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

This is the final week of training for runners whose goal race is the NYC Half. We wish you all the best this weekend, and look for your teammates who are generously volunteering at the fluid station on West 42nd Street.

If your goal race is a spring marathon but you were lucky enough to get into the NYC Half, be sure to run it wisely. An all-out effort at half marathon pace on March 15 should be manageable, as there is time to recover between now and your marathon. But of course you should set your expectations for the half marathon realistically, since we do not recommend a proper taper — therefore your target pace should be measurably slower than half marathon PR pace. And it’s always wise to listen to your body and further slow your pace if appropriate; a marathon pace run is a great workout for people whose goal race is 26.2 rather than 13.1.

Dashing Whippets Training Plan for the Week

This is week 13 of a training plan for Boston marathoners, week 11 of a training plan for NYC Half and New Jersey Marathon competitors, and week 2 of a 5-week training plan for 10K racers.

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.

Monday 3/09: Easy day

• Spring marathoners should run 55-70 minutes easy, optionally followed by 4-6 strides of 150m each
• NYC Half competitors should go shorter, at most 40-50 minutes, or rest if you’re feeling tired
• Everyone else should rest or run 30 minutes easy
• Monday morning mileage (Central Park): http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/220576661/

Tuesday 3/10: Long speedwork day: Warm up 1-1.5 easy mile, then…

• Spring marathoners: Hill sets. 4 sets of 14 minutes run on a hilly course at a constant speed between marathon and half marathon pace. Jog 4:00 to recover between sets, and finish with a 1-2 mile cooldown jog.
• NYC Half competitors: Sharpening workout. 1.5 miles at goal half marathon pace, then jog 2:00. 1000m at current 10K pace, then jog 2:00. Finish with 4 x 200m at 5K pace, with 1:00 jog between each. Finish with 1-1.5 miles of jogging to cool down.
• Short distance (5K-15K) specialists (with a solid base of speedwork) and Runners who are building a base (not much recent speedwork): Hill repeats. Do 5-10 x 400m uphill at between 5K and 10K pace; jog back downhill to recover after each. If you are new to speedwork or returning after time off, stop at 5-6 of these. If you have been training for a while, aim for 9-10. Finish with 1-1.5mile cooldown.
• Manhattan group workout in Central Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/219943183/
• Post-workout social/Meet the Coaches in Manhattan:  http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/220860290/
• Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/220613370/

Wednesday 3/11: Recovery day

• Spring marathoners should do 45-65 minutes of easy running followed by 4 x 100m strides
• NYC Half competitors should do 35-40 minutes of easy running, or rest
• Other runners should do 25-35 minutes of easy running or aerobic system cross training
• Morning group run, Central Park: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/220622694/

Thursday, 3/12: Short speedwork day: 15-minute warmup, including jogging/drills/strides, then…

• If your goal Spring 2015 race is the NYC Half: 48 minutes of easy running, followed by 6x100m strides. No cooldown required.
• Spring marathoners and Short distance (5K-15K) specialists (even if you are running the NYC Half this weekend) (with solid base of speedwork): 4-6 repeats of 1600m @ 15K pace, with just 1:15 recovery jog after each. Optionally, 5-15K specialists should add 2x200m @ mile pace at the end. Finish with a 15-minute cooldown.
• Runners who are building a base (not much recent speedwork): 3-4 repeats of 800m at 15K pace, with 400m recovery after each. Finish with a 15-minute cooldown.
• Morning group workout in Central Park: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/220782222/
• Evening Manhattan group workout in East River Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/220657914/
• Evening Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/220464472/
• Evening Manhattan group workout in Central Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/220860226/

Friday 3/13: Very easy day

• NYC Half competitors should rest (or do at most 30 minutes easy) and get extra sleep tonight
• Optionally, advanced marathoners may do 45-55 minutes of easy running, followed by 6 x 150m strides
• Everyone else should rest, or do the Monday or Wednesday workout today if you missed it

Saturday and Sunday, 3/14-15:

• Best of luck, NYC Half racers!  On Saturday, rest or just do a short easy run, and make sure you have picked up your bib in advance! (No race day bib pickup.)
• If you aren’t racing the NYC Half: On one day, do 40-65 minutes of easy running plus 4 x 100m strides. On the other day, do a long run…
• Boston and NJ marathoners (if not running the NYC Half): 2 mile warmup, 13 miles at marathon pace, 1 mile cooldown
• Short distance (5K-15K) specialists (if not running the NYC Half): 1:45-2:00 of running at 45-60seconds/mile slower than marathon pace
• Runners who are building a base: 1:15 of running at 60+ seconds/mile slower than marathon 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

• Training plans: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/files/