TRAINING PROGRAMME

One of the key concepts underpinning distance running is that of progressive overload; gradually increasing the quality and intensity of your training in a controlled manner. The training objective for each of the sessions is explained briefly below. Anybody is welcome to join in, there are absolutely no qualifying or mandatory standards required. If you can put one foot in front of the other and get to the venue under your own steam you are most welcome.

They will operate on a rotational basis, and the Tuesday session will be different from the Thursday session so you can choose to come along to one or both, depending on your level of fitness. You can do as many or as few sessions as you want to – so if only want to do Kenyan Hills that’s fine by me. You can also choose how much of the session you want to do – if you can only mange two laps then that’s OK too.

1. One mile timed repetitions
This session is held on a circular course, with the start and finish in Fanshawe Crescent. It is designed to stretch or expand your aerobic efficiency and develop speed. If you are feeling confident and aggressive these can be treated as a series of time trials, this approach also serves to give your body an “imprint” or memory of the feeling of running faster than your normal 5K race pace. The repetitive nature of this session encourages training adaptation to occur quickly and by running individual reps at a similar speed your body learns to deal with stress better.

2. Kenyan Hills
This session is held on the Wadesmill loop. It is designed to strengthen your muscles and tendons, provide core conditioning and teach your body to maintain an even pace so that you can run off the top of the hill (rather than slowing down to admire the view!). It’s an opportunity to rehearse and practice the mental and physical strategies for running both up hill and down hill.

3. Timed tempo
This session is held on a circular course of 1.6 miles at Heath Drive. It is designed to increasing your aerobic capacity in a gradual and progressive way and improve your lactate threshold. By repeating a number of runs of a specific distance slightly faster that your 10K race pace you become accustomed to increasing your speed during a race without feeling any undue pressure.

4. Speed Endurance
This session is held at The Hyde; a circular, hilly 1½ miles course. It is designed to improve your speed endurance by imitating the things you will typically experience during a race. The undulating nature of the course challenges your ability to maintain your speed at a slightly faster rate than your normal race pace (hence the speed, the endurance is provided by the number of repetitions you do). It will also help you improve both your physical strength and mental attitude for dealing with hilly courses.

5. South Side Hills
This session will be held on Scotts Road or Myddleton Road and consist of 150m repetitions with a slow jog recovery back to the start. This is a progressive overload session (you increase the number of repetitions as you get fitter and stronger, as evidenced by your recorded times) and designed to increase and aid aerobic capacity and efficiency. It also provides specific leg strength and will improve lactate uptake.

6. Half Mile Reps
This session is held on a “frying pan” shaped course and is designed to increase aerobic efficiency and develop speed. Again, the repetitive nature of this session encourages training adaptation to occur quickly and by running individual reps at a similar speed your body learns to deal with stress better. A great session for getting out of your comfort zone.

7. Up the Clock
This session is based on a track sprinters type of workout but is actually all about learning how to maintain good style and technique whilst running at speed. We focus on body and arm carriage, leg speed and head positioning.

8. Pursuit Fartlek
This is a fun session, but with a serious side. Fartlek or speed play is a very sociable way to get a good quality training session.