Cross Country - Summer Training Program This Cross Country Training Program is designed for high school runners

to use during the summer, but also for coaches looking for a well-organized schedule that they can modify for their own purposes. It provides ten weeks of training, enough to bridge that period between the end of the school year and the beginning of the racing season. You can print a free copy of the schedule below or sign up through TrainingPeaks for an InterActive version where I send you daily e-mail messages with detailed training directions and tips. To take a look at the Interactive version, click here. Like most of my training programs for road race distances from the 5-K through the marathon, this Summer Cross Country Training Program follows the hard/easy approach pioneered by legendary University of Oregon coach, Bill Bowerman. Three of the seven days in the week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) feature some form of speedwork, either fartlek, interval training or tempo runs. (For descriptions of those workouts, check below.) The purpose of these workouts is to develop leg strength and speed, but also pace awareness. One long run a week (Saturday), similar to those I prescribe for marathoners, has as its purpose improving aerobic fitness and endurance. Easy runs of 30 minutes are scheduled for two of the other three days of the week (Wednesday, Friday) with the final day (Sunday) an optional day of rest or run. How many miles do you need to run a week to achieve success? That's a difficult, if not impossible, question to answer. Some winning coaches push their runners in double workouts to 100 weekly miles, even offering T-shirts for those running 1,000 miles during the summer. But if you haven't been training at or near this level, you'll self-destruct. Intelligent coaches usually spend two or three years gradually building runners up where they can tolerate this training load. Please don't use this or any other program as an excuse to overtrain! Follow this program exactly as it is written and you will average between 35 and 45 miles a week, enough for most high school cross country runners. If you feel you need more miles, discuss your plans with your coach before proceeding. More important than the number of miles run is the quality of those miles. Here are descriptions of the various training options in my Cross Country Training Program: Tempo Runs: (Scheduled for Mondays.) A tempo run in this program is a workout of 30 to 45 minutes, usually run on trails or in the woods so you have no reference to exactly how far or how fast you are running. Here's how to do a tempo run. Begin at an easy pace, about as fast as you would during any warm-up on the track. After 5 or 10 minutes of gentle jogging, gradually accelerate toward peak speed midway through the workout, holding that peak for 5 or 10 minutes, then gradually decelerate, finishing with 5 minutes of gentle jogging, your cool-down. At peak speed, you should be running somewhat slower than pace for a 10-K run, although this recommendation may be somewhat meaningless to high school runners who rarely race beyond 5-K. I don't want to be too precise in telling you how to run this workout. The approach should be intuitive. Run hard, but not too hard. If you do this workout correctly, you should finish refreshed rather than fatigued. Interval Training: (Scheduled for Tuesdays.) This is a more precise form of speed training than tempo runs above, or fartlek below. You may have done interval training, or some variation on it, during the track season whether or not you recognized it by that name. Interval training consists of fast repeats (400, 600 and 1,000 meters in this program), followed by jogging and/or walking to recover. It is the "interval" between the fast repeats that gives this workout its name. In this program, I suggest a 400-meter jog between the 400 repeats, a 200-meter jog between the 600 repeats, and 3 minutes walking and/or jogging between the 1,000 repeats. Most important is not how fast or slow you walk or jog the interval, but that you be consistent with both the repeats and the interval between. For example, you do not want to run this workout and discover near the end that you are running the repeats slower than at the start, or that you need more rest during the interval between. If that happens, you picked too ambitious a time goal for the workout. Interval training is best run on a track, although it can be run on soft surfaces or on the roads, as long as you maintain consistency. Here's more information on the three interval workouts I've chosen for this program:

