​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Workouts for the Week of 3-9-2020          

Monday – Easy Run (4 miles) followed by 8 x 20 second strides
Tuesday – H.I.I.T. Workout of the Week – ‘Long’ Speed Workout – “Pyramid Push” – (2 mile warm-up, Dynamic Stretching, 4 strides), then Run 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1 minutes respectively (faster than 5k pace) with a 1 minute recovery jog between intervals, 1-2 mile cool down

Wednesday – Rest or Cross-Train 
Thursday –  Easy Run (5 miles) followed by 8 x 20 second strides
Friday – Easy Run (3 miles) or Cross-Train
Saturday – Medium Long Run (7 miles) followed by 8 x 20 second strides
Sunday – Rest

Estimated Weekly Mileage: 20-23+ Miles​

NOTES:

This is a very exciting time of the season. We're less than four weeks away and Leg Assignments are almost all finalized (with just a few pending based on TT results). Our starting line-up is fast and I'm sure our Alternates are primed and ready to step in if called upon. Now you can start having fun studying your assigned route and mentally preparing for your Leg. Imagine the time of day you'll get the baton, running up that hill or flying downhill (or sometimes both throughout the same Leg), seeing other runners around you OR none at all, handing off the team baton feeling strong, etc., etc.. Think of all the possibilities and how you'll respond. Remember, practice makes perfect!

With regards to the workouts this week, try to focus on good upright form, good belly breathing, and good nutritional habits. Try to avoid fried foods and over-indulging. We'll be transitioning soon and reducing our total workout times...and ultimately the calories burned. Since this is technically a “Tune-up/Down Week,” our mileage and intensity will only drop slightly, while workouts remain at a high quality. Think maintenance as opposed to strength building. From this point forward, at the end of each run, you should feel like you could have run faster AND farther (cage that tiger for now though). Our H.I.I.T. workout this week is a solid 'Fartlek' effort, consisting of our last long intervals of the season. Make sure there is an obvious gear change when you start each new interval. Have fun with it and think about being out in the middle of the desert running your route with your Follow-Van teammates cheering you on. We're all in this together!

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TIPS

Since this is officially a "Down Week," here are a few additional tips and reminders. Stay healthy and take care of yourself. 

RICE Is the Key Ingredient:  Most running injuries respond well to the "RICE" treatment: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Ice the trouble spot for ten minutes on, then ten minutes off, repeating as necessary. You should ice as soon as possible after you have been injured, and immediately after a run if you are running with an injury. Combined with compression (with a cold pack, for example) and elevation, icing goes far to reduce pain and swelling. Heat should only be applied to an injury after the inflammation is gone, probably after about 72 hours. If your swelling has gone down quite a bit, but there's still a little bit of inflammation, try alternating heat and ice after a few days of ice-only treatment.

​CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR ADDITIONAL TIPS AND/OR VIDEOS​​