Running Schedule for Trek Preparation.

What makes a good training schedule

A typical running schedule must consist of easy runs, speed work like intervals, fartleks, tempo runs, a cross training day, and long run day, and a day of rest. Here’s what each of these are –

1. Easy Runs

During easy runs you should not be pushing your body in any manner. As the name suggests, it should be easy. Make sure you are breathing in a rhythm. Here’s what I follow during my easy run, 3-3, or 3-2. This means inhale for 3 steps, exhale for 3 steps, or inhale for 3 steps, and exhale for 2 steps.

You should also be able to speak a full sentence without breaking, or gasping for breath. If you use a Heart Rate Monitor, the beats per minute should not go beyond 60% of your maximum heart rate.

2. Intervals

Intervals are a form of speed workouts wherein you run a set distance (say 400 meters) as fast as you can, for a specific number of times (say 6 times). The challenge is to decrease the time taken to cover 400 meters in each repetition. 

A good way to begin is to run 400 meters as fast as you can, and then rest for a minute. Repeat this 4 times.

Rest time should not be reduced. Rest time of 1 minute should be completely utilized to get your heart rate down.

3. Fartleks

These are similar to intervals, and are a form of speed workout. Instead of resting for 1 minute between each interval, you do an easy run/jog for a specific distance.

You begin by setting a distance. For example, if you are doing a 5 km run here’s how you can divide your run –

1 km easy run/warm up

1 km of running hard. You must really push yourself.

0.5 km of relaxed slow running. Catch your breath here.

1.5 km of running hard again. You will feel the burn. Keep pushing.

Finish up by doing a 1 km easy run again.

Fartleks are a sure-shot way of building endurance and stamina. This helps increase your lactate threshold. Your body will produce less lactic acid while you train hard.

4. Tempo Runs

Tempo runs are a true test of your endurance. In this workout, you run for a relatively longer distance at a faster pace. The challenge is to maintain the pace throughout the run.You should not be running at an all out effort. Instead you should be running at 75% of your maximum effort. Simply put, tempo runs must be comfortably hard. You should be confident that you can run faster, but at the same time, do not get tempted to run slower towards the end. That is the real challenge.

5. Long Runs

As the name suggests this workout is all about running long. This usually means more than 10 km at an easy pace.The goal here is to complete the distance, and not to run hard or fast. Pace yourself well, and start off slow. You can walk and take short breaks to re-hydrate in between.

Personally, I think these long runs have been great times of introspection for me. Not only about my running and fitness, but my personal goals as well. I’ve even got breakthrough ideas for work!

Learn to enjoy these runs, and you will never want to stop.