10 x 400: Run this workout in the first, fourth, seventh and tenth weeks of the program. Pick a pace in the first week that you can handle easily. I suggest the same pace that you ran 3,200 meters in track last season, assuming you raced at that distance. Pick as your end goal for the tenth week the pace you ran 1,600 meters. If you have never run those track distances before, run the reps at a pace you think you can maintain for the entire length of the workout. According to the tables on McMillan Running, a runner who can run the 3,200 in 10:40 (80 seconds per lap) should be capable of running the 1,600 in about 5:00 (75 seconds a lap). Thus in ten weeks, I'd like you to improve about 5 seconds per 400, but be conservative; I would rather have you run too slow a pace than too fast a one. You can run faster as you adapt to the rhythm of interval training. For the intervals, jog 400 meters at a fairly fast pace. You want to recover between repeats, but not recover too much. 5 x 1,000: Run this workout in the weeks after you run the interval 400s: the second, fifth and eighth weeks of the program. This workout is best run on trails, perhaps on sections of your home cross-country course if it is marked in kilometers. When I was coaching the high school team in Michigan City, Indiana, we went to a nearby woods that contained a circular loop that was about 1,000 meters long. This was our "Kilo Loop." The boys would run 5 x 1,000 fast, thus 5,000 meters, the same as their race distance. In Indiana, girls race at 4,000 meters, so they did 4 x 1,000 meters. In between, they walked 3 minutes to recover. Run each rep fast, somewhat slower than race pace the first time, with your goal to eventually to run as fast as race pace. If running on an unmeasured course, you may need to simply run intuitively, about the time it would take you to cover a kilometer in a race. I never knew exactly how long our Kilo Loop was. It didn't matter to me or the team. More important was the effort everyone put into this speed workout. 6 x 600: Run this workout during the third, sixth and ninth weeks. Run each 600 at about the pace you would run in a 3,200-meter race. Notice I said "about" to give you some leeway. Jog a fairly fast 200 between, then go again. Keep the pace the same in later weeks, but progress instead in number: 8 x 600, ultimately 10 x 600. I choose these variations mainly so that you speed train differently from week to week. Don't get into the trap of comparing one week's workout to the one before or the one after. Focus more on how you feel at the end of each workout, not the numbers on your watch. You should finish fatigued, but also refreshed. Run correctly and in control, interval training can be invigorating. It is also the single best way to improve both your speed and your running form. Overdone, however, it can lead to injuries and fatigue, chipping away at your ability to attain peak performance. Learn to use interval training as the key to cross-country success. Fartlek: (Scheduled for Thursdays.) Fartlek is a Swedish word, loosely translated as "speed play." I devoted an entire chapter to fartlek and tempo runs in my best-selling book, Run Fast. Fartlek is a form of training developed in the 1940s by Coach Gosta Holmer and used by Gundar Hagg and Arne Andersson, the world's fastest milers of that era. A fartlek run in this program is a workout of anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes that involves constant changes of pace at different distances. It is entirely intuitive (similar to tempo runs) and is best run on trails in the woods where you have no idea how far you are running. After 5 or 10 minutes of gentle jogging at the start, pick up the pace and surge for maybe 10 or 20 or more seconds, then jog or even walk for a near equal time until partly recovered, then surge again. These speed bursts could be anywhere from 100 to 400 meters, or longer. They could be up a hill or down a hill or on the flat. They could be at top speed or at the pace you might run a 5,000 meter race or from this tree to that tree. Bill Dellinger, 5,000 meter bronze medalist in the 1964 Olympic Games and who succeeded Coach Bill Bowerman at the University of Oregon, said: "An athlete runs as he feels. A fartlek training session can be the hardest workout a runner does all week, or it can be the easiest." Dellinger adds: "In order to be a good distance runner, you have to build strength and endurance, learn race pace, and practice race tactics. Fartlek training can incorporate all of these essential elements into a single workout." Fartlek teaches you how to surge in the middle of the race to get away from opponents--or hang with them when they attempt to surge on you. Long Runs: (Scheduled for Saturdays, but you can run long on Sundays if it seems more convenient.) Long runs are necessary to

