Marathon Program

Week 8 | Marathon Day 53

Tempo Intervals

Time: 2-40 minutes.
Welcome to the world of tempo intervals. Run on either flat to rolling terrain, track, or treadmill these workouts will teach you how to hold faster speeds for longer periods of time. Newer runners will continue to learn exactly how to pace at 1/2 marathon, 10km, and 5km efforts using rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Advanced runners can  use a heart rate monitor or GPS device to more finely tune their race pace for the next event!

Either way these intervals will push you to your next level of running ability & increase your confidence to set that new PR!

Note:  This is a recovery week meaning volume and intensity will be reduced to allow your body to absorb all the fitness gains you created the past few weeks. Resist the urge to do more as you’ll be able to build back up to a new level in the weeks to come!

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Workout

  • Warm up

    Start of run stand tall with your hand on your belly and the other on your chest.

    Take 10 deep belly breaths.

    Include a 10 minute building warmup connecting your breathing with your stride rate.

  • Get Moving

    You warmup is KEY for performance in today’s temp run. Include:

    1 round: 10 knee to chest & walking lunges

    1 round: 10 spiderman crawls & 10 mountain climbers

    1 round: 10 downward dog pushups & 10 burpee/broad jumps.

  • Run

    Main set: run 5 x 3 minute tempo intervals at your 1/2 marathon to 10km race pace. Rest 90″ to 2 minutes. If you don’t know this target an RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion at 7-8/10).

    Pacing Note: your 30 minute time trial pace is close to your 10km race pace. Add 15-30″ per mile to find your ~1/2 marathon pace.

    Note your distance, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and heart rate if you have it. Treat this like a race, i.e. do not hold back!

    Options: tempo runs can also be done on a track or a treadmill. Best to avoid stop signs and stop lights, and steeper hills in either direction.

  • Advanced Run (Recovery Week)

    Mechanical Speed Session

    1 mile EZ

    Rest 5 min

    2 Rounds

    600m (or 2:30)

    500m (or 2:00)

    400m (or 1:30)

    300m (or 1:00)

    200m (or 0:30)

    Rest 2 min between reps and 5 min between rounds.

    Notes:

    • All efforts should be paced at moderate-high exertion.

    • Goal of today is not to work hard. It’s to remind your legs how to move smoothly and spring-like. That is why there is so much rest.

    • The emphasis today is mechanics, not aerobic stress. If you feel like you need to adjust either the pace or the rest in order to do this, go for it and let me know.

    • This workout can easily be done at a track if you have access to one.

    Miles:: 4-5

Cool down & Mobility

5 minutes easy running/walking cool down

2 minutes of calf & hamstring lacrosse ball smashing

***Run is not finished until after you’ve done your mobility***

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