TMC Meet Me Downtown 5K & 1 Mile Training: May 4-10
Out & Back Monday:
Milers will run or walk for 10 minutes “out” at a comfortable pace. Then come “back” the same route a little bit faster. This is a good way to practice starting out relaxed and finishing strong. you can time your out session, stop your watch, and time your back session to compare the paces.
5K Runners will run easy out for 15-30 minutes (depending on how long of a run you want) and come back the same route only slightly faster. This isn’t a “fast finish” run where you are sprinting at the end. The goal is to run a steady pace on the way back only working sightly harder than the way out. This is a good race strategy.
Effort level= Conversational. If you can talk or sing (to yourself), you’re good.
Track Wednesday:
Milers will warm-up for 5-10 minutes with an easy walk or run. Then do 4 x 200 meters on the track (or 1 minute on the road) at a comfortably=hard effort. Give yourself 1 minute to recover between each 200 meter or 1 min. interval. Cool down with a 5-10 minute walk or jog.
5K Runners will warm-up for 10-15 minutes then hit the track for 8 x 200 meter or 1 minute intervals if on the road. Do each interval at a moderately-hard effort and take a 200 meter or 1 minute recovery between. Cool down with at least 10 minutes of easy running after.
A good rule of thumb for intervals is only run as fast as you can recover. This means that if your heart rate or breathing is not calming down before the next rep., you should slow down slightly.
Effort level: Moderately-hard. Today is the hardest effort of the week, but in small doses. Make sure you can recover to almost normal breathing before the next rep.
Time Trial Friday:
Milers will warm-up with a 10 minute easy walk or run. Then run 1 mile at a comfortably-hard effort. Time your mile. Do a 5-10 minute cool down walk or easy run. You’ll do a mile every week until June to track your progress.
5K Runners will warm-up for 10 minutes. Then run a 5K at a comfortably-hard effort. Keep track of your time. Do at least a 10 minute cool down run after.
Add your results to our Google Sheet if you want us to see your results and help you track your progress.
Effort Level: Comfortably-hard effort. You want to be able to hold this effort for the entire distance, so don’t start out too fast. Think of the strategy you practiced on Monday. Go out a little more relaxed so you can finish strong.
Recovery Days:
Everyone should use the rest of the days of the week as recovery days. Feel free to do any activity you want as long as it is done at an easier effort and not breaking down muscle. Some recovery day activities include: walking, hiking, biking, swimming, easy running, gentle stretching and foam rolling, stability work, Elliptigo.
Remember to eat well and stay hydrated as if it were a workout day. A recovery day is not meant to be a binge day, but a day to give your body what it needs and treat it well.
Effort level: Easy effort. Allow your muscles to rebuild on these days instead of breaking down.