"reach for the extraordinary"
RUN PROGRAM
Program Information
Programs
Run specific interval workouts specifically preparing for various events throughout the year.
Training Cycles
Specific cycles of training with short interval sessions followed by regeneration work dependant on the cycle.
Racing Cycle
Workout adjustments are made for upcoming events - with lesser events, taper volumes some; with moderate events, taper more; with big events with travel, taper much more.
Run specific interval workouts specifically preparing for various events throughout the year.
- 5km, 10km Program - Intervals on Wednesday & Saturday with no Simulation Workouts.
- Half, Marathon and Ultra Marathon Program - Intervals on Wednesday & Saturday with Simulation Workouts.
Training Cycles
Specific cycles of training with short interval sessions followed by regeneration work dependant on the cycle.
- Aerobic Capacity - Six week cycle - Long intervals (4 minutes) with short recovery (1 minute) at controlled pace with long regeneration training ( Two runs on Saturday )
- Anaerobic Capacity - Six week cycle - Very short intervals (30 seconds) with long rest (4 minute) at max pace with medium regeneration training ( Normal training week )
- Aerobic Power - Six week cycle - Medium intervals (2 minute) with very short recovery (1 minute) at race pace with long regeneration training ( Normal training week )
- Anaerobic Power - Six week cycle - Short intervals (1 minute) with short recovery (1 minute) at sub max pace with low regeneration training ( One to two days off for recovery )
- Transition week- Two week cycle - Long intervals (4 minutes) with long recovery (4 minutes) at controlled pace with medium training. (Normal training week)
Racing Cycle
Workout adjustments are made for upcoming events - with lesser events, taper volumes some; with moderate events, taper more; with big events with travel, taper much more.
Weekly Workouts
May 20th to 26th - Week #5
Workout type this cycle - Aerobic Capacity - Six week cycle - Long intervals (4 minutes) with short recovery (1 minute) at controlled pace with long regeneration training ( Two runs on Saturday )
If you are racing this weekend refer to your personal program for your taper and recovery or use these general guidelines to adjust your week based on your event schedule.
Workouts
Monday
Warm Up - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tempo Workout - 18 to 36 minutes at a mindful running pace focusing on technique on flat terrain to take pressure off your body.
Cool Down - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tuesday
Warm Up - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tempo Workout - 18 to 36 minutes at a mindful running pace focusing on technique.
Strength Workout
Cool Down - 6 minutes of easy running + soft tissue work - ( stretching, foam roller, massage & sauna )
Wednesday @ Fast Trax - FAST TRAX FARTLEKS @ 6:00pm - DROP IN RUN WORKOUT
Warm Up - 24 minutes of easy running.
Interval Workout - 4 x 4 minute with 4 minute recovery or 30 minute tempo run.
Cool Down - 24 minutes of easy running - ( stretching, foam roller, massage & sauna )
Thursday
Warm Up - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tempo Workout - 18 to 36 minutes at a mindful running pace focusing on technique.
Strength Workout
Cool Down - 6 minutes of easy running + soft tissue work - ( stretching, foam roller, massage & sauna )
Friday
Warm Up - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tempo Workout - 18 to 36 minutes at a mindful running pace focusing on technique on flat terrain to take pressure off your body.
Cool Down - 6 minutes of easy running.
Saturday @ Fast Trax - FAST TRAX FARTLEKS @ 8:30am - DROP IN RUN WORKOUT
Warm Up - 24 minutes of easy running.
Interval Workout - 4 x 4 minute with 4 minute recovery or 30 minute tempo run.
Cool Down - 24 minutes of easy running - ( stretching, foam roller, massage & sauna )
Sunday @ Hawrelak Park - DROP IN COMMUNITY RUN @ 8:30am - Meeting in main parking lot
Recovery Workout - 90 to 150 minutes of easy running based on event - Complete run over hilly terrain on soft surface as off road is good for legs.
Workout type this cycle - Aerobic Capacity - Six week cycle - Long intervals (4 minutes) with short recovery (1 minute) at controlled pace with long regeneration training ( Two runs on Saturday )
If you are racing this weekend refer to your personal program for your taper and recovery or use these general guidelines to adjust your week based on your event schedule.
