BASIC TRAINING GUIDE

• Warm up: Always start your walks or runs with a warm up section. This can be around 5-10 minutes and should be at a really low intensity.
• Build up: Before you get into the harder section of your run, it is good to build up to it so you don't shock the body too much. If on a non-stop run this could be done by gradually building up in pace until you reach your core running speeds.
• Light stretch: Many trainers like to do a light stretch before they get into the harder part of their training. This is common in training sessions that are broken up into bits - like interval sessions or hill sessions.
• Core training: This is the hard part of you training. When we state that the session is to include intervals or hill repeats, this is the section where it is conducted - after your body is warmed up and ready.
• Cool down: After you have finished the hard part of your training, it is ideal to do a cool down. This will be 5-10 minutes of light running.
• Stretching: Always finish off your sessions with some stretching - especially focusing on the trained muscles.

• Week 1: 2 easy 3km run

• Week 2: 3 easy 3km runs
• Week 3: (M) easy 3km (T) 3km with light hills (T) easy 3km (S) LSD 4km
• Week 4: (M) easy 3km (T) 3km with light hills (T) easy 3km (S) LSD 4.5m
• Week 5: (M) easy 3km (T) 3km inc 3 x hill repeats (T) 3km fartlek efforts at varying speeds and distances (S) LSD 5km
• Week 6: (M) easy 3km (T) 3km inc 3 x hill repeats (T) 3km fartlek efforts at varying speeds and distances (S) LSD 5.5km
• Week 7: (M) easy 4km (T) 4km inc 5 x hill repeats (T) 4k with 1x1km and 2 x 500m efforts as core training - 400m recovery walk or slow jog (S) LSD 6km
• Week 8: (M) easy 4km (T) 5km time trial - easy to moderate (T) 4.5km inc 5 x hill repeats (S) LSD 6.5km
• Week 9: (M) easy 4km (T) 4.5km inc 5 x hill repeats faster (T) 5km with 3 x 1km efforts as core training - 400m recovery walk or slow jog (S) LSD 7km
• Week 10: (M) easy 4km (T) 5km time trial - moderate to solid. (T) 5km with 3 x 1km efforts as core training - 400m recovery walk or slow jog (S) LSD 8km.
• Week 11: (M) easy 4km (T) 4km with a few light hills (T) 4km fartlek (S)5k (1st, 3rd & 5th km @ race pace with easy jog in 2nd & 4th km).
• Week 12: (M) easy 4km (T) easy 3km (T) easy 3km (S) Race day.

• Warm up: 800m easy
• Build up: 800m with uptempo efforts every 2nd 100m (build in speed with each to prepare your legs for the core training coming).
• Light stretch: Feel free to do a light stretch here if you need it.
• Core: 20 minutes worth of efforts. * Pick a different distance and work a little harder toward it. * Do multiples of this as you feel fit. * Vary the distance, the recover, and intensity with each effort.
• Cool down: 800m easy.
• Stretch: Mostly legs.

Standard intervals - 'K' efforts.

• Warm up: 800m easy.
• Build up: 800m on the track, striding out at 1km effort pace in the straights (jog the bends).
• Light stretch: Do a light stretch here.
• Core training: 1km effort. 400m float. 1km effort. 400m float. 1km effort. Efforts are obviously solid aiming to maintain pace in all efforts. The 400m float for the novice will be an easy jog or even walk. The more experienced runner will float slightly below race pace and carry fatigue into the next above race pace effort.
• Cool down: 800m easy.
• Stretching: Always finish off your sessions with some stretching - especially focusing on the trained muscles.

Inclinging intervals

• Warm up: 800m easy
• Build up: 800m with uptempo efforts every 2nd 100m (build in speed with each to prepare your legs for the core training coming).
• Light stretch: Feel free to do a light stretch here if you need it.
• Core training: As distance of each effort increases, attempt to maintain speed to the last effort. 200m effort. 400m float. 400m effort. 400m float. 600m effort. 400m float. 800m effort. 400m float. 1km effort.
• Cool down: 800m easy.
• Stretching: Always finish off your sessions with some stretching - especially focusing on the trained muscles.

Declining intervals

• Warm up: 800m easy
• Build up: 800m with uptempo efforts every 2nd 100m (build in speed with each to prepare your legs for the core training coming).
• Light stretch: Feel free to do a light stretch here if you need it.
• Core training: As distance of each effort decreases, we can bring this home stronger. 1km effort. 400m float. 800m effort. 400m float. 600m effort. 400m float. 400m effort. 400m float. 200m effort.
• Cool down: 800m easy.
• Stretching: Always finish off your sessions with some stretching - especially focusing on the trained muscles.

Pyramid set

• Warm up: 800m easy
• Build up: 800m with uptempo efforts every 2nd 100m (build in speed with each to prepare your legs for the core training coming).
• Light stretch: Feel free to do a light stretch here if you need it.
• Core training: Maintain speed as you increase into the pyramid, try and increase the speed of efforts on the way back. 200m effort. 200m float. 400m effort. 200m float. 600m effort. 200m float. 800m effort. 200m float. 600m effort. 200m float. 400m effort. 200m float. 200m effort.
• Cool down: 800m easy.
• Stretching: Always finish off your sessions with some stretching - especially focusing on the trained muscles.

Standard interval with declining rest

• Warm up: 800m easy
• Build up: 800m with uptempo efforts every 2nd 100m (build in speed with each to prepare your legs for the core training coming).
• Light stretch: Feel free to do a light stretch here if you need it.
• Core training: Try and maintain your speed to the end. 400m effort. 400m float. 400m effort. 350m float. 400m effort. 300m float. 400m effort. 250m float. 400m effort. 200m float. 400m effort. 150m float. 400m effort. 100m float. 400m effort. 50m float. 400m effort. (for the float, just make a guestimate and go out and back so you can collect any runners that might be a tad behind so you always start together).
• Cool down: 800m easy.
• Stretching: Always finish off your sessions with some stretching - especially focusing on the trained muscles.

Declining interval, declining rest with a kick

• Warm up: 800m easy
• Build up: 800m with uptempo efforts every 2nd 100m (build in speed with each to prepare your legs for the core training coming).
• Light stretch: Feel free to do a light stretch here if you need it.
• Core training: 1km effort. 400m float. 800m effort. 400m float. 600m effort. 400m float. 400m effort. 400m float. 200m effort. 400m float. 1km effort - quicker than the first.
• Cool down: 800m easy.
• Stretching: Always finish off your sessions with some stretching - especially focusing on the trained muscles

Rythm run with inclining kicks

• Warm up: 800m easy
• Build up: 800m with uptempo efforts every 2nd 100m (build in speed with each to prepare your legs for the core training coming).
• Light stretch: Feel free to do a light stretch here if you need it.
• Core training: 20 minutes at a solid rythm. set the watch to beep every 3rd minute. When the watch beeps you kick slightly above race pace then drop back into rythm without recovery. First kick (10 seconds), 2nd kick (20 secs), 3rd kick (30 secs), 4th kick (40 secs), 5th kick (50 secs), last kick right on 30 minute mark (1minute).
• Cool down: 800m easy.
• Stretching: Always finish off your sessions with some stretching - especially focusing on the trained muscles.