Base

Building a strong aerobic foundation through a mix of steady longer runs, fartlek sessions, and easier recovery running.

Hills (Strength)

Developing power in lower legs and ankles, improving leg lift and running form, and strengthening quadriceps, lower leg, and ankle areas.

Anaerobic (Speed)

Running fast to create an oxygen debt and then recovering, with proper spacing between anaerobic workouts for blood and muscle recovery.

Integration

Preparing for race pace work by developing race pace rhythm and working out fitness weaknesses through time trials.

Taper

Reducing mileage and incorporating shorter intervals, speed play sessions, and hill sprints with recovery, lasting one to three weeks before the main event.

Aerobic Run

Slow, aerobic-based runs, typically lasting 60 minutes to two hours, at about 60 to 90 seconds slower than average pace, with heart rate monitoring as a crucial tool.

Base Run

Basic training runs to develop cardiovascular fitness, strengthen muscles, bones, and connective tissues, and condition aerobic metabolic pathways. Forms a significant portion of weekly running mileage.

Fartleks

A form of speed workout with a looser structure, taking place on various terrains, involving running at varying paces based on time or arbitrary landmarks.

Hill Repeats

Sprints run up a hill, building speed and strength by working against gravity.

Intervals

Running specific distances at specific paces on a track to train for faster speeds and boost fitness.

Long Run

Long-distance runs to increase cardiovascular and muscular endurance, mental stamina, and aerobic energy systems. Typically run at an easy, conversational pace.

Progression Run

Gradually increase pace and intensity throughout the run, training the body to pick up the pace even when tired.

Recovery Run

Low-intensity, easy-effort runs within 24 hours of a race or hard workout, helping the body recover. Typically last 20-40 minutes at an easy, conversational pace.

Sharpeners

A running exercise involving alternating 50 or 100 meters of sprinting with 50 or 100 meters of jogging or walking for recovery. Also know as 50/50s or 100/100s repectively.

Strides

Short sprints at the end of a workout, typically 50-200 meters at near-maximal speeds, to increase turnover or running cadence.

Tempo Run

Maintain threshold effort for a sustained 20 minutes or more, conditioning the metabolic system to clear metabolic byproducts at the same rate they are produced.

Threshold Run

Designed to improve lactate threshold or the point at which the body can no longer clear lactate from the muscles quickly. Involves running at 83-88% of VO2 max.

Up-Tempo

A training exercise typically used during the taper phase, involving running a distance between 800 meters and 1 mile at the athlete's targeted race pace.