - Cross-Training
50 mins @ 60-70% heart rate max
Cross-train with lower impact activities like cycling, swimming, yoga, Pilates, strength training, cardio classes at an easy effort level for 40-50 minutes.
Hydrate with water for training sessions lasting an hour or shorter and consume sports drink for longer sessions.
Wednesday - Run+Speed
50 mins @ 70-80% heart rate max
Warm up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run at an easy paced conversational effort for 50 minutes and include 6 short, 30-60 second pick-ups within the run. Pick up your pace to a fast, challenging pace where you can hear your breathing and it feels just outside your comfort zone. Finish with walking 5 minutes to cool down.
Treadmill training can be an effective way to get in your miles this season, especially in the winter months. However, I recommend trying to get outdoors at least once per week to prepare physically and mentally for running/walking on pavement and in the elements to simulate race day. It is slightly more challenging due to terrain changes (hills) and the elements (wind...). Treadmill running is a little more forgiving on the muscles, joints and tendons. Running outdoors on the roads will give your body a chance to prepare for the race course.
Thursday - Cross-Training
50 mins @ 60-70% heart rate max
Cross-train with lower impact activities like cycling, swimming, yoga, Pilates, strength training, cardio classes at an easy effort level for 40-50 minutes.
You are what you eat. Your training runs are fueled by the food you eat every day. Keep a log of what you consume daily and it will give you a better perspective of what goes into your system. If you are having trouble dropping the weight you wanted or just not feeling strong while training, it could have something to do with how you fuel your body day to day. Eat smaller, more frequent meals well balanced with fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein and even a little fat too.
Current research suggests consuming 60-65% carbohydrates, 25% fat and 10-15% protein for an athletes diet. Skipping meals is the quickest way to gain weight and decrease the performance of your next run or walk. Think of your car and how it runs. If you run out of fuel, the car simply doesn't move. If you put dirty fuel into the tank, the car doesn't run efficiently. Food is fuel. Fuel well and you'll perform and recover well.
Friday - Run
40 mins @ 65-70% heart rate max
Warm up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run at an easy paced conversational effort for 40 minutes. Finish with walking 5 minutes to cool down.
Hydration on the long run is important as the distance builds throughout the season. Research suggests drinking to thirst while training and racing to avoid over-hydration. The idea is to partially replenish fluids lost via sweat, not replace them as you run.
Saturday - Run-Endurance
9 miles @ 70-75% heart rate max
Warm up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run 9 miles at an easy effort. Keep your running effort at a comfortable, conversational pace. Finish with walking 5 minutes to cool down.
They don't call it long, slow distance (LSD) for nothing. Every weekend, the main training objective is to run and walk S-L-O-W-L-Y and comfortably. So slowly in fact, that you are able to comfortably hold a conversation. The purpose of the endurance workout is to build an aerobic base, teach your body how to utilize fat as a fuel source and increase the amount of time on your feet. To do this effectively you need to train in the right zone. Like gears on a car, if you use the wrong gear at the wrong time it will cause wear and tear on the car. It is no different in training. If you train at too hard on the long workouts, you are simulating racing every week and your performance may drop due to fatigue. Train wisely and it will pay off. It takes discipline to run or walk at a slow pace on the long workouts. Taking it too fast is an easy way to burnout and injury. Your wisdom and patience will pay off on race day.
Sunday - Rest Day
Rest from activity today and enjoy the day!
Disclaimer
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