Dashing Whippets Training Plan, April 6 – 12, 2015

This weekly message keeps active members informed of the Dashing Whippets training activities for the next seven days.

Congratulations to everyone who ran so hard at the Scotland 10K yesterday. Our team results were amazing!

Looking ahead: For those runners who have been training with us for the upcoming Boston or New Jersey marathons, we are entering the final phase of work. Our Boston plan has scheduled a two-week taper, while the New Jersey plan has a three-week taper. As a result, many of the Boston and New Jersey workouts are the same or very similar, even though the races are a week apart.

And as a reminder, we recently launched a training plan for the Brooklyn Half. If you were previously getting ready for another race like the Scotland 10K, or even if you were just building a base, it’s not too late to pick up training with us for Brooklyn. Join us!

Dashing Whippets Training Plan for the Week

This is week 17 of a training plan for Boston marathoners, week 15 of a training plan for New Jerseymarathoners, and week 3 of a training plan for the Brooklyn Half. (If you were previously training for the 10K or otherwise missed week 1-2 of the the Brooklyn Half plan, you’re still fine to start the training this week.)

Please click on the links below to RSVP if you are planning to come out to one of these training events!

Note: Almost all training paces, such as 5K, 10K, half marathon, should be your estimated pace if you ran the race today — not your goal or PR pace. (Exception: Marathon pace is your goal pace or best guess of your well-trained marathon speed.) You can use the Daniels VDOT calculator to estimate your pace from a recent result.

Monday 4/06: Easy day

  • Spring marathoners and half marathoners should run 40-70 minutes easy (40-55 for half marathoners, 55-70 for marathoners), optionally followed by 4-6 strides of 100-150m each
  • Everyone else should rest, especially if you raced this past weekend
  • Monday Morning Mileage (Central Park) option: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/qtnrgkytgbjb/

Tuesday 4/07: Long speedwork day: Warm up 1-1.5 easy mile, then…

  • Spring marathoners: Progression intervals: 3 miles at marathon pace, then 3:00 recovery jog. 2 miles at half marathon pace, then 2:00 jog. Finally, 1 mile at 10K pace. Finish with 1-1.5 miles of jogging to cool down.
  • Brooklyn Half competitors and Short distance (5K-15K) specialists (with a solid base of speedwork): 50-55 minutes of running at marathon pace, followed by a 1-1.5-mile cooldown jog.
  • Runners who are building a base (not much recent speedwork): 30-40 minutes at marathon pace, followed by a 1-1.5-mile cooldown jog.
  • Manhattan group workout in Central Park at 7pmhttp://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/221085790/
  • Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pmhttp://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/217337352/

Wednesday 4/08: Recovery day

  • Spring marathoners should rest — we are easing into a taper for both Boston and NJ marathon training plans
  • Half marathoners and shorter distance specialists should do 25-40 minutes of easy running or aerobic system cross training
  • Morning group run, Central Park: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/wpqbdlytgblb/

Thursday, 4/09: Short speedwork day: 15-minute warmup, including jogging/drills/strides, then…

Friday 4/10: Very easy day

  • Optionally, advanced marathoners and half marathoners may do 30-40 minutes of easy running, followed by 4-6 x 100-150m strides
  • Everyone else should rest, or do the Monday or Wednesday workout today if you missed it

Saturday and Sunday, 4/11-12:

  • Boston marathoners: Rest on one day. On the other day, do 1:30-1:40 of running, most of it at long run pace, but do the last 3 miles at marathon pace
  • Everyone else: On one day, do 40-60 minutes of easy running plus 4 x 100m strides. On the other day, do a long run…
  • NJ marathoners: 16 miles of running, most of it at easy or long run pace, but do the last 3 miles at marathon pace
  • Brooklyn Half competitors2:00-2:15 at long run pace
  • Short distance (5K-15K) specialists and Runners who are building a base: 1:00-1:15 of running at easy or long run pace
  • Long run pace is 45-60 seconds per mile slower than marathon pace — a little faster than easy pace, but still not challenging.
  • There are weekly team long runs around the city. To see all options for weekend training runs with the Whippets, please view the calendar: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/

Training Calendars

More about Matt

Matt is one of the co-founders of the Dashing Whippets with Rich.

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