SUMMER TRAINING PLAN - GENERAL

 

WHITMAN-HANSON CROSS COUNTRY SUMMER TRAINING 2022

 

This summer’s training will focus, as is it customarily does, on base mileage or foundational training, but

will also include elements of speed, resistance and endurance. How many miles do you need to run to

accomplish your goals? The appropriate answer is unique for you and varies dramatically between

members of our team. I feel it takes two to three years of building up before you can tolerate a high

training load level. And no training program should be used as a reason to over train. I encourage each of

you to discuss your summer training with me before proceeding. Descriptions of some of the training

included in the plan follow below:

 

Tempo Runs: A tempo run in this program is a workout of 30-45 minutes, preferably run on trails or soft

surface with reference to time, rather than distance. There is no need necessarily to know exactly how far

or how fast you run a tempo. Begin a tempo run at an easy pace, that is warm up speed. After about 10

minutes increase your speed to a pace that is slightly uncomfortable but one you can maintain through the

middle portion (10-25 minutes) of your run, after which you will decelerate and run at cool down pace for

10 minutes. You should not feel exhausted following a tempo, but feel somewhat refreshed following the

cool down.

 

Interval Training: This is a more precise form of speed training, consisting 200-8000 meter fast repeats

followed by a jogging or walking recovery. Your speed during these workouts is less important than

remaining consistent throughout the repetitions. You do not want to run an interval slower at the end of

your workout than at the beginning, nor should your recovery period (the interval) be different from repeat

to repeat. If you are new to running it may take several workouts to determine the parameters within which

you feel comfortable. An experienced runner may have already developed an intrinsic sense of how fast

he/she can run intervals as well as the recovery required to repeat each in a consistent time.

 

Fast Running: For our purposes fast can be generally defined as the rate at which you can run the entire

distance programmed for the day. This does not imply or suggest that it is a sprint or even close to the

speeds you run your intervals, but is somewhat slower than the middle portion of your tempo run. For

experienced runners, fast pace can best be described as a pace 30-45 seconds off your (achieved, not

projected) 5K pace.

 

Long Runs: In order to improved your aerobic fitness and endurance, long runs should be a weekly

element in your training plan. Speed is not a factor in your long run, just a pace that you can run from start

to finish. These runs are better accomplished when running with others. Run at a conversational pace.

Add 5 minutes to your long run each week. It is about time and not distance.

 

Rest Days: These are the days when you do not run hard. For less experienced runners rest can be an easy

run of 30 minutes, or it can be a day you do not run at all. No runner should run 7 days per week. One day

of rest is required to maintain health and fitness. You need days of comparative rest between the hard

workouts. Otherwise you will not accomplish your goals for those hard workouts. And you will not

improve without those hard workouts. Training hard every day will NOT make you a better runner.

 

Extra Training: For some experienced runners, 35-45 miles of running per week is not enough. To a

certain extent , for those runners, extra training will improve your racing speed. Extra training can be

accomplished by adding miles on easy days (for Advanced runners, Monday and Wednesday) or adding a

second shorter run on one of those days. If after 5 weeks of training with a second workout on one day, an

advanced runner can add a second day of a short run. For example, an experienced runner adds a second

three mile run to his/her Monday routine. After five weeks, he/she can add a second three mile to run to the

Wednesday routine. Keep in mind you are expected to maintain consistent workouts on Tuesday and

Wednesday.

 

OK then . . . I have attached Novice, Intermediate and Advanced summer training plans and ask that you

discuss your particular situation with me over the next week or so. Our season starts August 22 and you’ll

want to be ready . . .

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	1.5 m run	30 min walk
2	Rest or run/walk	1.75 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	1.75 m run	35 min walk
3	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	2 m run	40 min walk
4	Rest or run/walk	2.25 m run	Rest or run/walk	1.5 m run	Rest	2.25 m run	45 min walk
5	Rest or run/walk	2.5 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	2.5 m run	50 min walk
6	Rest or run/walk	2.75 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	2.75 m run	55 min walk
7	Rest or run/walk	3 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	3 m run	60 min walk
8	Rest or run/walk	3 m run	Rest or run/walk	2 m run	Rest	Rest	5-K Race

 

 

NOVICE

 

 

 

 

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest	3 m run	5 x 400	3 m run	Rest	3 m run	5 m run
2	Rest	3 m run	30 min tempo	3 m run	Rest	3 m fast	5 m run
3	Rest	3 m run	6 x 400	3 m run	Rest	4 m run	6 m run
4	Rest	3 m run	35 min tempo	3 m run	Rest	Rest	5-K Test
5	Rest	3 m run	7 x 400	3 m run	Rest	4 m fast	6 m run
6	Rest	3 m run	40 min tempo	3 m run	Rest	5 m run	7 m run
7	Rest	3 m run	8 x 400	3 m run	Rest	5 m fast	7 m run
8	Rest	3 m run	30 min tempo	2 m run	Rest	Rest	5-K Race

 

 

 

 

 

INTERMEDIATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	3 m run	5 x 400	Rest or easy run	30 min tempo	Rest	4 m fast	60 min run
2	3 m run	8 x 200	Rest or easy run	30 min tempo	Rest	4 m fast	65 min run
3	3 m run	6 x 400	Rest or easy run	35 min tempo	Rest	5 m fast	70 min run
4	3 m run	9 x 200	Rest or easy run	35 min tempo	Rest or easy run	Rest	5-K Test
5	3 m run	7 x 400	Rest or easy run	40 min tempo	Rest	5 m fast	75 min run
6	3 m run	10 x 200	Rest or easy run	40 min tempo	Rest	6 m fast	85 min run
7	3 m run	8 x 400	Rest or easy run	45 min tempo	Rest	6 m fast	90 min run
8	2 m run	6 x 200	30 min tempo	Rest or easy run	Rest	Rest	5-K Race

 

 

 

ADVANCED