Just Four Days A Week
I have a friend who runs six days a week but not me. I have learned I cannot recover or have productive training with a six day a week schedule.
Four works just fine for me unless I am training for a marathon and during those times I can add a fifth day. I need a couple days a week to recover.
I am more productive if there is a plan for my running days beyond logging miles. A friend recently wanted to know how my weekly running schedule. Here is what I sent.
- Tuesday - speed day.
- 15-minute warm-up SLOW
- Hill Repeats - a hill with a 6% or so incline that I can run in 60-90 seconds
- run up the hill, fast, but not a sprint
- return to the bottom by walking or slow jog
- repeat this 4-6 times OR
- Track work
- 400 - 800 or another interval at a specific fast pace
- 10-minute cooldown
- Thursday - tempo
- this is usually at least 5 miles
- a mile warm-up and then run the majority of the time at a sustainable pace.
- this requires a little effort but you are not exhausted at the end.
- Saturday - long and slow
- building miles at a slow pace.
- This is about time on your feet.
- My longest run of the week and it is about endurance not speed.
- Sunday - recovery
- this one is even slower.
- many Sunday's I just focus on keeping my heart rate below level.
- it is just to get the legs moving.
Now I may only consistently run only four days a week, however, I get more out of my runs when I add strength training on two other days.
What is your weekly running/training plan?
