Dashing Whippets Training Plan, March 27 – April 02, 2017

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

For those of you who were lucky enough to get into the Brooklyn Half, this week marks the start of a new eight-week training program to get you ready for that race.

Dashing Whippets Training Plan for the Week
This is week 14 of training plans for the Boston and New Jersey marathons, week 13 of a plan for spring 5K/10K races, and week 1 of an eight-week training plan for the Brooklyn Half Marathon.
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 3/27: Easy day

  • Spring marathoners should run 50-60 minutes easy, followed by 5 100m strides
  • Everyone else should run 30-45 minutes easy, or optionally rest
  • Monday Evening Downtown group run: RSVP

Tuesday 3/28: Long speedwork day:  Warm up 1.5-2 miles. Then…

  • Boston marathoners: 80 minutes at marathon pace, followed by 2 easy miles to cool down.
  • New Jersey marathoners: 70 minutes at marathon pace, followed by 2 easy miles to cool down.
  • Brooklyn Half competitorsShort distance (5K-15K) specialists with a solid base(frequent recent speedwork), and Runners who are building a base (not much recent speedwork, or are bouncing back after a hard race): 6-10K of Canova Ks, which is a steady run alternating every 1K between half marathon pace and marathon pace, with no restbetween pace changes. Finish with a cooldown of at least 1 easy mile.
  • Manhattan group workout in Central Park at 7pmRSVP
  • Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pmRSVP

Wednesday 3/29: Recovery day

  • Spring marathoners should do 30-50 minutes of aerobic cross-training or easy jogging, with form drills and strides
  • Everyone else should do 20-40 minutes of easy running or aerobic system cross training, or optionally rest
  • Wednesday morning run in Central Park:

Thursday, 3/30: Short speedwork day:  20-minute warmup, including jogging/drills/strides, then…

  • Brooklyn Half competitors and Short distance (5K-15K) specialists: 3-4 repeats of 1600m at 10K pace, with 2:00 of jogging between them. Finish with a 15-minute cooldown jog.
  • Boston marathoners and Runners who are building a base: 2 repeats of 2 miles at half marathon pace, with 3:00 of jogging rest between them. Finish with a 15-minute cooldown jog.
  • New Jersey marathoners: Long pyramid: 1200m, 1600m, 2000m, 1600m, 1200m, all at 15K pace with 2:00 of jogging recovery between them. Finish with a 15-minute cooldown jog.
  • Lower Manhattan group workout in East River Park at 7pmRSVP
  • Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pmRSVP
  • Upper Manhattan group workout in Riverbank State Park at 7pmRSVP

Friday 3/31: Very easy day

  • Most runners should rest, or do the Monday or Wednesday workout today if you missed it
  • Optionally, advanced marathoners and half marathoners may add up to 50 minutes of easy jogging or cross-training

Saturday and Sunday, 4/01-02: On one day, do 40-55 minutes of easy running followed by 4-6 repeats of 100m strides. On the other day, do a long run…

  • Boston marathoners: 20 miles at progression pace
  • New Jersey marathoners: 20 miles at 5% slower than marathon pace
  • Brooklyn Half competitorsShorter-distance specialists with a solid base and Runners who are building a base1:20-1:30 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. 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 weekend team long runs in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  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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