Advanced Training Plan
For the senior improvers or 'advanced runners'. You will probably be used to following a schedule already and setting goals and targets. For many of you, the advice of experienced friends or the coach at your running club or jogging group will probably be offering additional advice to help you aim for the goal you have set yourself.
About this plan.
Monday is always a light day. Tuesday builds speed endurance and pace. Wednesday is a day of ‘active recovery’. Thursday builds stamina. Friday is always a rest day. Saturday is a pace building day and Sunday is an endurance day.
Easy or recovery runs.
During an easy run you should feel relaxed. You should be breathing comfortably and be capable of holding a conversation throughout the run. If you’re a new/novice runner then you’ll probably be questioning whether any runs feel easy and holding a conversation may feel impossible. Slow down, walk if necessary and control your effort.
Steady runs.
These are the bread and butter of your training, the ‘miles in the bank’. Steady runs build the aerobic base that acts as the foundation for the rest of your training. Conversations are still possible at this pace but in sentences rather than long gossip.
Threshold or tempo runs.
Running at ‘threshold’ pace is about running under ‘controlled discomfort’ and is great for improving your running economy. You will find them slightly uncomfortable and they’ll require concentration but they are well worth the effort. You’ll only be capable of uttering a four or five words as you run. As you get fitter and more experienced you’ll learn how to find your own ‘threshold’ pace and this will change the fitter, stronger and faster you get.
10 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 35mins easy |
| Tuesday | Run 40mins easy |
| Wednesday | Active Recovery |
| Thursday | Run 40mins easy |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 5mins easy, 30mins Fartlek, run 10mins easy |
| Sunday | Run 1hour 25mins easy |
9 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 35mins easy |
| Tuesday | Jog 10min, (run 4mins hard, run 2mins easy)x5, Jog 10mins easy |
| Wednesday | Active Recovery |
| Thursday | Run 45mins steady |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 5mins easy, 20mins hard, 5mins easy |
| Sunday | Run 1 hour 30mins easy |
8 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 35mins easy |
| Tuesday | Run 10mins easy, Hills: (6x90sec tempo up hill, jog down to recover), jog 10mins easy |
| Wednesday | Active recovery |
| Thursday | Run 45mins steady |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 5mins easy, 30mins at tempo pace, run 10mins easy |
| Sunday | Run 1hour 30mins easy |
7 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 40mins easy |
| Tuesday | Run 10mins easy, (run 4min hard, run 1min easy) x6, jog 10mins easy |
| Wednesday | Active recovery |
| Thursday | Run 50mins steady |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 5mins easy, 20mins hard, 5min easy |
| Sunday | Run 1hour 20mins easy |
6 weeks to go: Easy week or a race week
| Monday | Run 30mins easy |
| Tuesday | 10mins easy: Hills (8x 90secs tempo up hill, jog down to recover), 10mins easy |
| Wednesday | Active recovery |
| Thursday | Run 50mins steady |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 10mins easy |
| Sunday | 5K or 5 mile road race |
5 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 40mins easy |
| Tuesday | Run 10min easy, (run 5mins fast, run 90secs easy) x4, run 10mins easy |
| Wednesday | Active recovery |
| Thursday | Run 50mins easy |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 20mins easy, 10mins hard, 10mins easy |
| Sunday | Run 1hour 30mins easy |
4 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 40mins easy |
| Tuesday | Run 10mins easy, Hills: (10x 90secs tempo up hill, jog down to recover), 10mins easy |
| Wednesday | Active recovery |
| Thursday | Run 50mins steady |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 40mins easy |
| Sunday | Run 10mins easy, 60mins good paced run, 10mins easy |
3 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 35mins easy |
| Tuesday | Jog 10mins, run 6mins fast, run 2mins easy. Repeat 4 times. Jog 10mins |
| Wednesday | Active recovery |
| Thursday | Run 45mins steady |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 5mins easy, 30mins farklet, run 5mins easy |
| Sunday | Run 1hour 10mins easy |
2 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 30mins easy |
| Tuesday | Jog 10mins, (run 1min hard, run 1min very easy) x5, jog 5mins |
| Wednesday | Active recovery |
| Thursday | Run 35mins easy |
| Friday | Rest day |
| Saturday | Run 10mins easy, 25mins at tempo pace, run 10mins easy |
| Sunday | Run 60mins easy |
1 weeks to go:
| Monday | Run 20mins easy |
| Tuesday | Run 10min easy, (3x 2mins tempo run with 2mins jog recovery), 10mins easy |
| Wednesday | Rest day |
| Thursday | Run 30mins easy |
| Friday | Run 15mins easy |
| Saturday | Rest day |
| Sunday | Race day - good luck for Kilomathon Scotland! |