Workouts
Monday
Warm Up - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tempo Workout - 18 to 36 minutes at a mindful running pace focusing on technique on flat terrain to take pressure off your body.
Cool Down - 6 minutes of easy running.
- Note: Optional day off.
Tuesday
Warm Up - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tempo Workout - 18 to 36 minutes at a mindful running pace focusing on technique.
Strength Workout
Cool Down - 6 minutes of easy running + soft tissue work - ( stretching, foam roller, massage & sauna )
Wednesday @ Fast Trax - FAST TRAX FARTLEKS @ 6:00pm - DROP IN RUN WORKOUT
Warm Up - 24 minutes of easy running.
Interval Workout - 4 x 4 minute with 4 minute recovery or 30 minute tempo run.
Cool Down - 24 minutes of easy running - ( stretching, foam roller, massage & sauna )
Thursday
Warm Up - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tempo Workout - 18 to 36 minutes at a mindful running pace focusing on technique.
Strength Workout
Cool Down - 6 minutes of easy running + soft tissue work - ( stretching, foam roller, massage & sauna )
Friday
Warm Up - 6 minutes of easy running.
Tempo Workout - 18 to 36 minutes at a mindful running pace focusing on technique on flat terrain to take pressure off your body.
Cool Down - 6 minutes of easy running.
- Note: Optional day off.
Saturday @ Fast Trax - FAST TRAX FARTLEKS @ 8:30am - DROP IN RUN WORKOUT
Warm Up - 24 minutes of easy running.
Interval Workout - 4 x 4 minute with 4 minute recovery or 30 minute tempo run.
Cool Down - 24 minutes of easy running - ( stretching, foam roller, massage & sauna )
Sunday @ Hawrelak Park - DROP IN COMMUNITY RUN @ 8:30am - Meeting in main parking lot
Recovery Workout - 90 to 150 minutes of easy running based on event - Complete run over hilly terrain on soft surface as off road is good for legs.
- Focus on Fuel Efficiency by not eating 2 hours prior to this session and only drinking water for the workout.
- Focus on Run Economy by hitching at the hip and not rocking shoulders with good body posture.
Weather Notes
Run workouts out of the shop will be cancelled if the following occurs one hour prior to workout on the Environment Canada website.
Summer
As athletes, it is especially important to monitor environmental conditions. We suggest that you follow all weather watches or warnings and consider training indoors or significantly reducing your workout when conditions are less than ideal.
Summer
- Air Quality Health Index - ( 7 or higher )
- Air Temperature - ( +30 degrees or warmer )
- Air Temperature - ( -20 degrees or colder )
As athletes, it is especially important to monitor environmental conditions. We suggest that you follow all weather watches or warnings and consider training indoors or significantly reducing your workout when conditions are less than ideal.
Workout Notes
.Interval Workouts
Complete the interval workouts as fast as comfortably possible considering the length of reps, number of reps, and recovery periods. You want a certain flow to each workout whereby you are not straining to each your top speed. As in a race, pace early reps and systematically increase effort across reps to maintain or increase pace across reps.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for the warm up and build from 80 to 90% effort if you are feeling good for the intervals - pace guide.
Note: Think of interval workouts as just-manageable challenges, that barely exceed your current abilities. If you feel fully in control, make the next workout a bit harder. If you feel anxious or not in control dial things down a notch on your next workout.
Note: Continued research in the area of training intensity seems to suggest when athletes make their hard days harder they got better, but when they make the easy days harder by running too far they break down.
Tempo Workouts
Short tempo workouts are done on your recovery days, so the pace and volume must be controlled to allow full recovery between the formal interval workouts. Rather than running long and slow, we get in some mindful running focusing on cadence and good form that contributes to performance.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for the warm up and build from 60 to 70% effort if you are feeling good for the tempo portion of the run - pace guide.
For example, a short tempo workout for a marathon runner would start by running six minutes at an easy running pace, followed by thirty minutes at a crisp mindful pace, one which you are focusing on technique and cadence as opposed to a specific pace or heart rate and then finishing up with six minutes at an easy running pace, making it a forty two minute workout.
