Run

This workout will take a little pre-planning. You need to find a place to run that has a medium steep hill. It doesn't have to be a really long hill- just long enough that you can run about 30 seconds up the hill at a stride type pace (about mile/2 mile race effort).

Easy run 25 minutes to the hill. Do 6x 30 second hill reps, with easy jog down. After the hill reps, easy run till you get to 40 minutes total (probably will be another 5-6 minutes of easy running.)

When running up the hill, focus on staying tall (don't bend over at the waist), and driving your knees up (kind of like kneeing a soccer ball to someone).

Planned: 40:00

Post-run circuit - Circuit #1

General Strength Circuit # 1:

1) Front plank x 30 seconds.
Elbows right under shoulders, head is in line with your spine, not dangling down.. “Pull” your elbows toward your feet, but don’t actually move them- just pull and contract your abdominal muscles as you do so.. Squeeze your glutes. Hold for 30 seconds.

2) Side planks x 20 seconds each side
Lie on your side in a straight line, with your heels, hip, and elbow all in a line.. Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder. Stack your feet on top of each other.. Lift up your hips so that your body is straight from shoulder to ankle. Pretend you have a wall behind you, and the back of your head, your butt, and your heels should be touching the wall. Keep your head in line with your spine.

3) Hip lifts x 10 reps
Lie on your back with your knees pulled up and your feet flat on the ground. Arms are lying relaxed by your sides. Squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips towards the sky. Lift up until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees. Keeping your glutes, squeezed, slowly lower your hips back to the ground.

4) Runner pushups x 10 reps (just lowering, not raising up)
Start in a high pushup plank position (the top position of a pushup). Your arms should be straight, your hands right under your shoulders, and your head is in line with your neck and spine. slowly lower yourself to the ground (keeping elbows close to your sides, not sticking out widely). Then just get yourself back up in the high pushup position any way you want, and lower yourself again, slowly. Repeat till you get to 10 reps. If you can do full pushups- both down and up- WITH GOOD FORM (straight body, head not dangling, butt not in the air, stomach and low back not sagging, elbows close to body), that is fine. Otherwise, just stick with the lowering motion for now, focusing on good form.

5) Side leg lifts x 10 reps each leg
Lie on your side in a similar position to side planks, but rest your head on your arm, lying down. Lift your top leg, using your glute medius muscle on the side of your butt/hip. Lead with your heel, and keep the moving leg slightly behind the leg on the ground. You shouldn't be able to lift the leg super high if you keep your body position straight. If you are wobbly, put your top hand on the ground in front of your stomach as a support, sort of like the kickstand on a bike…


REPEAT THESE EXERCISES ONE MORE TIME

Run

Easy 35 minutes. If you are very sore or fatigued from yesterday, it is fine to go VERY easy. When running very easy, try not to lumber along with long, slow strides. Instead, try to trot along with light, quick, short strides. The pace will be slow, but your feet will be turning over lightly and quickly.

Planned: 35:00

Run - 35 minutes

Try to find a course with rolling hills, not mountains!

Planned: 35:00

Run - 40 minutes with 6x 20 second pickups

If you don't know what 'fartlek' is, go read my note in the JV HS XC training calendar about it.

Easy run 20 minutes, then do 6x 20 second pickups with 40 seconds easy running in between the reps. Start the pickups at about 5K race effort and work down to mile race effort as you go, if you feel good. Run 14 minutes till you get to 40 minutes.

Planned: 40:00

Post-run circuit - Circuit #1

General Strength Circuit # 1:

1) Front plank x 30 seconds.
Elbows right under shoulders, head is in line with your spine, not dangling down.. “Pull” your elbows toward your feet, but don’t actually move them- just pull and contract your abdominal muscles as you do so.. Squeeze your glutes. Hold for 30 seconds.

2) Side planks x 20 seconds each side
Lie on your side in a straight line, with your heels, hip, and elbow all in a line.. Your elbow should be directly under your shoulder. Stack your feet on top of each other.. Lift up your hips so that your body is straight from shoulder to ankle. Pretend you have a wall behind you, and the back of your head, your butt, and your heels should be touching the wall. Keep your head in line with your spine.

3) Hip lifts x 10 reps
Lie on your back with your knees pulled up and your feet flat on the ground. Arms are lying relaxed by your sides. Squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips towards the sky. Lift up until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees. Keeping your glutes, squeezed, slowly lower your hips back to the ground.

4) Runner pushups x 10 reps (just lowering, not raising up)
Start in a high pushup plank position (the top position of a pushup). Your arms should be straight, your hands right under your shoulders, and your head is in line with your neck and spine. slowly lower yourself to the ground (keeping elbows close to your sides, not sticking out widely). Then just get yourself back up in the high pushup position any way you want, and lower yourself again, slowly. Repeat till you get to 10 reps. If you can do full pushups- both down and up- WITH GOOD FORM (straight body, head not dangling, butt not in the air, stomach and low back not sagging, elbows close to body), that is fine. Otherwise, just stick with the lowering motion for now, focusing on good form.

5) Side leg lifts x 10 reps each leg
Lie on your side in a similar position to side planks, but rest your head on your arm, lying down. Lift your top leg, using your glute medius muscle on the side of your butt/hip. Lead with your heel, and keep the moving leg slightly behind the leg on the ground. You shouldn't be able to lift the leg super high if you keep your body position straight. If you are wobbly, put your top hand on the ground in front of your stomach as a support, sort of like the kickstand on a bike…


REPEAT THESE EXERCISES ONE MORE TIME

Run - Plus light strides

50 minutes easy. After the run, do 4x 15 second strides at a 'feel good' pace. These are just to shakeout your legs a little after the long run and usually help you feel better. You can just stand around in between the strides and go again when you feel ready.

Planned: 50:00

Video - Optional: Yoga video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCIviBT3Txc&list=FLx9gHPz4nXLWD4MgLZPKcnQ&index=2&t=123s

Other - Should you take a day off each week?

If you are an experienced runner who trains year round, and have not missed a lot of training time due to injuries, it is fine to run 7 days a week AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT RUNNING YOUR EASY DAYS TOO HARD. For this summer training plan, I will give you the option of whether to run 7 days a week or not, starting in week 3.

Rest Day