You can also play "Where's the Club Captain" with this one.
Session Guidance
Each week I will post sessions for you to do during this Lockdown. There are two sessions described for endurance runners for each week. It is assumed that this will be supplemented by a 90 minute or so long run, run at easy pace, plus all other runs at easy pace.
No more than 20% of your time (not distance) running should be done at speed, so if you are only running for less than 2 hours a week, only do one of the two sessions and do the “Tempo Run”.
If you are also training in other sports, such as cycling and/or swimming, ensure that you are getting sufficient recovery between your intense activities. The speed sessions described here only give you any training benefit if done at the right quality. A slower than planned tempo run might as well be an easy run for the physical capability benefit in speed endurance gained.
Before describing the sessions, I must highlight the health and safety issues you need to consider.
Your Health and Safety
Tragically, there ~1000 people per day are dying from Covid19, currently, so please ensure you adhere to the Government guidance associated with exercising, including the travelling, i.e. “you can continue to exercise alone, with one other person or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area. You should maintain social distancing". Government guidance can be found at
There are other health and safety concerns with running at this time of year:
Slippery surfaces from ice, especially if it’s melting
Visibility, as light levels are lower than you think, so do not dress like a Ninja Warrior but wear Hi Vis clothing and ensure have sufficient clothing to keep warm, in particular a hat, as the majority of body heat is lost through your head.
If running early or late in the day, have a headtorch to help you see what you’re running on/in and to be more visible.
Carry water with you if running a reasonable distance – you can lose as much moisture in cold weather as hot, but you are less likely to notice it in cold weather.
If you are new to running have a look at the Health Questionnaire on our Senior’s training page on our website, to ensure you do not make yourself unwell or injured (link to the page, questionnaire is underscored: https://www.cirencesterac.com/seniors). NB You do not need to fill it in.
Sessions
Session 1 : “One Minute On, One Minute Off”
Suitable for all standards. Variations explained for different standards or challenge.
Warm up for 10 minutes and include drills to ensure running muscles are ready for the efforts, e.g. high knees, heel flicks, skipping.
Effort Run one minute at 5k (Park Run) pace, then jog one minute, and repeat. Do 12 to 15 efforts.
Cool down by running for 5 minutes “easy” pace and do some static stretches to aid recovery, especially those for calf muscles, hamstrings, quads and glutes.
To increase challenge, option1 : run effort at just above your race pace; option 2 : run effort above race pace and run recovery at just below. Of course, you can more or less efforts, depending on your fitness and what other activities you are doing.
Session 2 : “Cruise Intervals”
Again suitable for all.
Warm up and Cool down as per Session 1
Effort Run for about a mile, have one minute’s rest and then repeat. Do 5 efforts, i.e. about 5 miles. The pace of the mile effort should be a little bit slower than your 10k pace.
Options : run less than a mile effort, but at least half a mile (800m), or run up to a two-mile effort. Don’t reduce or lengthen the recovery. If you are really struggling, stop the session – it’s quality that matters.
NB if not running this on a loop consider that the terrain and conditions, esp. wind, will impact your effort and pace.
Have fun with them and stay healthy.
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