Note: If you increase the length of your tempo runs you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation. You can add time to these workouts by adding an addition 6 minutes to the warm up and cool down portion of the workout.
Morning Tempo Workouts
Half length tempo workouts can be added as morning workouts on formal workout days (Wednesday morning's and Saturday evening's). To allow for full recovery, the duration of the morning tempo workouts must be controlled.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for the warm up and build from 60 to 70% effort if you are feeling good for the tempo portion of the run - pace guide.
For example, a short half length tempo workout for a marathon runner would start by running six minutes at an easy running pace, followed by fifteen minutes at a crisp mindful pace, one which you are focusing on technique and cadence as opposed to a specific pace or heart rate and then finishing up with six minutes at an easy running pace, making it a twenty five minute workout.
Note: If you increase the length of your morning tempo workouts you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation. You can add time to these runs by adding 6 minutes to the warm up and cool down portion of the runs.
Recovery Workouts - General
Recovery workouts on Sundays are slow continuous running over longer distances.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for your recovery runs - pace guide.
Note: If you increase the length of your Recovery Workouts you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation.
Recovery Workouts - Specific
Specific Recovery workouts replace the weekly Recovery workout every two weeks on Sundays in preparation for the faster paced Simulation runs. These workouts are slow continuous running over longer distances specific to your race distance and goal time.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for your recovery runs - pace guide.
Note: If you increase the length of your Recovery Workouts you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation.
Simulation Workouts
Simulation workouts replace the weekly Saturday interval workout every three weeks. Pacing of these workouts is based on your goal race pace over similar terrain to your goal event.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for the warm up and build to 80% effort as the simulation runs begins. Once you settle into your rythum build from 90 to 100% of your goal marathon pace for your simulation runs - pace guide.
Terrain Choice
Note: If you increase the length of your Simulation Workouts you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation.
Regeneration and Recovery
If you are feeling really fatigued on any particular day, this is a good sign that your body needs more recovery before it is ready to tackle another challenging workout. Simply replace your workout for the day with a recovery workout or rest day. If injured, ill, or experiencing excess fatigue, don’t do the workout.
Otherwise, do the workouts as scheduled and make adjustments in paces (e.g., increases, decreases) within and across workouts to maximize each workout.
Note: Within the program the best days for rest days are Mondays and / or Fridays based on your schedule.
Complete the interval workouts as fast as comfortably possible considering the length of reps, number of reps, and recovery periods. You want a certain flow to each workout whereby you are not straining to each your top speed. As in a race, pace early reps and systematically increase effort across reps to maintain or increase pace across reps.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for the warm up and build from 80 to 90% effort if you are feeling good for the intervals - pace guide.
- Trail runners complete one formal workout on hilly terrain and the second workout on flat to rolling terrain.
- For hilly terrain workouts, complete a few intervals on flat terrain, uphill terrain and downhill terrain for a balanced trail workout.
- Road runners complete both formal workouts on flat to gradual downhill terrain.
- Use the gradual downhill terrain to focus on technique and increasing leg speed.
Note: Think of interval workouts as just-manageable challenges, that barely exceed your current abilities. If you feel fully in control, make the next workout a bit harder. If you feel anxious or not in control dial things down a notch on your next workout.
Note: Continued research in the area of training intensity seems to suggest when athletes make their hard days harder they got better, but when they make the easy days harder by running too far they break down.
Tempo Workouts
Short tempo workouts are done on your recovery days, so the pace and volume must be controlled to allow full recovery between the formal interval workouts. Rather than running long and slow, we get in some mindful running focusing on cadence and good form that contributes to performance.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for the warm up and build from 60 to 70% effort if you are feeling good for the tempo portion of the run - pace guide.
For example, a short tempo workout for a marathon runner would start by running six minutes at an easy running pace, followed by thirty minutes at a crisp mindful pace, one which you are focusing on technique and cadence as opposed to a specific pace or heart rate and then finishing up with six minutes at an easy running pace, making it a forty two minute workout.
