The next step after 5k aka Improvers October to December 2018

Have you completed the club beginners’ programme or are otherwise able to run 5k?

Want to maintain your running or even to run further and faster?

Improvers will aim to progress Eagles from running 5.5k to running 10k (or to keep running at around 5 to 7k) and to provide an introduction to hills and speed work.

It is difficult to write a generic training plan because people will have done different amounts of running and have different availabilities. Here are some useful tips

·        Start where you are and increase the amount / intensity of the running gradually.

·        Listen to your body - if you are tired or have a niggle, then rest or reduce the amount of running.

·        If you have time, it is good to progress to running three times a week with a rest day in between.

·        If you are aiming to increase your distance, the most important training run is the "long run"

o   evening progression using club runs is 6k, 7.5k and then 10k on a Saturday

o   daytime progression using Thursday 11am has more flexibility to do a gradual increase

·        It is also good to do some sort of speed or hills session - shorter distance but higher intensity.

·        The third run could be parkrun - not as long as your long run but possibly run slightly faster.

·        "Drop-down" weeks in which you reduce the amount of running are a good idea.

·        The list of club training options is precisely that – so don’t try to do everything

o   choose from the available list

o   or do your own thing, on your own or with other people.

·        Daytime runners can do Mon 10am, Thu 11am and parkrun.

·        Try to include some strength work - squats, lunges etc  - or other cross-training to reduce the risk of injury.

If you’ve already done a few short club runs or parkruns and are free on Wednesday evenings or Thursday mornings, then the combination of beginners and a club or daytime run can also help to extend your distance.

Update (15 Nov 2018) The 10k training run along the river on Saturday 24 November will meet at 10.20am ready to run at 10.30am and, because of works on the towpath, will go to Richmond Lock footbridge.

Below is our current proposal for Improvers training sessions, although this is subject to change. Please check This Week’s Training for the latest information.

Daytime Improver sessions will be on Mondays at 10am: 1 Oct (short run followed by workshop), 8 Oct (hill strides), 15 Oct (hill strides), 22 Oct (no led session – half term), 29 Oct (7k run), 5 Nov (hills), 12 Nov (7k run), 19 Nov (intervals), 26 Nov (short run after 10k on the 24th), 3 Dec (short run before 10k race). In addition, there will be an introduction to track session with Mara on Wednesday 14 November after which you can also take part in some or all of Mara’s track session on running form. There will also be options to do another run on Thursdays.

Evening Improver sessions will be a mixture of days: Monday 1 Oct 7.30pm (hill strides), Monday 8 Oct 7.30pm (hill strides), Wednesday 14 Nov 7.30pm (hills), Tuesday 27 Nov 7pm Introduction to track with Mara followed by a track session for the whole club. Because there are so many evening sessions organised for the whole club, there are fewer sessions organised specifically for Improvers.

If you are on facebook and want a forum to discuss topics at a suitable level for you, from training plans to diet, from strategy to the best clothing and also to arrange training runs with others, please join the Improvers facebook group