Way to go for all of you who have finished up Week 4 of the running training program and by now those runs should be feeling a bit easier. I always say that the hardest part of running is just getting started and the initial 2 weeks are perhaps the worst; that is kind of the make it or break it point. But once you crest that period the motions will start to feel more fluid, you'll be less sore, and from there your breathing will be less labored as you get in better cardiovascular shape!

I hope the first interval workout you did last week went well, and the goal for this upcoming week is to tap into both your aerobic and anaerobic fitness systems. This means that for one workout you will work more on your speed and the other will focus on endurance. We will do this by going shorter, faster, and with more recovery for one session and then longer intervals with less recovery for the second.

Monday: Day of rest or light weights
Tuesday: Short speed session for a total of 30-50 minutes (After a warm-up you will do 6-8 hard efforts for 30 seconds followed by 2 minutes of easy jogging between each one; be sure to let yourself recover before starting the next and then finish the rest of the run with a cool-down)
Wednesday: Easy run for 35-50 minutes
Thursday: Easy run or cross-train for 35-50 minutes
Friday: Day of rest or light weights
Saturday: Longer interval session for total of 30-50 minutes (After a warm-up you will do 4-6 hard efforts for 3 minutes each followed by 2 minutes recover between each one; finish the rest of the run with a cool-down)
Sunday: Long run for 40-70 minutes - be sure to take this one easy

For the shorter workout day you will be right about your maximum speed. The longer session you want to then pace yourself, especially in the first few intervals, so that you finish going hard but still feeling strong rather than fading. Learning to properly pace yourself takes time and practice, but you'll soon discover how to find your rhythm. Track your week in your runner's training log and keep it up; be sure to check back for more updates!

Week 6