- 10km program - 18 minute tempo workout / mindful running.
- Half marathon program - 24 minute tempo workout / mindful running.
- Marathon program - 30 minute tempo workout / mindful running.
- Ultra marathon program - 36 minute tempo workout / mindful running.
Note: If you increase the length of your tempo runs you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation. You can add time to these workouts by adding an addition 6 minutes to the warm up and cool down portion of the workout.
Morning Tempo Workouts
Half length tempo workouts can be added as morning workouts on formal workout days (Wednesday morning's and Saturday evening's). To allow for full recovery, the duration of the morning tempo workouts must be controlled.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for the warm up and build from 60 to 70% effort if you are feeling good for the tempo portion of the run - pace guide.
For example, a short half length tempo workout for a marathon runner would start by running six minutes at an easy running pace, followed by fifteen minutes at a crisp mindful pace, one which you are focusing on technique and cadence as opposed to a specific pace or heart rate and then finishing up with six minutes at an easy running pace, making it a twenty five minute workout.
- 10km program - 9 minute tempo workout / mindful running.
- Half marathon program - 12 minute tempo workout / mindful running.
- Marathon program - 15 minute tempo workout / mindful running.
- Ultra marathon program - 18 minute tempo workout / mindful running.
Note: If you increase the length of your morning tempo workouts you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation. You can add time to these runs by adding 6 minutes to the warm up and cool down portion of the runs.
Recovery Workouts - General
Recovery workouts on Sundays are slow continuous running over longer distances.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for your recovery runs - pace guide.
- 10km program - Run 60 minute workout
- Half marathon program - Run 75 minute workout
- Marathon program - Run 90 minute workout
- Ultra marathon program - Run 120 minute workout
Note: If you increase the length of your Recovery Workouts you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation.
Recovery Workouts - Specific
Specific Recovery workouts replace the weekly Recovery workout every two weeks on Sundays in preparation for the faster paced Simulation runs. These workouts are slow continuous running over longer distances specific to your race distance and goal time.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for your recovery runs - pace guide.
- Marathon program - Run 180 to 240 minute workout - these would start at 90 minutes and build to 240 minutes depending on goal time.
- Ultra marathon program - Run 240 to 360 minute workout - these would start at 120 minutes and build to 360 minutes depending on goal time.
Note: If you increase the length of your Recovery Workouts you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation.
Simulation Workouts
Simulation workouts replace the weekly Saturday interval workout every three weeks. Pacing of these workouts is based on your goal race pace over similar terrain to your goal event.
Note: Run at an effort of 50% for the warm up and build to 80% effort as the simulation runs begins. Once you settle into your rythum build from 90 to 100% of your goal marathon pace for your simulation runs - pace guide.
- 10km program - no simulation workouts.
- Half Marathon program - (AM) 5km building to 15km every three weeks.
- Marathon program - (AM) 10km building to 30km every three weeks.
- Ultra marathon program - (AM) 10km building to 40km, (PM) 5km building to 30km every three weeks.
Terrain Choice
- Trail runners complete simulation workouts on trail on hilly terrain similar to goal event focusing on both uphill and downhill technique.
- Road runners complete simulation workouts on pavement on flat to rolling terrain similar to goal event.
Note: If you increase the length of your Simulation Workouts you negatively affect your recovery-adaptation.
Regeneration and Recovery
If you are feeling really fatigued on any particular day, this is a good sign that your body needs more recovery before it is ready to tackle another challenging workout. Simply replace your workout for the day with a recovery workout or rest day. If injured, ill, or experiencing excess fatigue, don’t do the workout.
Otherwise, do the workouts as scheduled and make adjustments in paces (e.g., increases, decreases) within and across workouts to maximize each workout.
- Regardless of program, aim to take one day off a week. Have the courage to rest.
- On your single off-days and extended breaks from training, truly dis-connect from your training.
- Unplug both physically and mentally and engage in activities that you find relaxing and restorative.
Note: Within the program the best days for rest days are Mondays and / or Fridays based on your schedule.
