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Runners World Articles: Archives - May 2002

Time to Spring Ahead

Here’s a simple 6-week program to make you fit and fast by summer

I don’t know about you, but every spring my running feels a bit rusty. Even if you run through the winter, chances are the cold weather and the short days set your fitness back a bit. Maybe a lot. And now, like me, you’re looking to recapture the old magic.
No problem. Follow my 6-week, spring-training plan, and you’ll be fitter, faster – and maybe even slimmer – before your first summer barbecue.

TIPS TO RUN OFF THE RUST
Take control. You have complete control over how you feel during and after every run. If you start slowly, and take enough rest between your runs, your progress will be steady and pain-free. Run too much too soon, and you’re bound to encounter setbacks in the form of increased fatigue, injuries, and burnout. So force yourself to be diligent but conservative with both your mileage and your pace.

Don’t listen to your body. Spring fever has a bad habit of making us all feel like we can simply head out the door and pick up where we left off with our running. And your body buys into this lie by actually feeling pretty good during your first week or two of regular training. But don’t get lured into believing these tempting signs. Stick with a 6-week plan that includes gradual mileage increases.

But do listen to aches and pains. Shins feeling tender? Knees starting to ache? Now you can and should listen to your body. At the first sign of an ache, pain, or illness, take a day off, then go a bit shorter the following session. This way you’ll head off problems before they arise, and avoid the prolonged layoffs necessary with full-blown injuries.

Forget about how far you’ve fallen. Don’t dwell on you previous PRs (personal records) and pact training paces. Instead, think about where you want your running to go next. Maybe you’re looking forward to a great summer-racing season. Or maybe you just want to get in good enough shape to keep up with your kids at the beach. Whatever your goal, shoot for it. Don’t worry about the past.

Gear up. If it’s been a while since you bought a new pair of running shoes, make the investment now. Worn-down shoes increase you injury risk. (You should typically buy new ones every 500 miles.) While you’re at it, buy a pair or two of running shorts and some shirts. You’ll look good in the new duds, which will get you out the door that much easier.

The Plan
Weeks one and two: Command consistency.
The most important factor during these first 2 weeks is reestablishing a regular running routine, which, for now, means running at least three to four times a week. An every-other-day running schedule works well. The lengths of your runs should vary based on the shortest and longest distances you’ve been able to run in the past month. Keep these runs easy by beginning each a bit slower than you plan to finish it, and ending each while you’re still feeling good.

Weeks three and four: Increase the distance.
Once you’re running regularly, it’s time to add a little distance to increase your endurance. During week three, pick one of your regular runs and extend it by 10 minutes. Keep the pace nice and easy. For week four, do this longer run twice. During week five, add another 10 minutes to your long run, and do it twice in week six.

Weeks five and six: Sprinkle in some speed.
For the final 2 weeks, turn up the intensity by throwing in some regular speedwork in the form of ‘pickups.” These are short segments of slightly faster-paced running interspersed throughout a regular run. In the middle of a run, eyeball some landmarks – trees, telephone poles, buildings – and run to them at a quicker-than-normal pace. Vary your choices so that the distances of the pickups vary in length – taking you from 30 seconds to 2 minutes to cover – and modify your pace to match the distance. Build up to six pickups within one run per week.

To accommodate this speedwork session, you might want to add another day of running to your routine. Regardless, make sure that you follow your speed day with either a day off or an easy run.