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

If you’re looking forward to a fall marathon, now is a great time to make Dashing Whippets workouts a regular part of your schedule. We’re in a period in which we are building aerobic strength, and we’re just about to start a new training program geared to NYCM. We also have lots of athletes who are specializing in shorter distances, so there’s something for all.

Dashing Whippets Training Plan for the Week

This is week 5 of a training plan for summer races and base-building for fall marathon training.

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 6/15: Easy day

• Everyone should run 30-40 minutes easy, or rest
• Monday Morning Mileage (Central Park) option: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/223093528/

Tuesday 6/16: Long speedwork day:

• ALL runners: Warm up 1-1.5 easy miles, then do controlled uphill sprints: 2 sprints of 50 meters, then 1 sprint of 75 meters, and 1 sprint of 100 meters. Walk back. Stay relaxed, coordinated and in control while displaying good running form. Then…
• Everyone, regardless of your long-term goals or current fitness: Do 8-16 uphill runs of 200m at a pace that is slightly faster than 5K. Walk-jog back downhill after each to recover. Stop at 8 if you are new to speedwork. Aim for 12-16 if you have a solid base. Finish with 1-1.5 miles of easy running to cool down.
• Manhattan group workout in Central Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/222804567/
• Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/221407751/

Wednesday 6/17: Recovery day

• Most runners should do 20-35 minutes of easy running or aerobic system cross training
• If you are preparing for a fall marathon, aim for 40+ minutes of easy exercise today
• Morning group run, Central Park: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/222838383/

Thursday, 6/18: Short speedwork day: 15-minute warmup, including jogging/drills/strides, then…

• Runners with solid base of speedwork: 4-6 repeats of 1200m at 10K pace, with a 400m jog recovery after each. Finish with 15 minutes of easy running and stretching to cool down.
• Runners who are building a base (not much recent speedwork): 4-6 repeats of 400m at 10K, with 400m jog recovery, and a 15-minute cooldown.
• Morning Manhattan group workout in Central Park: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/223094476/
• Evening Manhattan group workout in East River Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/223048433/
• Evening Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/223169127/

Friday 6/19: Very easy day

• Everyone should rest, or do the Monday or Wednesday workout today if you missed it

Saturday and Sunday, 6/20-21: On one day, do 40-55 minutes of easy running. On the other day, do a long run…

• All runners: 60-80 minutes as a progression run. A progression run starts at long run pace (45-60sec/mile slower than marathon pace) for the first half. In the second half, gradually accelerate (30sec/mile every 10 minutes or so) to half marathon pace — but 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

• Training plan for short summer races and a base-building period for fall marathoners (6 weeks): http://files.meetup.com/1454408/DWRT_TrainingPlan_Spring2015_PostBKHalf.pdf
• Starting at end of June: Dashing Whippets NYC Marathon training plan (18 weeks)