improve your aerobic fitness and endurance. You begin in the first week, running for 60 minutes and add 5 minutes each week to a peak long run of 90 minutes. I prefer to prescribe time rather than distance. I also don't care how fast or slow you run, as long as you run for the prescribed length of time at a pace that allows you to finish as fast as you start. If your pace lags and you have to walk in the last few miles, you obviously ran the early miles too fast. Run at a conversational pace. If running with your teammates (something I recommend), use this workout as an excuse to talk about every silly thing that happened to you during the week. This is a workout that you can run on the roads or on trails. Mostly, have fun. Rest/Easy Days: (Scheduled for Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.) These are the three days of the week when you do not run hard. And quite frankly you can't run hard seven days a week without risking injury or overtraining. So in between the hard workouts, run easy. Rest can be an easy run of 30 minutes, or it can be a day when you do not run at all. You need days of comparative rest between the hard workouts, otherwise you will not be able to run those hard workouts at full speed. If you fail to do the hard workouts properly, you will not improve. Don't train hard every day assuming that it will make you a better runner; it may actually affect your training negatively. Racing: High school runners race so frequently during the spring, often several track meets a week and several races in those meets, so that I hate to encourage them to race much during the summer. But I also concede that low-key road races can be fun, can offer a change of pace from training and can motivate you to run all summer long. For that reason, you are free to run several road races during the summer, maybe once every fourth week. You don't need to race on the week I indicated; you don't even need to race at all. The program ends in the tenth week with a cross-country race, assuming that to be the first race of your season. Extra Training: For some talented and well-trained runners, particularly seniors, 35 to 45 miles of running a week is not enough. And to a point, the more miles you run, the faster runner you can become. That is why coaches of top-ranked teams ask their runners to run twice a day up to 100 miles a week. But the best coaches don't ask their freshmen to train at this level. They build them up over a period of several years to the point where they can accept this workout load. If you want to run extra miles and train more than once a day, I suggest you do so gradually. Start out by doing double workouts on three days a week, the days on which you have easy runs scheduled. If you can maintain this level, add an extra day of double training over a period of weeks, months or even years. Sudden increases in speed and distance usually do not lead to long-range success. Be cautious. Training with a Team: If you are part of a team, whose coach already has a planned training program in place, he or she may or may not be enamored to learn that you've decided to train using some program you picked up on the Internet. If you feel some or all of these workouts might help you as an individual and improve your performances, be diplomatic. Go to your coach and discuss training ideas. If he only meets with the team three or four days a week, your coach might even like having you do some extra running following my pattern. But in general, if you have the opportunity to train with your teammates instead of on your own, go with your teammates and follow your coach's workouts every time. He is the one standing by the finish line with a stopwatch in hand, not me. Whatever your situation, train hard, but also easy, and have a great cross-country season in the fall.

WEEK

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

SUN

MILES

30 min tempo

10 x 400

30 min easy

30 min fartlek

30 min easy

60 min long

Rest or 30 easy

36

30 min tempo

5 x 1000

30 min easy

30 min fartlek

30 min easy

65 min long

Rest or 30 easy

37

35 min tempo

6 x 600

30 min easy

35 min fartlek

30 min easy

70 min long

Rest or 30 easy

39

35 min tempo

10 x 400

30 min easy

35 min fartlek

30 min easy

Road Race

Rest or 30 easy

37

40 min tempo

5 x 1000

30 min easy

40 min fartlek

30 min easy

75 min long

Rest or 30 easy

41

40 min tempo

8 x 600

30 min easy

40 min fartlek

30 min easy

80 min long

Rest or 30 easy

41

45 min tempo

10 x 400

30 min easy

45 min fartlek

30 min easy

Road Race

Rest or 30 easy

40

45 min tempo

5 x 1000

30 min easy

45 min fartlek

30 min easy

85 min long

Rest or 30 easy

43

45 min tempo

10 x 600

30 min easy

45 min fartlek

30 min easy

90 min long

Rest or 30 easy

44

10

30 min tempo

10 x 400

30 min easy

30 min fartlek

30 min easy

XC Meet

Rest

32

8-K Training Guide: Advanced Program Advanced runners: Training for a peak 8-K performance Introduction: The following schedule is for advanced runners: individuals who compete regularly in races up to 8-K or beyond and who want to improve their performances. You should be capable of running 30 to 60 minutes a day, five to seven days a week and have a basic understanding of how to do speedwork. If that sounds like too much training, and this is your first 8-K race, you might be more comfortable using one of the programs designed for novice or intermediate runners.

