Week 2: Plan Your Progress

Athletes,

As you get settled into training, continue to be realistic about where your specific starting line should be. Whether you're coming off a 60-mile week or you haven’t run a step in a year, make the commitment to kick off this training cycle slowly and intentionally. With every new journey, comes new variables. Here's a checklist to work through for week two...

1. Form Your Workout Process: Now that you’ve selected a training plan, it’s time to build your routine. Creating a routine and carving out the dedicated time each week to execute runs and workouts properly is essential for a successful training cycle. That being said, routines are not to be confused with monotony and hitting a specific workout each day and every week. A great routine functions to manage the expectations with your body (i.e. consistent choices in food, a consistent warm up process, working out at a similar time each day, going to bed and waking up at similar times each day).
   
   
2. Decide On Your Daily Schedule: The Program plans assign interval work on Tuesday (or Wednesday) and long runs on Saturday (or Sunday). Note that these are just suggestions and you should aim to adjust your days to your personal needs. No matter when you decide to schedule workouts, remember to leave at least 48 hours between hard efforts. For your other days, build in a mix of timed runs or rest days that work to fulfill your mileage and recovery needs. These timed runs don’t have assigned paces or efforts; It’s all about time on feet and building consistency.
   
   
3. Individualize Your Mileage: A good rule of thumb is to never increase your mileage more than 10% in any given week. If you’ve been running more than 20 miles per week, you should aim to stay steady where you are and not increase mileage at all in the first 2-3 weeks. Instead, let your body absorb the new workouts and weekly schedule. If you’ve been running less than 20 miles a week you should aim to get to 15-20 miles for week one and 20-25 miles for week 2-3 before adding more.
   
   
4. Measure Your Efforts: How are you keeping track of your training? Be sure to download The Program iOS app so you can interact with your plan. A second system to log short notes on how each workout felt will come in handy down the line as you reflect on your progress. This could be as simple as the Notes app or a paper journal. Strava and Run Keeper are also great apps for integrating with your GPS watch and analyzing your pace, splits, distance, rest, etc. Take a moment after each workout to objectively measure your performance.

 

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

Let’s start to make running a habit. We use habits to safe mental energy and motivation by making behavior automatic – instead of debating whether you should go out for a run in the cold, you just do it. In order to make running a habit you should pick the same weekdays and times of day to run. If you can’t commit to a schedule – f.e. you’re working shifts – implement a pre-run ritual like the same breakfast, a coffee, the same pre-run song etc. Do that for 70 days to make your habits stick. This applies to everything from drinking enough water, to stretching, to journaling, to reading.

Reflection prompts:

1. Which weekdays and times of day can you sustainably commit to running?
2. What and who can help you to make your running habit stick?
3. What do you have to give up for the next 10 weeks to make this happen?" 

Guidance by Mari Dottschadis M.S.c.

 

NUTRITION

Build a Structured Meal Strategy

Now that you know where you're starting, it's time to plan your progress with a balanced and structured meal strategy. Map out your weekly meals to ensure a consistent intake of macronutrients and micronutrients that will fuel your training sessions. Prioritize lean proteins for muscle repair, healthy fats for sustained energy, and complex carbohydrates for endurance. Incorporate snacks that offer a blend of carbohydrates and protein, especially around workouts. This planning phase can help reduce the temptation to grab convenience foods and keep your energy levels stable throughout your training cycle.

 

RECOVERY

Develop a Structured Recovery Schedule

With your baseline established, it's time to plan how you'll integrate recovery into your training cycle. Map out specific recovery activities such as stretching sessions, foam rolling, or yoga practices that complement your running workouts. Create a schedule that includes both active recovery days and complete rest days to give your body time to heal. Remember to prioritize quality sleep and consistent hydration as foundational elements of recovery. A well-structured recovery plan will support your overall training goals and reduce the risk of injury.