• January 19th - 25th

I thought it would be nice to see how things have progressed 8 weeks into the plan. I’ll feel a bit stupid if both the 1k reps and parkrun are both slower than the first week of the plan. But I think we both know you have shown improvement so approach both without any pressure and just see them as more good training sessions. You’ve got some good targets though to try and beat. Any issues let me know. It is a recovery week so lighter volume before we really get into the bulk of this marathon plan. Exciting times ahead. Keep up the great work James.

124 Points Achieved

A very good week this week showing the clear improvement that Iā€™d thought Iā€™d made with the repeated sessions from week 1.
Very pleased with this progress while the training load as felt manageable throughout.
The slightly lighter week has felt good so Iā€™m ready for the tougher week ahead with the 3 hour run at the end.

It’s nice to see the rewards and improvement in times. It’s not something I do a great deal with the team, but I liked how it worked here. You always worry as a coach that something will go wrong but the results from my plans continue to work, so that’s pleasing. Keep up the consistency and hopefully you will see further improvement. Well done James.

MONDAY

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15pts | James S&C

15 POINTS
Goblet Squat 2 x 12 (8kg)
Plank 2 x 60s
Split Squat 2 x 12 (8kg)*
Glute Bridge 2 x 10
Calf Raises 2 x 15 (8kg)*
Flutter Kicks 2 x 40s
Russian Twist 2 x 45s (5kg)
Shoulder Press 2 x 10 (8kg)
Bent Over Row 2 x 15 (8kg)
Bicep Curls 2 x 15 (8kg)
Tricep Dips Dumbbells 2 x 15 (10kg)
Dumbbell Swings 2 x 15 (10kg)
Farmers Walk 2 x 60s (12kg)
Wall Sits 2 x 60s

A decent workout covering all the fundamental movement patterns & key muscles groups. Let me know if anything feels too easy or too difficult.

15 Points
TR 80%
Feeling stronger with these sessions & recovering well after them.
Enjoying the workouts & weight still feels about right.
So pleased to hear that. I’m working hard on the S&C set up so might have some variation soon.

TUESDAY

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26pts | 5 x 1km

26 POINTS

2km WU @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

1km @ 5k Pace (RPE: 8)
2 minutes recovery
x5

2km CD @ Easy Pace (RPE: 3)

Classic session. Super simple. The end result being you have a better understanding of your current time for a 5K. Work hard and ideally finish each rep a few seconds quicker than your current 5k pace.

26 Points
TR 80%
Really enjoyed this workout & was joined by Kelle & Paul for it.
All intervals were quicker than last time by 8-10 seconds & although hard felt good.
Was pleased that the last interval was the quickest & I could have gone again if needed which is where I like to be at the end of a session.
Pleased with the progress
At your level, that’s actually a significant improvement. And whilst 5k isn’t our goal it would be nice come the end of this plan if we get you back under 20. It’s always a nice marker. I was really pleased when I saw the splits earlier. Thank you for trusting the process and continuing to work hard. Excellent running James.

WEDNESDAY

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15pts | 45 Mins Spin

15 POINTS

*Recoveries: 30 Seconds after the 30 second reps, 60 seconds after the 60 second reps. Simples.

Coach SimonšŸŠ “Make a note of RPM & the resistance level so you can increase them as you do more sessions.” Recoveries in between intervals are the same as the effort. So 30 and 60 seconds easy pace.

15 Points
TR 90%
Slightly different type of ride today. Went for a Progressive Push ride for the first time.
Was good & tough work. Intervals of increasing time along with a slight increase of effort.
2 x 3 mins, 2 x 4 mins, 2 x 5 mins with 3 mins easy in between.
Got the heart rate up while not taking too much out my legs.
Nice, I think it’s good to mix it up and ultimately that’s what we are looking to achieve with these sessions. Get that HR going a bit but not inflicting anymore impact on the legs. Sounds perfect. Well done James.

thursday

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12pts | 40 Mins Run

12 POINTS

The biggest mistake we can make with these recovery runs is running too fast. This will mean when our harder sessions come round we are still fatigued and not able to put enough effort in to make the necessary gains.

12 Points
TR 90%
Nice easy run, felt comfortable all the way through.
Legs felt good & enjoyed getting out.
Runs like this are great!

FRIDAY

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Rest Day

0 POINTS

“Rest days are key. Our body adapts and gets stronger when we rest & recovery. Have a good one!”

SATURDAY

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26pts | parkrun

26 POINTS

Running with others can reduce perceived effort so parkrun is a good option as an alternative speed session. 10 mins easy WU & CD please.

26 Points
TR 100%
Didnā€™t expect that, went under 21 with 20:51, 42 seconds quicker than in December.
Was tough at the start but settled ok & either hard all the way through.
Kept the pace well on the uphill zig zags & left enough to push hard for the last k with it being my quickest by far.
Might be a course pb just waiting for official result but Iā€™ve never pushed it for the full course when at my fittest.
Thanks again for the encouragement & plan, itā€™s good to see the progress Iā€™ve been feeling.
Official time just came through 20:53 šŸ˜­, so close lol.
It is great to see that improvement and that final km tells a lot about where you are at right now. As I said earlier in the week, if you stick with the training then hopefully come the summer, on the right course, you’ll be dipping back under that sub 20 again which is always a nice feeling. Great work James

SUNDAY

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30pts | 100 Mins Run

30 POINTS

Slowly adding time to your longer runs is the way forward. Keep the effort level down and continue to check in with your form.

30 Points
TR 80%
Nice easy long run this morning, felt good stepping back the distance & time. The miles went by quickly & with no issues
Legs were a little stiff to begin with after Saturday but soon loosened up.
Great work James. Just to say I’ve not yet sent the T-shirt but will have it in the post this week.