My Summer Running Schedule

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Today was my last exam and as of 9:30 I am on summer break! During the summer, I find myself a lot more motivated to workout as my schedule is very low-key and manageable. Because the weather is so nice I try to do most of my exercising outside, though I will really miss going to spinning classes while I'm on the Cape. My cross country summer training schedule started last week and I have been determined to stick to it as much as possible this year. I have already increased my distance by 1.5 miles and my pace is slowly but surely getting faster as well. There is no question that easing yourself into a rigorous running schedule is challenging, so I thought I would discuss the gradual plan for the entire summer that has been outlined for my school's team. 

Monday-Friday (Easy/Moderate Pace)

• First week starts at 25 minutes and builds up to 45 minutes by the end of the summer
• 2-3 days of core workouts after runs- do six different core workouts for 1 minute each 
• Personal Favorites: Sit-ups, reverse crunches, crunches, Russian twists with 8 pound weight, scullers crunches, plank, side plank, leg lowers
• 2 days of leg/hip/glute workouts 
• Personal Favorites: squats, wall sits, lunges, heel raises
• Strides- add halfway through summer and do 2-3 times a week
• Aerobic Threshold Pace- add halfway through summer 1-2 times a week 
• 30 minutes of on and off between a fast pace where it is difficult to talk and your easy moderate pace (3 min on, 1 min off) 

Saturday- Long Run

• First week start at 35-40 minutes and build up to 65-70 minutes by the end of the summer
• Slower pace to build up distance 

Sunday- Rest Day

If you are really looking to get into running over the next few months, I highly recommend trying out the schedule. I would be lying to you if I said I followed this everyday all summer to a tee, however I try to stick to it as much as possible. Make slight modifications that will help you get better, and know when you need to rest. Running too much and starting too quickly can lead to injuries, so start slow and at distances in your comfort zone. My first week I started doing just 2 miles and at a 9'30" pace to ease my way into summer training. I really want to be able to run at least 7 miles by the end of the summer, and maybe even try to run a half-marathon in the fall. However, for tryouts we just have to run 2 miles at an 8'30" pace, which is totally doable! If you don't have it already, I highly recommend downloading the Nike Running App to keep track of all of your runs! Are you planning on running this summer? Let me know if you have any tips and tricks that help you build running endurance! 

xoxo,

Catherine

Preppy by the Sea