by Larry EderSaucony 500 Mile Challenge, Week Nine, Day Four, Thursday, September 4, 2014:
High school cross country starts quickly with a couple of races a week, so use those early races to get into shape. Continue to build speed.
Monday: Warm up; 6-mile run (400 Mile: 5 miles/300 Mile: 3 miles); 8×150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.
Tuesday: 1-mile warm up; 20-min. tempo run, 1-mile cool down. To determine your tempo run pace, add a half-minute to your present mile pace for a 5K. So if you can run 18:30 for a 5K now, that means a 6:00 pace. Add 30 seconds, and your tempo run pace is 6:30-per-mile. Recalculate your pace as your fitness improves, perhaps once a month.
Wednesday: Warm up; 6-mile run (400 Mile: 5 miles/300 Mile: 3 miles); 8×150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.
Thursday: 1-mile warm up; 8 hill repeats (run 200 yards uphill, turn, jog downhill to the start. Repeat 7 more times, no rests); on the flat at the bottom of the hill, try for 8×150 yards as easy strideouts, jogging back to the start, no rest between; 1-mile easy cool down. Or, if a race happens on Thursday and Saturday, finish up with the 10×150 yards and then do your 1-mile easy cool down.
Friday: Warm up; 6-mile run (400 Mile: 5 miles/300 Mile: 3 miles); 8×150 yards relaxed strideouts on grass, jogging back to the start after each, no rest between; cool down.
Saturday: Easy 3-mile run or a walk.
Sunday: Easy 11-mile run on grass or dirt with friends (400 Mile: 8 miles/300 Mile: 7 miles).
Week 12 Totals: 500 Mile-53 miles; 400 Mile-37 miles; 300 Mile-29 miles
Mo. 2 Total (To Date): 500 Mile-199 (483) miles; 400 Mile-136 (383.5) miles; 300 Mile-116 (317.5) miles
