However I am going to give this Bruce Tulloh (Runners World) schedule a go as the discipline of set sessions might be just what I need to kick start some improvement in my running times which have been slow and getting slower.
I have adapted slighhty to suit my needs. Firstly I only have 8 weeks so I am 2 weeks short of the 10 week plan suggested by Tulloh. However I do have a good mileage base as I have generally been running 30 miles a week all year.
This plan peaks around 40 miles a week. Not a huge increase in mileage compared to what I am already doing but I have tried to include 2-3 quality sessions each week. The cornerstone being a long run which increases gradually each week.
I don't know the course at Ipswich but I assume there will be hills and I am hopeless at them. Everyone comes past me going up them, though I tend to pass the same people when going down the hill. So I am including some hill training as part of the quality trining sessions.
Now that the West Suffolk Athletics Track has reopened with the track having been relaid I will include a number of interval track sessions.
This said I am sure I will have problems keeping to this schedule - best laid plans an all ......
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Total Miles | |
| WEEK 1 Jul 6 | 6m hill reps | Rest | Warm up, then 16 x 60 secs fast, 60 secs slow Warm down | Rest | 10M slow | Warm up, then 4 x 3 mins, with 3-min recovery jogs | 7-8M slow | 34-35M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK 2 Jul 13 | 4M easy | 6M, fairly fast | Repetitions: 4 x 3 mins fast, with 2-min recoveries | 5M easy | Rest | 1M jog, then 5M fairly fast, then 1M jog | 10M slow | 36M |
| WEEK 3 Jul 20 | 5M easy, off -road | 6M, starting slow, finishing faster | 3 x 5 mins fast, with 5-min jog recoveries | 5M easy, inc 6 x 150m fast strides | Rest | 2M slow, then 1M fast, then 2M slow | 10M | 36-37M |
| WEEK 4 Jul 27 | 5M easy | Rest | 5M, inc 16 x 1 min fast, 1 min slow | 6M easy | Rest | 1M easy, then 4-5M fairly fast, then 1M jog | 11M steady | 36M |
| WEEK 5 Aug 3 | 5M easy, off -road | Rest | 8M, fairly fast | 4M easy | Rest or 3M jog | 4M on grass, inc 6 x 200m strides | 11M | 35M |
| WEEK 6 Aug 10 | 5M easy, off -road | 6M steady, inc bursts up hills | 3 x 1M (or 3 x 5 mins), with 5-min recoveries | 5M easy | Rest | 6-7M, inc 10 x 30 secs fast, 30 secs slow | 10-12M steady | 39-40M |
| WEEK 7 Aug 17 | 5M easy | 5M, inc 16 x 1 min fast, 1 min slow | Warm up, then 2 x 2M (approx), timed, at threshold pace | 5-6M easy | Rest | 1M easy, then 4-5M fairly fast, then 1M jog | 10M steady | 37-38M |
| WEEK 8 Aug 24 | 5M easy | 6-7M at a comfortable pace | Warm up, then 2M at race pace, then 2M jog | 5M easy, inc 6 x 30 secs fast | Rest | 3M, in race kit | Ipswich Half Marathon | 35M |
Anyone else training for a half and can recomend a schedule that worked for them ?
