Training Plan - Week 5

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednseday: 5 mile run
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: rest
Saturday: 10 mile run
Sunday: cross-train (~60 min.)

Monday: A day of rest. As marathon day draws near, you will need this rest day more and more.

Tuesday: Run easy: 3 miles today at your usual comfortable pace. Don't be embarrassed to walk, even for this short a distance. There's nothing wrong with walking in marathons, particularly when taking a drink. Maybe not this early in the program, but as the mileage builds the stress levels build too. Short walk breaks can help you avoid injury as well. Don't take any chances. Make no quick moves, only slow and steady ones. Slow and steady guarantees a medal being hung around your neck after you exit the finishing chute.

Wednesday: Five miles, a jump of a mile from last week and the week before. Don't worry about the pace. Just cover the distance. This is the "tough" workout day in the middle of the week. But does this run of 5.0 miles still seem hard to you? Hopefully you're starting to get in shape so that running for 45-60 minutes is no longer quite the struggle it once seemed. You should feel confident. You're a Certified Marathoner--or will be in another 14 weeks. If people pass you on the road, greet them a wave, a smile, a hearty "hello!" Say to yourself, "I'm a marathoner!"

Thursday: Three miles today, the same as Tuesday. While shoes are the most important item of equipment a runner can own, comfortable clothing also is a must. If it's cold when you run, particularly in the early morning, you will want to layer on levels of clothing as the best approach to coping with varying temperature levels. And while you want to stay warm, the worst sin is to overdress so that you finish soaked with sweat. More a problem is coping with heat, since there is only so much clothing you can shed without getting arrested. Keep experimenting with different clothing variations. Wicking fabrics work better than cotton T-shirts You'll figure it out.

Friday: Today being a rest day, maybe this is a day to head to Running Fit to get some new shoes and gear. Good running gear will last for years, so even though it may seem expensive, think of it as an investment you'll get returns from for years to come.

Saturday: Run 10 miles. Your first single workout in double digits, thus somewhat of a milestone. Fourteen weeks from now in the marathon, you should be able to cruise past the 10-mile marker. "Ho hum. This is me the marathoner, floating on home to 26 miles 385 yards!" Ten miles is the peak run in the second 3-week segment of your training. Next week is another "stepback" week.

Sunday: Cross-training. An hour of aerobic training. You should exercise the body after your 10-mile peak run yesterday--but not too much. If you decide to flip-flop workouts and cross-train Saturday and run long Sunday, you won't want to overdo it on this day. An hour of cycling would be fine--as long as it's at an easy pace. An hour of walking would do you good too.