This is the first week from a new schedule.  If you would like a copy, email me at Hamish.McAllister-Williams@ncl.ac.uk.

NOTE - time of Monday session since it is a Bank Holiday.

Plan for the week
Mon (NB 6pm) - Track 1600m.  1000m then 2-4 X 1600m with 2-3 min recoveries.
Wed (6:30) - Hills, Mitford.  10X 1:30 up hill, 2:00 recovery back down.
Thurs (6:30) - Steads.  7 Efforts via the Water Tower:  1) Mitford pub to left turn; 2) Church to left turn; 3) dip in road to first house on left; 4) old railway bridge to top of hill; 5) left turn to junction; 6) left bend after water tower to top of first rise; 7)  top of next rise to junction.  Shorter option is to turn left at the top of the Steads, with an effort from the underground water storage on the right to the A1 (making 5 in total). 


I plan to be around on Monday and Wednesday.

Plan for the week
Mon (7:30) - 2's and 1's.  Kirkhill.  6X 2:00 efforts with 1:00 recoveries then 6X 1:00 efforts with 1:00 recoveries.
Wed (6:30) - Track 5K sessions:  1000m at 5K pace, 200m recovery, 5X(400m, 100 recovery, 200m, 100m recovery – efforts faster than 5K pace), extra 200m recovery, 1000m faster than first.
Thurs (6:30) - Tempo, Lancaster Park. 3-4 laps.


Marathon Plus
Thursday - aim for 5-6 laps of Lancaster Park (or more if want to!!)


I am around Monday and Thursday.  Hopefully people have done the Track 5K session often enough to not get lost doing the session on Wednesday.  Remember to speak to one of the coaches on he track and make sure you are not the last leaving so that somebody else can lock up.

Plan for the week
Mon (7:30) - Track 800S.  5 X 800m with 2-3 min recoveries:  1st 800m at 5K pace;  2nd 700m at 5K pace then 100m faster; 3rd 600m at 5K pace then 200m faster, 4th 500m at 5K pace then 300m faster, 5th 400m at 5K pace then 400m faster. 
Wed (6:30) - Lancaster Park 9's.  9 min effort from the postbox anti-clockwise.  First runner turns and jogs clockwise, picking up runner as they meet, until reaches the last person, then all proceed anti-clockwise to re-start effort at post-box.  3 reps.
Thurs (6:30) - Long warm up with strides around Lancaster Park -THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.  Then King’s avenue: 10 x 10s hill sprints.  60s recoveries.


I am in London on Monday, but hope to be back in time to run.  I am away on both Wednesday and Thursday however.


Marathon Plus
On Wednesday do 1 or even 2 extra 9 min efforts.

Partly because of the weather, I have not got the sort of quantity and quality of training under my belt that I would have hoped for just 3 weeks prior to a marathon.  I have therefore been thinking - what is it possible to do so close to a race that will help performance on the day?  It is certainly too late to be thinking about working on endurance - indeed in the last 1-2 weeks prior to a race you need to be thinking about tapering to ensure you are really fresh for the race.  You also need to be cautious working on speed endurance as well.  However, there are a couple of things you can do that will potentially help you on the day.  These include 1) one or two good tough effort sessions, but NOT in the last week before the race; 2) stretching.  Working on flexibility will help your performance and you can do some useful work even in just 3 weeks; 3) keeping your weight down.  In the marathon, each pound will cost you a minute plus of time.  However, don't go on a crash diet for three weeks since this will leave you weak for the runs that you are doing.  But watch carefully what you eat; 4) get plenty of rest.  Early nights are the order of the day to make sure you are rested for the big day.
​

NB - AGM 7:30 on Tuesday in the Rugby Club - try to get along if you can!


Plan for the week
Mon (7:30) - Hills.  10 X 1:30 hill efforts with 2:00 recoveries.  Cottingwood Lane
Wed (6:30) - A change from the schedule swapping the track pyramid session for the track 200 one that we missed because of the snow.  This is a recent addition to the sessions we do and a great challenge:  200m at around 5K pace, 200m at a slow steady run pace X TWENTY.  No stops!!  Great for pace judgement and a sense of achievement when you complete the session. 
Thurs (6:30) - 800s.  Low stobhill.  6 X approx 3 min efforts (time taken for first person to run 2 complete laps), 2 min recoveries.


Marathon Plus
You have a choice this week:
- Wednesday - do 25 X 200m efforts.  This means you will run exactly 10,000m in the session.
- Thursday - do 8 X 800s.
DON'T do both!!
​

The plan on Monday is to run in Stobhill.  I do not know whether it will be fit for this or not.  We may have to play it by ear.  The plan I detail below is assuming the best.  If people have any intelligence about where there are places where you can run, please let us all know.  Certainly my loop up to Clifton and through Hepscott is out!!


Plan for the week
Mon (7:30) - 4s and 2s Stobhill.  3X (4 min effort, 2 min recovery, 2 min effort, 2 min recovery)
Wed (6:30) - Track 1600.  Start with 1000m.  Then 3 X 1200m with 2-3 min recoveries.
Thurs (6:30) - 2s and 1s Kirkhill.  6 X 2 min efforts with 1 min recoveries.  Then 6 X 1 min efforts with 1 min recoveries.


Marathon Plus 
On Wednesday aim for 4 or 5 1600m efforts.