5 Months to 5 Miles Relay Training Program
Weeks 13-16: Strength Phase

Training Plan Basics
Weeks 1-4: Preparatory Phase
Weeks 5-8: Endurance Phase
Weeks 9-12: Endurance/Strength Phase
Weeks 13-16: Strength Phase
Weeks 17-20: Sharpening & Tapering Phase

Block four begins October 20, 2008. If you are just forming your team or just found the relay training program, 8 weeks of preparation before race date is still plenty of time! Select the level most appropriate for your fitness level, lace up your shoes and get going!

Strength Phase
Weeks 13-16 of our training plan is presented below as we continue to build endurance and strength for all three levels of runners. This 4-week block moves to more moderate effort for basic, new runners/exercises. Basic runners may continue a walk/run pattern, or jog longer duration, shorter walk segments. Intermediate and Advanced level runners incorporate more run specific strength, and begin to sharpen speed skills with challenging efforts.

Endurance is the essential building block for every runner. If you are not ready to step up training with more challenging runs, such as including hills and/or faster paces, don’t sabotage your or your team’s finish by trying to run too hard or too fast if you are not ready and risk injury. Keep running easy to moderate foundation runs in that case.

Paces for Weeks 13-16

Easy
Easy occurs about 60-72% of maximal heart rate (MHR) and is a good recovery pace between faster workouts and "normal" aerobic training pace. You could hold an easy pace many miles. This “talk” pace is for longer runs and relies more on fat for energy. Long runs are here, putting time on the body, not pushing intensity.

Moderate
Moderate is a medium rhythm tempo pace and introduces faster runs (or walks). Focus on light foot turnover and rhythmic breathing. This pace should still feel comfortable during shorter to moderate length runs, but as you put more time on the legs, you begin to sweat more, breathing increases, but you can still talk. Short “Fartlek” segments, easier Tempo runs and a XT session once a week can fall here (refer to Workout Key). If breathing becomes quite labored, slow a bit and control effort. If you are not ready for increased effort yet, keep doing easy Foundation Runs for the time prescribed and enjoy!

Threshold
Threshold pace is moderately-hard faster rhythm, used for Fartleks and Tempo Runs. This is quality training with limited stress and roughly 85%-90% of Max HR. Breathing is labored, but is slower than a fast 5k pace by about 20-30 seconds per mile. “Tempo runs" should feel moderate to moderately hard for basic and intermediate runners. Advanced runners can use a moderately hard to hard effort by holding the fartleks or tempo segments for a longer duration. You can use threshold pace for short hill reps, and for the one to three minute intervals.

Fast
Fast pace: Repetition and Interval Pace is hard, to achieve 95-100% of Max HR for brief periods. Intervals are three to five minutes, and shorter for basic or intermediate runners. This is not all-out sprinting, but very uncomfortable, breathing labored, near red line, legs burning. Intervals faster than this pace introduce fatigue and possible injury; and certainly compromise the next training day. Remember: you're not running this pace for your relay! You are running 4 to 6 miles. Fast pace running, in limited doses, builds physical and mental strength and power. Racing requires economy and speed, both of which this pace can improve by forcing mechanical aspects to mirror race-day, especially on hills, or in a 5k or the last half mile of a 5 miler. Recover between intervals or reps as directed. Establish a pace so you are able to run the last one the same pace as the first. If not, you started too fast!

Block Four Team Tip: "Act like a champion to be a champion"
A champion isn’t always the individual that’s crosses the finish line first. You've been working out for 2-3 months and feeling pretty fit now, right? It's time to begin testing your physical and mental skills. Do you still have concerns? You might be asking yourself, “Will I have a great run, or will I let my team down”?

Race day can be both exciting and stressful for beginner and experienced athletes alike. Every sport has champions. Running a relay can be very important. It may be the “push” you needed to engage in a fitness program, or learn valuable skills, such as team dynamics, or, may spill into other areas of life. You may have come to the realization that no matter how hard you train, being the champion athlete or relay team that crosses the line first, or runs a Personal or Team Best may elude you this year.

A champion of life is the real winner. Being a champion of life is the ultimate reward and easy… act like a champion. Learning how to achieve mastery over ourselves, our thoughts and emotions is the most difficult part. You don’t need to beat all opponents, or even get the best time!  But a champion of life works constantly at being the best they can be just by practicing being mentally sharp, strong, and gracious by helping and encouraging others achieve a personal path to success.  

A champion of life demonstrates four qualities:

1. Life, like sports, is about creating a positive image, what you’ve achieved, and realizing success by mastering your habits, thoughts and words, which translates to confidence. 
2. Never quit learning.You learn when happiness is created by helping others achieve success. Be a student of life and your sport skills will also improve.
3. Mental toughness is being able to summon emotional strength at the right time with grace and dignity. We are defined not by the fight, but by how we fought, and what we overcame to get to the start, and cross the finish line. That is a Champions reward.  
4. Champions act! Begin to think and act like the champion you are!
   
   

Workout Key

• W/R = Walk/Run
  Alternate 2 minute walks with 2 minute jogs for time duration.
• Fdn = Foundation
  Steady, comfortable, easy to moderate aerobic “talking” pace.
• Stds = Strides
  20-second “relaxed” form sprints with 60-second jog or walk recovery.
• Lng = Long
  Run at or easier than foundation aerobic runs.
• H Reps = Hill Repetitions
  Short hill efforts near max effort, with 2 minute jog recovery.
• Fartlek
  Foundation run with random 30-second up to 2 minute “pick-ups” inserted at a pace you could sustain five to seven minutes; full recovery between each.
• Tmp = Tempo
  After a long warm-up and before an easy cool-down, tempo pace is held.
• Mi = Miles
  Warm up, run “x” miles at threshold or tempo pace, recovery between each mile with a very easy ¼ mi jog, cool down at least 5’ after main set.
• Int = Intervals
  1’ to 3’ intervals at roughly 85%, or 90>95%, or at 5K pace, with 1’>3’ easy walk or jog recovery of equal time of the work effort. This workout always includes easy warm up and cool down of >10’.
• ' = minutes
• " = seconds
• XT = Cross training
  Foundation or easy effort in choice of: pool running, elliptical training, bicycling (indoor or outdoor) or choice.
• ST/Flex = Strength/flexibility
  Incorporate movements with functional carryover to running, such as forward lunges, core strength movements, run drills and hills to build stride power. Keep basic and simple, with 5 to 8 different movements.