#FINDYOURSTRONG RUN/RACE 13.1 TRAINING PLAN [PLAN DESIGNED BY COACH AND MOTHER RUNNER CHRISTINE HINTON: THERUNNINGCOACH.COM] THE BASICS: The #FindYourStrong 13.1 Run/Race Challenge, slightly shy of four months long, will comfortably bring you up to half-marathon glory. Whether your goal is to with a smile on your face or to power out a personal best, this plan suits a range of runners because it includes optional speed elements. Looking to fire up your speed boosters? Then you add in the -powering ingredients in italics in this plan. Otherwise, ignore them. No guilt and no judgment if you opt out of them. Also, we ll come clean: From the get-go, this plan integrates short bits of intensity and start-slow-get-faster race strategy, kind of like you try to hide shredded veggies in marinara sauce. That said, most of the runs are at an easy, making it perfect for a pair or group of women to take on together as you ll have lots and lots of time on the road (or trail, or treadmill) to talk. Working your long runs up to race distance gets you mentally and physically prepped for the challenge of the half, but a range is given in later weeks to accommodate all levels and days where your legs haven t shown up. THE PREREQS: The ability to comfortably a 6-mile run is preferred, as is experience in some shorter races. This plan is suited to a wide range of women, from 10Kers looking to step up to new distance to marathoners dialing back on distance; the common thread is a desire to #FindYourStrong. VERY IMPORTANT LINK: This link is the landing page for #FindYourStrong Challenge. We ll post exclusive podcast links, weekly newsletter archives, and other fun stuff posted there, so if you miss or have misplaced anything, you ll likely find it there. QUICK KEY = Bail if necessary. H = Hills TWM = Total Weekly Mileage = Gotta get it done. I = Interval WU = Warm-up CD = Cooldown Italics = Optional elements = Crosstrain E = Easy Effort LR = Long Run YR! = You Rock! FYS = Find Your Strong RP = Race Pace Z = Zone
WEEK MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY TWM 1 1 E: 4-5 ; or rest 4 3-4 as E: 3 ; or 6 8 13-21.25 E: 3 3 10 min. WU; LR: 6 7 + 4 I: 4-6 x 30 2 sec. at Z4-5 w/1 min. 5 2 E: 3 E: 4-5 3 E: 3 + 4 E: 4-6 mid 1-2 at race 10 ; or rest E: 3-5 E: 3 ; or 3 as 10 4-6 x 45 sec. min. in Z4-5; 10 min. CD 11 E: 4 ; or LR: 7 9 LR: 8 14-23 15-24.25 4 E: 3 E: 5-7 5 E: 3 6 E: 3 7 E: 3 8 E: 3 + 8 E: 5 mid 2 at race E: 5-7 3 as 10 min. WU; I: 4-6 x 1 min. at Z4 w/2 min. E: 4 ; or ; or rest E: 3-5 E: 3 ; or 3 as 10 6 x 45 sec. min. in Z4-5; 10 min. CD E: 3 ; or ; or rest E: 5 E: 4 ; or E: 5 ; or rest E: 4-6 mid 2-4 at race E: 3 ; or LR: 6-7 LR: 8-9 LR: 9-10 mid 3 at race LR: 8, LR: 10 17-24 19.50-25.5 17-25.5 21-27 22.5-27.5 9 E: 3 + 8 3 as 10 6-8 x 1 min. in Z4-5; 10 E: 4 ; or LR: 10-12 18-28.5
WEEK MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY TWM 10 E: 3 E: 6-7 ; or rest 20-26 11 E: 3 + 10 12 E: 3 + 10 E: 4-5 E: 3 3-4 as 10 min. WU; I: 8-10 x 1 min. in Z4-5 w/ 2 min. E: 3 ; or LR: 8-9, E: 4-6 ; or rest LR: 10-11 mid 3-4 race 13 E: 3 E: 4 ; or rest 3-4 at 10 min. WU; I: 6-8 x 2 min. in Z4 w/ 2 min. 14 E: 3 15 E: 3 E: 3-4 E: 3, last 1 mile at race E: 4 ; or E: 3 ; or ; or rest E: 4 E: 3 ; or E: 2-3 E: 30 min. + 3-4 strides LR: 11-13 LR: 8 last 2 at race LR: 6 #FYS! 12 21.75-28.75 21-32.75 18-22 16.5-20.5 YR! 13 23.5-25
