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

Boston marathoners have a well-earned easy week leading into the big race next Monday. New Jersey marathoners have one more hard week before we hit the taper, while Brooklyn Half competitors are still ramping up the intensity.

Dashing Whippets Training Plan for the Week

This the final week of a training plan for Boston marathoners, week 16 of a training plan for New Jersey marathoners, and week 3 of a training plan for the Brooklyn Half. If you are aiming for a shorter distance this summer, follow the “Short Distance Specialists” workouts to maintain your fitness during this period.

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 4/11: Easy day

• New Jersey marathoners should run 55-70 minutes easy with 4x100m strides
• Boston marathoners and Brooklyn half marathoners should run 40-55 minutes easy, followed by 5 x 100m strides
• Everyone else should run 30-40 minutes easy, or optionally rest
• Monday Evening Easy (Downtown/Tribeca) option: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/229871747/

Tuesday 4/12: Long speedwork day: Warm up 1.5-2 miles. Then…

• Boston marathoners: 60 minutes of mostly easy running, but do the last two miles at marathon pace. Finish with a 1-mile cooldown jog.
• New Jersey marathoners: 70-80 minutes at marathon pace, followed by a 1-2-mile cooldown.
• Brooklyn Half competitors and Short distance (5K-15K) specialists (with a solid base of speedwork): 50-55 minutes at marathon pace, followed by a 1-2-mile cooldown.
• Runners who are building a base (not much recent speedwork): 40 minutes at marathon pace, followed by a 1-mile cooldown.
• Manhattan group workout in Central Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/229946609/
• Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/230173677/

Wednesday 4/13: Recovery day

• New Jersey marathoners should run 45-60 minutes easy with 4x100m strides, or optionally rest
• Boston marathoners and Brooklyn half marathoners should run 30-40 minutes easy with 4 x 100m strides, or optionally rest
• Everyone else should do 25-40 minutes of easy running or aerobic system cross training

Thursday, 4/14: Short speedwork day: 20-minute warmup, including jogging/drills/strides, then…

• New Jersey marathoners: 5-6 repeats of 1600m at 15K pace, with 1:30 of recovery jogging between them. Finish with 15 minutes of jogging to cool down.
• Brooklyn Half competitors and Short Distance (5K-15K) Specialists (with a solid base of speedwork): 5 repeats of 1000m at 5K pace, with a 2:00 recovery jog after each. Finish with 15 minutes of jogging to cool down.
• Boston marathoners and Runners who are building a base: 40-55 minutes of easy running followed by 4x100m strides. No cooldown jog required.
• Lower Manhattan group workout in East River Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/230132604/
• Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/230008953/
• Upper Manhattan group workout in Riverbank State Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/230237135/

Friday 4/15: Very easy day

• Most runners should rest, or do the Monday or Wednesday workout today if you missed it
• Boston Marathoners should do 30-40 minutes of easy running on Friday, which will allow you to rest on Saturday
• Optionally, advanced marathoners and half marathoners may run 30-50 minutes easy, followed by 4 x 100m strides

Saturday and Sunday, 4/16-17:

• Boston marathoners: Rest Saturday, do a short easy shakeout run (less than 20 minutes) on Sunday, and good luck on Monday!
• Everyone else: On one day, do 35-55 minutes of easy running followed by 4 repeats of 100m strides. On the other day, do a long run…
• New Jersey marathoners: 2:00-2:15 at progression run pace
• Brooklyn Half competitors: 2:00-2:10 at long run pace
• Short distance specialists (5K-15K) with a solid base and Runners who are building a base: 1:15-1:45 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. Progression run pace starts at long run pace for the first half — but the second half gradually accelerates to half marathon pace (or marathon pace for marathoners) — and do the last 10 minutes at an easy pace.
• 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

• Boston Marathon training plan: http://files.meetup.com/1454408/2016%20Boston%20marathon%20training%20plan.pdf
• New Jersey Marathon training plan: http://files.meetup.com/1454408/2016_NJ_Marathon_Plan.pdf
• Brooklyn Half training plan:  http://files.meetup.com/1454408/Brooklyn_Half_Plan_2016.pdf