Introduction

If you require guidance to help prepare for the event, we hope you find this useful.

The Schedule

The first thing that may strike you about the programme is that it is based on 3 runs/week. This is formulated on sound science and has been demonstrated to be highly effective. The key to its success is that each session, if executed properly, is challenging and requires a degree of effort and concentration from the runner. The format is simple: 2 blocks of 4 weeks each, with a steadily increasing load.

Key Points

• Warm-up: each session lasts for approximately 1 hour. Though not stated, you should begin the session with a gentle 10 min easy jog and, after the session, warm down similarly.
• The Tuesday runs are interval based and require you to increase your effort during each of the time intervals set out e.g. for 20 x 1 minute, gradually increase your speed/effort within each of these minutes with the aim being to finish the twentieth minute as strongly as you did the first, and all others in between. To achieve this for all your interval runs, it is essential that you recover fully and properly between the intervals. This can best be achieved via an active recovery by means of brisk walking or, preferably, an easy, light jog.

If you follow this 8-week schedule, you can be confident that you can tackle the full 12Km/7.5 mile event safely and well. Additional “padding” runs are not recommended but by all means, do not hesitate to enhance your active recovery on non-running days by indulging in other immensely beneficial but non-load bearing aerobic activities like cycling, swimming, gym circuits, Pilates and many others. The key here is that impact and repetitive load on joints and leg muscles are avoided while core strength and cardiovascular systems will benefit substantially.

Hope you have found this helpful!

Weeks 1 – 4 from starting training

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Week 1	10 x 2 mins 2 min recs RPE 8		3-5 miles steady Some hills RPE 7/8			Long run   RPE 6
Week 2	4 x 6 mins 3 min recs RPE 8		3-5 miles steady   RPE 7/8			Long run – hills RPE 6
Week 3	4 x 7 mins 3 min recs RPE 8		3-5 miles Fartlek   RPE 7/8			Long run -hills RPE 6
Week 4	20 x 1 min 1 min recs RPE 9		3-5 miles steady   RPE7/8			Long run   RPE 6

RPE: Rate of Perceived Exertion – a notional scale from 1 – 10 describing the relative hardness/degree of difficulty of the session based on the physical effort applied. 1 is a gentle stroll whereas 10 is eyeball bursting flatout, as in sprinting – which you won’t be doing!!

FARTLEK (Speed play): Random spells of faster running/increased effort within an overall distance.

Weeks 5-8 from starting training

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Week 5	20 x 1 min 1 min recs RPE 9		2-4 miles comfortable RPE 6			4 miles easy RPE 6
Week 6	10 x 2 mins 2 min recs RPE 8		3-4 miles steady Some hills RPE 6/7			4 miles easy – some hills RPE 6/7
Week 7	8 x 3 mins 2 min recs RPE 7		3 miles Fartlek Max 3 mins effort RPE 6-8			5 miles easy RPE 6
Week 8	20 x 1 min 1 min recs RPE 8		3-5 miles steady Some hills RPE 6/7			4 miles easy RPE 6

RPE: Rate of Perceived Exertion – a notional scale from 1 – 10 describing the relative hardness/degree of difficulty of the session based on the physical effort applied. 1 is a gentle stroll whereas 10 is eyeball bursting flatout, as in sprinting – which you won’t be doing!!

FARTLEK (Speed play): Random spells of faster running/increased effort within an overall distance.