Below is your training schedule. Further information and explanations are included in the day-by-day schedules that I will email you if you sign up for the interactive version of this program available through TrainingPeaks. Runs: The runs of 3-6 miles on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays are designed to be done at a comfortable pace. If you can't carry on a conversation with your training partner, you're running too fast. For those who use heart monitors to measure their level of exertion, you would be running between 65 to 75 percent of maximum. Rest: Rest is an important part of your training. On Fridays you are offered the option of resting or taking an easy 3-mile run. Be realistic about your fatigue level and don't feel guilty if you decide to take a day off. Specifically consider scheduling at least one rest day during the stepback weeks. (See below.) Tempo Runs: A tempo run is a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near 8-K race pace. In this program, tempo runs are scheduled for Tuesdays. A tempo run of 30 to 40 minutes would begin with 10-15 minutes easy running, build to near 5-K race pace for 10-20 minutes near the middle, then 5-10 minutes easy toward the end. The pace buildup should be gradual, not sudden, with peak speed coming about two-thirds into the workout. (You don't need to maintain peak speed for more than a few minutes toward the middle of the workout.) You can do tempo runs almost anywhere: on the road, on trails or even on a track. Speedwork: If you want to race at a fast pace, you need to train at a fast pace several days a week. Interval training where you alternate fast running with jogging or walking is a very effective form of speedwork. The training schedule begins in Week 1 with a workout of 6 x 400 meters and peaks in Week 7 with 10 x 400. Run the 400s at about the pace you would run in a mile or 1500 race. Walk or jog between each repeat. Although the best venue for speedwork of this sort is on a 400-meter track, these workouts can be done on the road or on trails, either by using measured courses or by running hard approximately the length of time you would run a 400 on the track. For instance, if you normally run 400s in 90 seconds, do fast reps at that length of time and don't worry about distance. Warm-up: Warming up is important, not only before the race itself, but before your speed workouts above and pace workouts below. Most novice runners do not warm up, except in the race itself. This is okay, because they're more interested in finishing rather than finishing fast. As an advanced runner, you have a different goal, otherwise you wouldn't be using this program, so warm up before you run fast. My usual warm-up is to jog a mile or two, sit down and stretch for 5-10 minutes, then run some easy strides (100 meters at near race pace). And I usually cool down afterwards by doing half of the warm up. Stretch & Strengthen: Also important as part of the warm-up is stretching. Don't overlook it--particularly on days when you plan to run fast. And on some of the easy days (such as Mondays and Thursdays), you might want to extend your stretching beyond what is normally needed for a warm-up. Strength training is important too: push-ups, pull-ups, use of free weights or working out with various machines at a Health Club. Runners generally benefit if they combine light weights with a high number of repetitions, rather than pumping very heavy iron. Mondays and Thursdays would be good days to combine stretching and strengthening with your easy run, however, you can schedule strength training on any day that is convenient for your business and personal schedule. Pace: A lot of runners look at my training schedules and ask, "What do you mean by 'pace?'" I mean "race pace," the pace at which you expect to run the 8-K. Saturday workouts include some running at race pace to get you used to running the pace you will run in the race. However, somewhat like in the tempo runs, you want to start and finish running easy. In the accompanying schedules, I prescribe the total distance of the run plus the approximate amount of that distance that should be run at race pace. Thus, "5 total/3 pace" means that in a 5-mile run, three of those miles should be done at your 8-K race pace. Obviously, you need to run on a course that has been pre-measured. If you can't find an accurately measured course, use a GPS watch or even your car odometer to at

least approximate the mile splits (realizing that car odometers are invariably somewhat inaccurate). Stepback: Please notice that the mileage is slightly reduced during Weeks 3 and 6. These are stepback weeks in which you relax your training--again slightly--to gather yourself for the next push upward in difficulty. I use stepback weeks in my marathon training programs and find that they provide not only a physical, but also a mental break. On Fridays during these stepback weeks, you might also want to choose rest instead of a 3-mile run to further reduce your mileage and increase your strength. Long Runs: As an experienced runner, you probably already do a long run of around 60-90 minutes on the weekends anyway. The schedule suggests a slight increase in distance as you get closer to race date: from 6 to 8 miles. Don't get hung up on running these workouts too fast. Run at a comfortable, conversational pace, except on those days where a 3/1 workout is prescribed. A "3/1" workout is one in which you run the first three-fourths of the distance at a comfortable pace, then accelerate to near race pace over the last one quarter of the workout. (You should finish refreshed, not fatigued.) If Sunday isn't a convenient day for your long runs, feel free to do them on Saturday--or any other day of the week for that matter. Here is your 8-K training program. Feel free to make minor modifications to suit your own particular schedule. Or sign up for the interactive version of this Advanced 8-K Training Program, where I send you daily email messages telling you what to run, along with other tips about your training. The interactive 8-K Advanced Training Program is available through TrainingPeaks.

Run the 8-K

WEEK MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MILES

3 m run + strength

30 min tempo run

6 x 400 mile pace

4 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m run

Pace 4 total / 2 pace

6 m run

28

3 m run + strength

35 min tempo run

7 x 400 mile pace

5 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m run

Pace 4 total / 2 pace

7 m run

32

3 m run + strength

30 min tempo run

5 x 400 mile pace

3 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m run

Pace 5 total / 2 pace

4 m run

26

3 m run + strength

30 min tempo run

8 x 400 mile pace

5 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m run

Pace 5 total / 2 pace

7 m run

33

3 m run + strength

45 min tempo run

9 x 400 mile pace

6 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m run

Pace 5 total / 3 pace

8 m run (3/1)