#FINDYOURSTRONG RUN/RACE 13.1 * * THE PART WHERE WE EXPLAIN THE FOOTNOTES 1 What it says: What you do: Listen to your heart. Do you want to do the workout? Then have at it. Are you craving a break? Take it no questions asked. 2 What it says: E: 3 + 4 What you do: Pick your poison: a three-mile easy run, followed by four strides (short, steady pick-ups of ); or a 30-60 minute crosstraining session. Whichever option you choose, keep it light to moderate in effort. To do a stride, find flat pavement or grass. Keeping your limbs relaxed, run fast but in control yes, that s possible for about 100 meters or 30 seconds. The idea is to teach your muscles to run fast without taxing your cardiovascular system too much. Take as much time as you need between strides. 3 What it says: E: 4-5 What you do: Knock off 4 to 5, preferably with a friend so you can catch up. 4 What it says: ; or rest What you do: Flip a coin. Heads: hit the elliptical. Tails: hit the pillow. (Or feel free to listen to your body.) 5 What it says: 3-4 as 10 minute WU; I: 6 x 30 sec at Z4-5 w/1 min. min CD What you do: Wake up your engine and legs for 10 minutes, then gun it like you were starting a 5K race for 30 seconds. Slow down significantly or walk for a minute; do six total of those suckers. Cool down your engine for 10 minutes. Expect to go between three and four. (The Rx d mileage is simply a guide, so no need to run around your block one more time to reach three if Strava says you re not quite there yet.) 6 What it says: What you do: Even if it takes until nightfall to get the workout done, you must do this workout. Bailing is not an option (unless you re injured or have other extraordinary circumstances going on). In other words, take this mandatory workout and shine like the superstar you are! 7 What it says: LR: 6 What you do: Tick off six at a chatty. 8 What it says:. What you do: Nada. Absolutely nothing, save your daily work/life routine. To get stronger and more fit, your body needs time to recover; your mind also needs a day to just chill and not worry about an obnoxiously early alarm or lunchtime workout. Give them both a break at least one day a week. 9 What it says: LR: 7 What you do: Here s the first bit of optional speed-honing: If your goal is to the race, cover seven at a comfortable, then get on with your day (or evening). But if you re looking to race to a possible personal best, opt
into the italics: Crank up your for the final 5 minutes of your 7-mile stint. Could be 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute/mile faster just make it strong so you can #FindYourStrong. 10 What it says: E: 4-6 mid 1-2 at race What you do: Here we go again with the italics: Whenever you see these, this part of the workout is optional. You only do the directives in italics if you re looking to bust out a big move in the race; otherwise, do the un-italicized part of the workout. In this case, you d only run 4-6 at a conversational. If you re racing the half, run easy for 1 or 2, then accelerate to your predicated race for 1 to 2, then cooldown for 1 to 2. Speeding up after easing into the run is excellent race-day practice. 11 What it says: 3 as 10 4 x 45 sec. in Z4-5; 10 What you do: You re going to cover about three, first by running slowly for ten minutes and winding up near a hill. Ascend the hill for 45 seconds, giving it a strong, focused effort, then jog (or walk) down so you can attack the hill for a total of four times. Do an easy trot home for 10 minutes. (Yes, you can do this bad-boy on a treadmill. No need to settle for just one incline for the entire workout. Mix it up between 4% and 10%, for veteran hill divas.) 12 What it says: FYS! What you do: Time to #FindYourStrong: It s out there waiting for you to nab it. 13 What it says: YR! What you do: You rock! Tell your children, your partner, your neighbors: Sing it to the heavens. Nice job, mother runner!