Week 3 - June 27th thru July 3rd
Monday 27th Easy/Light Run 40-45 minutes
Include 6 x 30 sec light strides/60 sec easy within run
Tuesday 28th No Run - Cross Training Day
Do ONE of the Following after Warm Up:
Warm Up 10 minutes on the Stationary Bike - THEN
Lift Weights/Pilates (Mat or Reformer)/Yoga
Cool Down 5-10 minutes on Stationary Bike
Wednesday 29th Light Tempo/Short Hills/Fartlek Workout
Meet @ Tom Watson Park - 6:45 am OR 6:00 pm
Warm Up 15-20 min/Stretch/4 x 25 sec strides
Start with 4 x 60 sec hill repeats/jog down recovery
Take 2 min Easy
Then 3 x 5 min with 2 min easy to re-group
Run 5 min Pick-Ups @ Half Marathon Effort
End 3 x 2 min with 60 sec easy to re-group
Run 2 min Pick-Ups @ 10 km Effort
Cool Down 5-10 minutes
Thursday 30th Easy Recovery Run 35-40 minutes
Friday 1st No Run - Cross Training Day
Do ONE of the Following after Warm Up:
Warm Up 10 minutes on the Stationary Bike - THEN
Lift Weights/Pilates (Mat or Reformer)/Yoga
Cool Down 5-10 minutes on Stationary Bike
Saturday 2nd Easy Longer Run 70-80 minutes
Relaxed Effort-Pace/Hydrate
Sunday 3rd Easy/Light Run 35 minutes
Easy/Light/Recovery - Conversational Pace/Time on Legs/Relaxed Effort
Long – Run between 60-90 sec slower than your marathon goal pace
Tempo - Run between 65-70% effort of Max
Fartlek – Run between 80-85% effort of Max
Hills – Work on Turnover/Form
Meeting Place
Tom Watson Park - follow the Diagonal Highway to 63rd St. Go north on 63rd for about a half mile and look for the sign saying Tom Watson Park on your right. Parking Lot is opposite Coot Lake on east side of 63rd. DO NOT park @ Coot Lake.
Coach's Notes
As you approach the first aid station along the race course, you see sports drinks in some cups and water in others. Which should you reach for? It all depends on running time and distance, level of intensity, individual fitness, environmental conditions and yes even personal preference. Having to decide between an array of sports drinks is pretty daunting, however, some are simply better than others, especially when you are striving for peak performance and optimal hydration. Taste is certainly key, since research has proven that we’re likely to stay better hydrated if we enjoy what we’re drinking.
A runner on a 30-minute run would not be hurt by using one of the endurance sports drinks, but just drinking water would be okay, as sports drinks become more important as workouts or races get longer. Whatever you choose, try drinking it cold and in frequent dosages…leaving you properly fueled and well hydrated.
With so many thirst-quenching options, water may seem rather pedestrian, however, it’s cheap and more readily available than any other beverage. Just remember that water won’t refuel your carbohydrate reserves and replace electrolytes lost through sweat. As mentioned earlier, runs of under 30 minutes are okay with water as one has enough stored energy to meet the demands of the workout. On runs over 30 minutes, since you need to replace spent carbs and electrolytes, water is insufficient and you should be looking to hydrate with energy sports drinks. Ideally, sports drinks have 6-8% carbohydrate concentration which allows them to be absorbed by the body up to 30% faster than water and provides a steady stream of carbs to re-stock spent energy stores. They also contain the electrolytes sodium and potassium, both minerals that are lost through sweat and important for fluid retention.
Some runners avoid sports drinks because they contain calories. This is a huge mistake, as when you are training long and hard, you should not minimize your calorie intake. Don’t work against your body when you are asking it to perform. Besides, research indicates that consuming carbohydrates during exercise may suppress your appetite later in the day.
Endurance drinks typically offer the same carbohydrate content as regular sport drinks, however, they throw in an extra dose of sodium and potassium and deliver both carbohydrates and electrolytes which can enhance performance, while maintaining electrolyte levels.
What puts the “energy” in energy drinks? Most contain a potent mixture of caffeine and sugar proven to enhance performance. However, the extremely high amount of sugar in these drinks actually prohibits them from been a smart fluid choice during exercise. The reason been the dense carbohydrate content slows fluid absorption and can upset the stomach. Other stimulants often found in these drinks, such as guarana, ginseng, taurine and L-carnitine, may boost performance, but can also increase blood pressure and heart rate and make one feel shaky…particularly if taken on an empty stomach.
Research has indicated that adding a little protein to the carbs you consume post-run helps speed the restoration of your glycogen (energy) stores and facilitates muscle repair. Consequently, most recovery drinks contain 30-60 grams of carbs and 7-15 grams of protein…roughly a 4-1 ratio. Use your recovery drink after a harder workout or long run, when you have no appetite or as a pre-run meal if you can’t tolerate solids when fueling up.
As we start hitting those 90 degree days…stay HYDRATED and FUELED…I guarantee you’ll feel a lot better and your post-run RECOVERY will be great!!!
Remember to follow the Base Schedule based on your Fitness Level right now:
Group 1 – been training consistently since Bolder Boulder and running on a daily basis
Group 2 – took time off after Bolder Boulder and back running 3-4 times a week now
Group 3 – no running since Bolder Boulder and minimal training right now