36

3 m run + strength

35 min tempo run

6 x 400 mile pace

3 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m run

Pace 6 total / 3 pace

6 m run

32

3 m run + strength

50 min tempo run

10 x 400 mile pace

6 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m run

Pace 5 total / 3 pace

8 m run

38

3 m run + strength

30 min tempo run

5 x 400 mile pace

3 m run

Rest or 3 m run

Rest

8-K Race

22

15-K Training Guide - Advanced Program Introduction: The above schedule is for advanced runners training for a 15-K or 10-mile race: individuals who compete regularly in races that far or beyond and who want to improve their performances. You should be capable of running 30 to 60 minutes a day, five to seven days a week and have a basic understanding of how to do speedwork. If that sounds like too much training, and this is your first 15-K race, you might be more comfortable using one of the programs designed for novice or Intermediate runners. All of my programs are available from TrainingPeaks in interactive versions, where I send you an email daily telling you what to run and offering tips in your training. 10-Mile Training: The difference between 15-K (9.3 miles) and 10 miles is minimal. You can use these same programs to train for a 10-mile race. Runs: The runs of 3-5 miles on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays are designed to be done at a comfortable pace. If you can't carry on a conversation with your training partner, you're running too fast. For those who use heart monitors to measure their level of exertion, you would be running between 65 to 75 percent of maximum. Rest: Rest is an important part of your training. On Fridays you are offered the option of resting or taking an easy 3-mile run. Be realistic about your fatigue level and don't feel guilty if you decide to take a day off. Specifically consider scheduling at least one rest day during the stepback weeks. (See below.) Tempo Runs: A tempo run is a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near 15-K race pace. In this program, tempo runs are scheduled for Tuesdays. A Tempo Run of 30 to 40 minutes would begin with 10-15 minutes easy running, build to 10-20 minutes near the middle, then 5-10 minutes easy toward the end. The pace buildup should be gradual, not sudden, with peak speed (near your 15-K pace) coming about two-thirds into the workout. (You don't need to maintain peak speed for the entire middle of this workout, since that would involve too much stress.) You can do tempo runs almost anywhere: on the road, on trails or even on a track.

Speedwork: If you want to race at a fast pace, you need to train at a fast pace several days a week. Interval training where you alternate fast running with jogging or walking is a very effective form of speedwork. The training schedule begins in Week 1 with 400 meter reps (repeats), but alternates with 800 reps in succeeding weeks. Run the 400s at about the pace you would run in a mile or 1500 race; run the 800s at about the pace you would run in a 5-K race. Walk or jog between each repeat. Although the best venue for speedwork of this sort is on a 400-meter track, these workouts can be done on the road or on trails, either by using measured courses or by running hard approximately the length of time you would run a 400 or 800 on the track. For instance, if you normally run 400s in 90 seconds, do fast reps at that length of time and don't worry about distance. For more information on speed training, see my book, Run Fast. Warm-up: Warming up is important, not only before the race itself, but before your speed workouts above and pace workouts below. Most novice runners do not warm up, except in the race itself. This is okay, because they're more interested in finishing rather than finishing fast. As an advanced runner, you have a different goal, otherwise you wouldn't be using this program, so warm up before you run fast. My usual warm-up is to jog a mile or two, sit down and stretch for 5-10 minutes, then run some easy strides (100 meters at near race pace). And I usually cool down afterwards by doing half of the warm up. Stretch & Strengthen: Also important as part of the warm-up is stretching. Don't overlook it--particularly on days when you plan to run fast. And on some of the easy days (such as Mondays and Thursdays), you might want to extend your stretching beyond what is normally needed for a warm-up. Strength training is important too: push-ups, pull-ups, use of free weights or working out with various machines at a Fitness Center. Runners generally benefit if they combine light weights with a high number of repetitions, rather than pumping very heavy iron. Mondays and Thursdays would be good days to combine stretching and strengthening with your easy run, however, you can schedule strength training on any day that is convenient for your business and personal schedule. Pace: A lot of runners look at my training schedules and ask, "What do you mean by 'pace?'" I mean "race pace," the pace at which you expect to run the 15-K. Saturday workouts include some running at race pace to get you used to running the pace you will run in your race. However, somewhat like in the tempo runs, you want to start and finish easy. Obviously, you need to run on a course that has been pre-measured. If you can't find an accurately measured course or don't own a GPS watch, use your car odometer to at least approximate the mile splits (realizing that car odometers are invariably somewhat inaccurate). Racing: As an advanced runner, you probably enjoy racing. I have suggested running a 5-K race in Week 4 and a 10-K race in Week 7, but there is nothing magic about those dates or those distances. Your local racing schedule will probably dictate what you can run and when you can run it. I wouldn't take these races too seriously, since your main goal is to run a fast 15-K at the end of the program. Long Runs: As an experienced runner, you probably already do a long run of around 60-90 minutes on the weekends anyway. The schedule suggests an increase in distance as you get closer to race date: from 5 to 13 miles. Don't get hung up on running these workouts too fast. Run at a comfortable, conversational pace 15 to 90. If Sunday isn't a convenient day for your long runs, feel free to do them on Saturday--or any other day of the week for that matter. This 15-K training schedule is only a guide. Feel free to make minor modifications to suit your work and family schedule. Also, consider signing up for the Virtual Program available from TrainingPeaks for more detailed information on what to run each day and tips for your training.

