It doesn’t matter if you’re a running veteran or just beginning for the first time, there’s plenty to be learned from workouts at any stage of the training plan. Today we’re talking about Week Six. Read on for the Week Six Inside Scoop, including tips and advice for runners at every level.
Beginners…
Week Six is the point in the program where you start to transition away from interval work altogether. It has served you well so far, but it’s time to make the leap into longer, uninterrupted runs. Our Inside Scoop series is full of reasons why you might one day revisit those early workouts, but for now it’s all about leaving intervals behind in favor of increasing time and distance from week to week. The dirty little secret for these longer runs? You might actually find them easier than the interval week you’ve been doing for the last couple of weeks. If you are feeling intimidated by a particular workout when you see it on the screen, keep in mind that it’s this point in the program where it gets very tricky to predict how tough a run will be. You’re ready for this. Keep a positive attitude and just get out there and do it. We bet that at least once you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how strong you feel.
Intermediate runners…
Week Six is a good study in training variety. One thing to keep in mind as you become a more advanced runner is that training is about more than selecting good workouts. A lot of your success will come from your ability to string together a series of workouts that complement one another as the week goes on. Consider repeating not just a Week Six run, but the whole week. These workouts are designed to come at you from a couple of different angles, mixing up interval and distance work. Not only will it make for an interesting week, but it will also keep your body guessing…which is always good for improving strength and speed.
Crusty veterans…
So do you REALLY want to get out there and work? String all three workouts together with rest time in between, perhaps in place of a long run that you would usually do uninterrupted. You’ll have less of a Zen running experience and more of an engaging, dynamic workout. On one hand you’ll be re-introducing the kind of interval work that really helps you build speed and on the other you’ll still be putting in a very aggressive, very challenging endurance run. Go get ‘em.
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