Week 5 – Coventry Half Marathon Beginners Training Plan

How did your long run feel this weekend?  8 miles is an accomplishment, you should feel proud of yourself.  Make sure you are completing your stretches every day and spend extra time on them after your longer runs.  Later in the week I will post information about how to perform a form of sports massage on your legs that will help to re-energise them.  

This week we will keep the resistance circuit in the same way as last week, but I would like you to increase the intensity by pushing yourself harder.  I also want you to add an extra resistance circuit day to your programme. 

Next week we will be adding some equipment in to your strength sessions, you will need to get a fitball to use.  They are available in most supermarkets for around £5, however it is better to pay for a better quality one around £15-£20; the cheaper ones tend to lose their shape and burst more easily, meaning you have to replace them more frequently, ultimately costing you more. 

This week during your runs I want you to focus on increasing your pace; we will be adding fast mile intervals into your runs.  If you focus on only running at a steady pace you will struggle with any adversity on the course, adding varying pace and hills into your training will make the race day more comfortable.

 

Day 1

Recovery & Light Resistance Day

Light cross training RPE 4-5

Resistance Circuit x 2

 

Day 2

3 mile run – RPE 6-8

Mile 1 – RPE 5-6
Mile 2 – RPE 7-8
Mile 3 – RPE 5-6

 

Day 3

Resistance Circuit x 2

 

Day 4

6 mile run – RPE 5-7

Do a hilly route

 

Day 5

Non-running Cardio Training and Resistance Day

30 minutes – RPE 5-7

Resistance Circuit x 2

 

Day 6

Total Rest Day

 

Day 7

6 mile run – RPE 5-9

1m (5-6)

1m (7-9)

x 3

Go for it on miles 2, 4 and 6.  Push hard and focus on a smooth rhythm and good technique.  Pump your elbows back to increase power.

 

Remember to ensure you take time to recover and relax following the harder runs, allow your body time to just chill.  Here’s a picture of my family chilling after a 6 miler (from left; Poppy, Daisy & Fran).

  

Hydration and Running Performance

Many of the people I assess as a lifestyle coach are dehydrated; particularly recreational exercisers.  Dehydration levels of only 5% can lead to a drop in physical performance of 30%, thus by only drinking more fluids you can increase your energy levels and perform better on your runs. 

The government guideline for drinking fluids is about 2 litres per day; however as with all guidelines this figure is generalized, as with calorie intake which is aimed at 65kg women and 75kg men.  We are all individuals and vary massively; from the colour of our eyes to how our bodies process food and fluids.  

A more accurate method of establishing how much fluid to drink is to take your body weight in kg’s and x by 0.033lts; for example, I’m 85kg, so 85 x 0.033 = 2.81lts of fluids per day.  This is the minimum and all fluids were not created equal; try to drink water with a total dry residue mineral content of greater than 300mg/L, Evian (309mg/L) and Vittel (403ml/g) fulfil this.  You can add a pinch of unprocessed sea salt to your water if it does not match this level; you should not be able to taste the salt.

The higher mineral content allows your body to absorb the water easier, thus helping to hydrate you.  As mentioned previously, try to consume about an extra litre per hour of exercise performed; adjust according to your sweat rate, some people sweat a lot more than others and will need to compensate for this fact.

You do not need sports drinks, they are packed full of chemicals and additives that the body does not need.  You can make your own by mixing 2/3rds water with 1/3^rd freshly squeezed juice of your choice and adding a pinch of unprocessed sea salt. 

When running for longer than 60 minutes it is important to take on fluids during your run, this may mean hiding a bottle on route or simply carrying it with you, fist bottles are good for this.  There are many accessories that make carrying fluids with you more convenient; for long runs I prefer to use a hydration back pack, but I have clients who prefer to use running specific bum bags.  It really is a case of seeing which method suits you best; the important thing is to make sure that you drink regularly along the route. 

Darren

http://www.achievebootcamp.co.uk