WEEK

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

SUN

3 m run + strength

30 min tempo

6 x 400 mile pace

3 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

5 m run

3 m run + strength

35 min tempo

3 x 800 5-K pace

4 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

6 m run

3 m run + strength

40 min tempo

7 x 400 mile pace

5 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

7 m run

3 m run + strength

30 min tempo

4 x 800 5-K pace

3 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

5-K Race

3 m run + strength

40 min tempo

8 x 400 mile pace

4 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

9 m run

3 m run + strength

45 min tempo

5 x 800 5-K pace

5 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

10 m run

3 m run + strength

30 min tempo

9 x 400 mile pace

3 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

10-K Race

3 m run + strength

40 min tempo

6 x 800 5-K pace

4 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

12 m run

3 m run + strength

45 min tempo

10 x 400 mile pace

5 m run + strength

Rest or 3 m

3 m pace

13 m run

10

3 m run + strength

30 min tempo

3 x 800 5-K pace

2 m run + strength

1-2 m run

Rest

15-K Race

Boston Bound How to Train for the Boston Athletic Association Marathon This Boston Bound Training Program is designed specifically for those runners talented or dedicated enough to have qualified for the Boston Athletic Association Marathon. It assumes an already high level of fitness, otherwise you would not have been able to meet Boston's strict qualifying standards. If a long run of 14 miles in only the second week sounds too far, you probably need to pick another training program. Also, unlike my usual 18-week marathon training programs, Boston Bound is only 12 weeks long, beginning in late January for the April race. Its increments are designed to prepare you for the unique challenge that Boston presents. Finally, it includes only a two-week taper, not three as in most of my other marathon programs. An interactive version of Boston Bound is available through TrainingPeaks. To understand the logic of this program, you must consider the profile of the traditional point-to-point course from suburban Hopkinton into downtown Boston, as described on pp. 144-145 of my book, Boston: A Century of Running, Unfortunately, the coffeetable version from 1995 of that book is now out of print, but a text-only version is available on Kindle. And Amazon also offers some "used" copies available at prices from $3.05 to (would you believe this?) $900.00. Click here for more information. The course starts at a height of 462 feet above sea level in Hopkinton, drops precipitously, particularly in the first mile and a half, rolls, descends again through about 4 miles, then flattens somewhat with an occasional hill before bottoming out at 49 feet above sea level at Lower Newton Falls (16 miles). Then begin a series of four hills--what Coach Bill Squires calls the Killer Chain-culminating in the infamous Heartbreak Hill (21 miles). It is not so much the height of the hills (Heartbreak is only 236 feet above sea level), but where they come in the race that poses difficulty for marathoners who have failed to prepare for them. The final 5 miles to the finish line on Boylston Street present a steady, if sometimes unnoticed, descent to 10 feet above sea level, and it is here where the legs of unprepared runners take a beating. If you enter this stretch fatigued and unable to maintain running form--particularly if forced back onto your heels--you will pound the muscles of your lower legs to pulp. This is why you see runners heading home at Logan Airport late on a Monday walking with the stiff legs of the Frankenstein Monster. It is also why their strategy descending stairs for a week after the race will consist of walking down those stairs backwards. The important message here is that to prepare for Boston--and the aftermath of Boston--you must condition your legs by training on hills, not only many of your long runs, but also hill repeats, both up and down hills. You must also lift weights to strengthen your legs: specifically the quadriceps muscles, but also the calf and hamstring muscles. To fail in this regard is to invite injury and to insure an inferior performance. This Boston Bound Training Program takes this message seriously. Another problem for those training for Boston who live in the Frozen North is that they must train through a winter when snow and ice may make it difficult to match their usual training pace in the spring or fall. Speedwork--at least outdoors--may be out of the question. This is only a problem if you make it a problem. This Boston Bound Training Program will help you succeed. One cold weather strategy is that many of the long runs are