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

With the start of a new year, we have also launched new training programs. For spring marathoners (Boston and New Jersey, or any 26.2-miler that takes place between April 16 and May 1), last week was the start of a plan that gradually builds your endurance and ability to maintain race pace.

For those who aren’t planning a spring marathon but got into the NYC Half, this week is the beginning of an eleven-week plan that focuses on speed for that distance.

If you’re targeting shorter races, from 5K to 15K, this week is also the start of a training plan for the Washington Heights 5K in March and Scotland 10K in April.

All of these plans assume that you’ve done some level of base-building prior to starting them — i.e. that you’ve been running regularly, three to six times per week for a few months, totalling 4 hours or more of effort. If you haven’t been able to build that base, or are new to speedwork or are returning to running after time off, choose the “base building” option in the workouts listed below to gradually get you ready for the tougher stuff.

Whatever option you choose, come join us at our many scheduled workouts to find pacing partners and get encouragement and support. Together, we’ll all reach our goals!

Dashing Whippets Training Plan for the Week

This week 2 of a training plan for Boston and New Jersey marathoners, and week 1 of training plans for competitors in the NYC Half or Washington Heights 5K.

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 1/04: Easy day

• Spring marathoners and half marathoners should run 40-55 minutes easy, followed by 4-5 x 100m strides
• Everyone else should run 30-40 minutes easy, or optionally rest
• Monday Morning Mileage (Central Park) option: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/227227572/
• Monday Evening Easy (East Village) option: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/227400761/

Tuesday 1/05: Long speedwork day: Warm up 1.5-2 miles. Then…

• All runners (including marathoners, half marathoners, short distance specialists, and runners building a base): 4 miles at estimated marathon pace. Finish with 1-1.5 miles of easy jogging to cool down.
• Manhattan group workout in Central Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/226852953/
• Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/ddlxrhyvcbhb/

Wednesday 1/06: Recovery day

• Spring marathoners and half marathoners should run 30 minutes easy with 3-4 x 100m strides, or optionally rest
• Everyone else should do 20-30 minutes of easy running or aerobic system cross training
• Morning group run, Central Park: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/227475259/

Thursday, 1/07: Short speedwork day: 20-minute warmup, including jogging/drills/strides, then…

• Short distance (5K-15K) specialists (with a solid base of speedwork): Run 15-20 repeats of 200m at 5K pace with a 200m jog recovery. Finish with 15 minutes of easy jogging to cool down.
• Spring marathoners and half marathoners: 5-6 repeats of 1000m @ 10K pace with 1:30 of jogging recovery. Finish with a 15-minute cooldown.
• Alternative for indoor track specialists (who have done speedwork regularly): Do the short distance specialist workout, but aim for 8-12 200-meter repeats at 1-mile race pace. Finish with a 15-minute cooldown.
• Runners who are building a base (not much recent speedwork): Do the marathoner/half marathon workout, but stop at 4 repeats of 1000m, and do each at 15K to half marathon pace. Finish with a 15-minute cooldown.
• Manhattan group workout in Central Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/227507638/
• Brooklyn group workout in Prospect Park at 7pm: http://www.meetup.com/dashing-whippets/events/227506970/

Friday 1/08: Very easy day

• Most runners should rest, or do the Monday or Wednesday workout today if you missed it
• Optionally, advanced marathoners may run 40 minutes easy, followed by 4 x 100m strides

Saturday and Sunday, 1/09-10: On one day, do 35-55 minutes of easy running followed by 3-4 x 100m strides. On the other day, do a long run…

• Boston marathoners: 1:50-2:00 at long run pace
• New Jersey marathoners: 1:40 at long run pace
• NYC Half competitors: 1:30 at long run pace
• Short distance specialists (5K-15K) with a solid base: 1:10-1:30 at long run pace
• Indoor track specialists with a solid base, and Runners who are building a base: 1:00-1:10 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

• Boston Marathon training plan (16 weeks): http://files.meetup.com/1454408/2016%20Boston%20marathon%20training%20plan.pdf
• New Jersey Marathon training plan (18 weeks): Coming soon
• Starting THIS WEEK…
• NYC Half training plan (11 weeks): http://files.meetup.com/1454408/DWRT_TrainingPlan_Winter2016_NYCHalf.pdf
• Washington Heights 5K (9 weeks): http://files.meetup.com/1454408/DWRT_TrainingPlan_Winter2016_5K10K.pdf