Maximize Your Training

You've been training the past 5 weeks for the BEF Run for Education.  The last 2 weeks are the most important.  You have been staying on track;  slowly increasing your training effort, changing your training route, adding intervals into your training,  and recently adding in hills.  This week let's put it all together to get the maximum return for your efforts.  Follow these suggested workouts 2 weeks prior to the event:

Make sure to warm up for 10-15  minutes before starting a workout and cool down 5-10 minutes once you have completed a workout:

Workout 1 - Reassess your fitness and repeat the

• Walkers:  Walk 1 Mile for time
• Run/Walkers:  Run/Walk 1 Mile for time (make sure to choose a ratio of run to walk that works for you and stick with it; i.e.  5 min run/1 min walk)
• Runners:  Run 1.5 miles for time, divide by 3 and multiply by 2 for 1 mile pace

Workout 2 - Interval Training, choose one and have fun.  This workout can be done anywhere - rolling hills of Community Park,  flats of the State Park, or treadmill at your local gym - Benicia Fitness, Benicia Health and Fitness Center.

• - unstructured intervals of speed play (3-6 interval repeats) 
• Intervals - structured intervals of increased effort, i.e. run hard for 2 min / walk or jog easy for 1 min (3-6 intervals)

Workout 3 -

Walk, run/walk or run your longest training distance in the last 5 weeks and add 5-10 minutes to it.  Train on flat terrain, the downtown Bay Trail is my favorite with scenic views of the water and tree-lined streets.

Workout 4 -

This is as easy as running the hilly trail behind Kinder Care, better known as the Kinder Care Trail, or finding a mild up-rise near your home and running repeats up and back. 

The benefits of hill repeats include:

• Combining cardiovascular training (heart) with strength training (legs).
• Running uphill lessens impact force and significantly reduces risk of  overuse injuries.
• Enhancing mental toughness for hilly terrain.

Each of the above workouts is considered a hard effort, so take a day off or easy day in-between.  If you don't have time to get every workout in, choose 2-3 and combine with an easy effort or cross training in-between.

Now get out there and TRAIN!

(Caution do not train hard the week before an event;  it is best to taper back before a race - more next week).