prescribed in hours and minutes rather than in miles. The Boston Bound Training Program consists of the following workouts on various days of the week: Monday: Run Easy. In my Boston Bound Training Program, Mondays are easy days with short runs that begin at 3 miles in the first week, then move upward to 4 and 5 miles. The main purpose of the workout is to do some easy miles while recovering from one hard workout and getting ready for another one. If you have access to a fitness center, you might want to do this workout on a treadmill, then do some strength training afterwards. Run between 65 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Tuesday: Run Fast. On alternate Tuesdays, run either fast 800 repeats at the track (Yasso Repeats) or hill repeats on a hill that could be almost any length between 200 and 800 meters, as long as running up it pushes you into the 80 to 90 percent maximum zone. Because Boston is a downhill course, run every third repeat downhill to strengthen your legs for the pounding they will get in the marathon. Wednesday: Run Easy. Similar to Monday, do a short and easy run today, coupling this run (outdoors or indoors) with some stretching and strength training. Stay in the 65 to 75 percent comfort zone. Thursday: Run Fast. Weather permitting, you will do a Tempo Run on most days. I define a Tempo Run as one where you start easy at a jogging warm-up pace (60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate), then after a mile or two, begin to gradually accelerate to just slower than your 10-K pace (between 80 and 90 percent of your maximum heart rate). Then, after holding that fast pace for 3 to 5 minutes, gradually decelerate and finish the run at the same jogging pace at which you started. While I suggest Thursdays for Tempo Runs, be aware of weather conditions. Feel free to shift your Tempo Run--or any other prescribed workout--to the day of the week most convenient for you. Friday: Rest. Fridays are rest days in all my programs. You need to be well rested to obtain maximum benefit from the tougher workouts on the weekends. Saturday: Pace Training. Saturday runs vary from 8 to 4 miles with about half of them done at marathon pace. I say this despite the fact that it may be very difficult to achieve your normal marathon pace in bad weather while wearing heavy clothes and with snow and ice on the pavement. So you do the best you can, knowing that as Boston approaches the weather should warm allowing you to hit the pace you want. Two possibilities are to do your pace runs indoors on a treadmill and/or wear a heart rate monitor to measure how hard you are working. I would shoot for 75 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate. Please note in the schedule below that I suggest doing several test races to measure your fitness level and provide motivation. I suggest a 5-K, a 10-K and/or a Half Marathon. If you can't find races at those distances on the days I suggest, adjust your schedule accordingly. Sunday: Run Long. Because winter weather conditions can impact your ability to run certain distances, every other Sunday the long run prescription is in minutes rather than miles. This recognizes the fact that 14 miles in difficult weather can be the Moral Equivalent of 16 or 18 miles in perfect conditions. When the prescription is in minutes, you don't need to worry about distance. Just run your best effort. I don't care how far or fast you run in your allotted time; I simply want you out running. Even runners with access to a treadmill in a gym probably need to get outdoors at least once a week to run long. Stay in the 65 to 75 percent comfort zone. For the time-based runs, I suggest doing them as a 3/1 run, where the first 3/4 of the run is done at an easy pace, picking up the pace in the last 1/4 of the distance. Your goal at Boston also should be to finish faster, or as fast, as your started. Time-based training aside, miles do have their place in any training program, so every other Sunday I suggest you do run specific distances. If you would rather do your long runs on Saturday rather than Sunday, feel free to modify the program. In fact, weather conditions on any one day may force changes in your planned program. The best two words of advice I can offer are: Stay Flexible! The chart below describes my Boston Bound Training Program. But since you cruised in here on the Internet, let me strongly recommend that you sign up for the interactive version of the program, where I not only send you daily training instructions, but also tips that include motivational items related to the race itself. The cost is not that much, and I know you will not regret it. Go to TrainingPeaks and surf down the list of available programs until you reach Boston Bound. WEEK MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

