Week 2 - February 27th thru March 4th
Monday 27th Easy/Light Run 25-30 minutes
Include 4 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 minutes on Stationary Bike
Wednesday 29th Light Fartlek Workout
Warm Up 10-15 min/Stretch/4 x 25 sec strides
Start 4 x 2 min controlled with 90 sec easy
End 4 min steady/controlled
Take 2 min Easy between Sets
Cool Down 5-10 minutes
Thursday 1st Easy Recovery Run 25-30 minutes
Friday 2nd 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 minutes on Stationary Bike
Saturday 3rd Easy Longer Run 30-35 minutes
Relaxed Effort-Pace
Sunday 26th No Run - Day Off
Easy/Light/Recovery Run - Conversational Pace/Time on Legs/Relaxed Effort
Fartlek - Run between 70-80% Effort of Max
Coach's Notes
You have the Option to Cross Train on Tue/Fri. I encourage you to get into a regular routine and lift and/or does core-work, however, read these notes to make sure you are not overdoing it.
Runners Cross-Train to prevent injuries, so it's ironic, to get injured while cross-training. Pilates and Alternative forms of exercise can improve your fitness, prevent and re-habilitate injuries, promote recovery, and revive a stale routine, just approach them as a Runner.
Runners have their obvious strengths: power, endurance, tenacity, however, within those strengths lays the potential for weakness: quads that overpower the hamstrings, neglected upper bodies, and poor flexibility - qualities that could lead to problems. Understanding the 3 most common problems runners experience will help you cross-train safely and benefit you.
Weak Hamstrings - quads are larger and have more muscle than hamstrings, so generate more power. Running increases this imbalance because it's such a quad-dominated activity. You cannot expect to get your hamstrings to 100 percent of the strength of your quads, so work to do 50 percent of what the quads do.
Weak Upper Body - a strong upper body helps process oxygen more efficiently, which allows you to run faster with less effort. Adding upper-body work to your routine will also help maintain form in the later stages of a race when it deteriorates. Runners new to strength training tend to get injured either from lifting too much or lifting with incorrect posture. Lift at 50-75 percent of your max weight and try doing your exercises in front of a mirror to keep proper form.
Tight Legs - yoga and pilates build core strength, mental focus, balance, and flexibility. However, in an attempt to loosen ones hamstrings, calves, and hips, one may push too far and end up with a strained muscle or joint. Start with a Beginners Class and build from that.
Colleen works with quite a few Strider Members now on a regular basis in the weight room at the Flatiron Athletic Club…focusing on their weaknesses. She has also started working at Rally Sports…Striders Members get a discounted rate based on purchasing a 4-session package. Contact Colleen @ cdereuck [at] msn [dot] com.
Cross Training can BENEFIT your Running!!!