As promised, here is our third and final part of this running series. So far we have looked at the science of the exercises and which exercises all runners between elite to everyday athletes should be doing. In this part we have offered a simple template of what sessions we would recommend each day for those looking to incorporate weight training into their weekly training cycle. We strongly recommend that any runner considers this for their training and feel free to use this program we have laid out.
In regards to running, we have calculated and organised everything via percentages. So for example if running 10km is your 100% max effort then 5km would be 50%. If you are aiming for a marathon then 26miles would be 100% and 13miles would be 50% etc.
Monday: Running Session One - Run 60% of max with high effort
Workout one is our first running session. Reasonably short but high effort. Try and find a route near you which is reasonably flat, try to avoid sharp inclines if you can as we don't want the muscles to fatigue too early at the start of the week. Make sure to plan the route on google maps/strava etc so you know it is going to be flat. Even if it is 6 laps of the same distance, we want it quick and fast!
Recovery: 200m brisk walk followed by calf stretches 2 minutes per leg
Tuesday: Weights Session One - Strength Phase
Warm Up: 5 min X-Trainer/500m Ski Erg/1000m bike/row (60% intensity)
With a 2 minute rest in between every set:
Heavy Barbell Hip Thrusts: 5x5 - Don't worry about speed, shift heavy weight
Dumbbell Walking Lunge: 5 reps each leg x 5 sets - Show good balance, don't rush
Nordic Hamstring Lower: 5 x 3 sets with focus on eccentric control - aim for 3 seconds
Cool Down: 10 min incline walk (inclination at least 40 degrees) - 50/60% intensity
Wednesday: Running Session Two - Hill Training
This is less % focused as we are not concerned about how far you are running but the intensity and difficulty of the hills. Even if it means driving to a certain hill or getting the tube there from work, we cannot recommend this training modality enough. We have three options when approaching steep hill training.
3/5 rounds of 100% with 2 minute rest in between round
5/7 rounds of 70% with 1 minute rest in between round
10 rounds of 50% with no rest and active recovery
Basically we want some flat out efforts in this, we want you really feeling it in legs by the end of the workout. You might be shaking slightly by the end but that is fine, that is just your nervous system reacting to the amount of lactic acid in the body. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about!
Thursday: Rest Day / Alternative Training Day
This day is very open depending on the schedule of the athlete in question, we know that sometimes work schedules can change. Sometimes you can't make your Monday training as you are in the office early etc. So you can either use this day for:
- Rest: An opportunity for the body to recover, not an opportunity for Thirsty Thursday
- Filling in a missed session if you missed one of the previous three sessions
- Alternative Training: This could be Pilates, yoga, upper body or sports, something that won't fatigue you for your running too much
If you have completed the previous three days training and you have a running event in four weeks or less, we would strongly recommend that this day is used for complete rest (as in no exercise at all).
Friday: Weight Session Two - Power/Endurance Phase
Warm Up: 2000m Row/5km Bike/15 minute X-Trainer
With our first two movements, rest can be between 90 seconds-3 minutes, go when the body feels recovered. For the other two, rest should be at 90 seconds max!
Hip Thrusts: (Again) 3 sets of 3 reps, focus on moving quickly and being powerful
Box Jumps: Sets 3-1 rep but aim for max height, work your way slowly and stick to your technique. Doesn't matter if it is 10inches or 40 inches, your max is your max
Body Weight Walking Lunge: 4 sets of 15 reps each leg, use this as a way to build up lactate threshold in the legs
Barbell Calf Raise: 4 sets of 25 reps, use to once again build up lactate threshold in the calves to prepare for longer runs
Cool Down: 2000m Row/5km Bike/15 minute X-Trainer but not the same one you did to warm up and at lighter intensity
Saturday: Running Session Three - 80-90% at 60/70% effort
This should be your long run, preferably on a Saturday morning. A good way to flush the legs after a good training week. Pick a route that is going to challenge you but something you know you can complete. This run should last over an hour and beyond two hours for the more experienced athletes. If you can, mix your routes up every week to test yourself on different routes rather than completing the same as week before. This shouldn't be a slow plod or meander, it should be a challenge regardless.
Recovery: Calf stretch each side for 2 minutes, then either 15 minute hot/cold bath therapy. Experiment and see what works better for you. (Personally would recommend cold therapy to help "flush" muscles of any excess lactic acid).
Sunday: Complete Rest
This is your rest time, get a good night sleep, eat well, relax, nap, spend quality time with family, see friends... Whatever it takes for you to recover, do it! Even if it means smashing 8 hours of Netflix on the bounce, then by all means go for it. Just don't do anything that is going to effect your training in a negative manner!
And that completes this current running series, we can guarantee that if you complete this programme to great depth, alongside good rest, good diet and your own accountability that your times will get better. If they don't we will be more than happy to assess your training to discuss where both you and us went wrong. Of course, with all training, this is our opinion! Using clinical evidence and research we have put this programme together but if you have a method of training which works for you, by all means stick to it.
As always thank you for reading this article, if you have any questions or queries that you want to air with us by all means comment below or drop us an email. If you want to subscribe to our mailing list to get all our articles as soon as they are published, either drop us a message or fill in the sign up details below. We hope you are enjoying our content and if there is any topic that you want covered or anything you want us to revisit then please let us know!
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