Tempo runs improve metabolic efficiency, making it easier to run at this pace before your muscles fatigue. Tempo run: Run at your tempo pace for a prescribed amount of time, followed by a jog, then repeat the sequence until you reach the total tempo-pace time for that day on your training calendar. Make it social to help you stay motivated. Slip in a run between your other responsibilities.

Easy runs are the foundation of any good training program. Our 5K and 10K plans include the following running paces:Įasy run: The goal is to stay active as you build your cardiovascular base miles. Varying training paces also mimics trail-running conditions, because terrain and elevation changes require you to constantly adapt your running pace. Each pace engages a different energy system, which in turn provides benefits ranging from improved efficiency and running mechanics to better cardiovascular conditioning. In order to improve, you need a variety of paces. Your body is efficient at adapting to doing the same thing repeatedly-like running a particular distance on a particular course. Yoga poses and foam rolling during this time can also improve flexibility and recovery. Concentrate on your least flexible muscles. Stretching: Spend 5 to 10 minutes after your cooldown doing static stretches.Cooldown: Spend at least 5 minutes after your running session jogging slowly, then walking.Spend at least 5 minutes before each run doing these. Dynamic warmup: activities like skipping, lateral shuffles, high knee exercises and butt kicks can all be effective at warming up muscles through a range of movement.See the related article list at the bottom of this page for specific exercise suggestions and details about how those exercises should be done. Regardless of the calendar you choose, your weeks should start easy, gradually become harder and then become easier the week prior to your event.Įach type of run (except easy runs), along with hill work, should be bookended by the following routines.

You can also use our training calendar as a starting point, then modify it based on your experience and needs.

Download trail run 10k