3 m run easy

3 x hill, 1 down

3 m run easy

5 mile run tempo

Rest

6 miles pace

1:20, 3/1

4 m run easy

4 x 800, 400 jog

4 m run easy

7 mile run tempo

Rest

7 miles pace

14 mile run easy

4 m run easy

4 x hill, 1 down

4 m run easy

7 mile run easy

Rest

7 miles easy

1:30, 3/1

4 m run easy

5 x 800, 400 jog

4 m run easy

5 mile run easy

Rest

7 miles pace

16 mile run easy

4 m run easy

5 x hill, 2 down

4 m run easy

8 mile run tempo

Rest

5-K Race

1:40, 3/1

5 m run easy

6 x 800, 400 jog

5 m run easy

8 mile run easy

Rest

8 miles pace

18 mile run easy

5 m run easy

6 x hill, 2 down

5 m run easy

5 mile run tempo

Rest

10-K Race

1:50, 3/1

5 m run easy

7 x 800, 400 jog

5 m run easy

8 mile run easy

Rest

5 miles easy

20 mile run easy

5 m run easy

7 x hill, 3 down

5 m run easy

5 mile run easy

Rest

Half Marathon

2:00, 3/1

10

5 m run easy

8 x 800, 400 jog

5 m run easy

8 mile run easy

Rest

5 miles pace

20 mile run easy

11

5 m run easy

8 x hill, 3 down

5 m run easy

6 mile run tempo

Rest

4 miles pace

12 mile run easy

12

5 m run easy

4 x 800, 400 jog

3 m run easy

4 mile run easy

Rest

Rest

2 mile run easy

13

Boston Marathon

Post Marathon Training: Advanced WEEK MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

3 m run

4 x 400 (5-K pace)

3 m run

3 x mile (mar

Rest

30 min tempo

60-75 min run

pace)

4 m run

6 x 400 (5-K pace)

4 m run

3 x mile (10-K pace)

Rest

35 min tempo

75-90 min run

5 m run

8 x 400 (5-K pace)

5 m run

3 x mile (5-K pace)

Rest

40 min tempo

90 min run

5 m run

3 x 800 (5-K pace)

5 m run

30 min tempo

Rest

Rest

Race

10K Advanced Training Schedule

Cross-training (CT): Cross-training activities allow you to give your joints and running muscles a break, while still working on your cardio. When the schedule calls for CT, do a cross-training activity (e.g., biking, swimming, elliptical trainer) at moderate effort for 45-60 minutes. You should also do 15-20 minutes of strength-training, either using machines or body weight exercises, focusing on your lower body and core. You can do another 15 to 20-minute strengthening session on Wednesdays, when you do an easy paced run. Tempo Run: Tempo runs help you develop your anaerobic threshold, which is critical for fast 10K racing. Start your run with 5 to 10 minutes of easy running, then continue with 15 to 20 minutes of running near your 10K pace (but not at race pace), and finish with 5 to 10 minutes of cooling down. If you're not sure what your 10K pace is, run at a pace that feels "comfortably hard". Interval workouts (IW): After a warm-up, run 400 meters (one lap around most tracks) at your 5K race pace, and then recover by jogging or walking 400 meters. So when the schedule says, 4 x 400, that would be four 400s at 5K pace, with a 400 m recovery in between. For 800 meter (2 laps around most tracks) workouts, run 800 meter at your 10K race pace, and then recover by jogging or walking 400 meters. Rest: Rest is critical to your recovery and injury prevention efforts, so don't ignore rest days. Your muscles build and repair themselves during your rest days. So if you run every day , you won't see much improvement. Fridays are a good day for rest because you'll have just done your speed workout on Thursday and the next day is your longest run of the week. Saturday long runs: After you warm up, run at a comfortable pace for the designated mileage. Sundays: This is an active recovery day. Your run should be at an easy (EZ), comfortable pace, which helps loosen up your muscles.

Note: You can switch days to accommodate your schedule. Just make sure you don't do two speed workouts in a row.

Wee k 1

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

CT or Rest

4 x 400 IW

3 m run + strength

35 min tempo

Rest

6m run 7m run 8m run 9m run 6m run 8m run 8m run Rest

30 min EZ

CT or Rest

4 x 800 IW

4 m run + strength

40 min tempo

Rest

35 min EZ

CT or Rest

6 x 400 IW

4 m run + strength

6 x hill repeats

Rest

35 min EZ

CT or Rest

6 x 800 IW

4 m run + strength

40 min tempo

Rest

40 min EZ

CT

8 x hill repeats

5 m run + strength

45 min tempo

Rest

40 min EZ

CT or Rest

6 x 800 IW

5 m run + strength

40 min tempo

Rest

45 min EZ

CT or Rest

6 x 400 IW

4 m run + strength

40 min tempo

Rest

45 min EZ

CT or Rest

5 m run

30 min tempo run

3 m run

Rest

10K Race!