Training for December 26 to January 1

Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 6 three-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 4 running segments of 4-minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 10 “faster” running segments of one block each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 2 running segments of 10-minutes each.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute session with 8 running segments of 3:00-minutes each within it.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 30-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 10 up-hill "surges" of 30-45 seconds in length.
Day 2: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 35:00 run with final 12:00 at “pushed” pace.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 50:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Good Read: The Best Thing for Your Health

In case you did see this on the store's Facebook page ... a clever video that supports what we Turkey Trotters are trying to do!

Training for December 19 to December 25

Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 7 three-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 2 running segments of 7-minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 10 “faster” running segments of one block each.
Day 7: Rest and Merry Christmas!


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 2 running segments of 12-minutes each..
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute session with5 running segments of 5:00-minutes each within it.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 45-minute walk with 35-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest and Merry Christmas!


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 10 up-hill "surges" of 30-45 seconds in length..
Day 2: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 35:00 run with final 10:00 at “pushed” pace.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 50:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest and Merry Christmas!

Training for December 12 to Decemeber 18

Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 10 two-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 3 running segments of 5-minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 10 “faster” running segments of one block each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 3 running segments of 7-minutes each.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute session with 6 running segments of 4:00-minutes each within it.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 30-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 8 one-block "surges" at faster pace.
Day 2: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 35:00 run with 8:00 at pushed pace followed by 4 x one-block “surges.”
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 45:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Training for December 5 to December 11

Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 6 three-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 4 running segments of 4-minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 10 “faster” running segments of one block each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 2 running segments of 10-minutes each.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute session with 8 running segments of 3:00-minutes each within it.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 30-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 10 up-hill "surges" of 30-45 seconds in length.
Day 2: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 35:00 run with final 12:00 at “pushed” pace.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 50:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Good Read: Running Through the Recession

I just heard about this story yesterday ... a non-profit that promotes self-sufficiency among the homeless through running!

Find the Marketplace story HERE ... and a link to the non-profit's web-site HERE.

Training for November 28 to December 4

Here's a training schedule for the week after Thanksgiving ... yes, turkeys can still trot after the holiday!

Let's plan to meet on the Carleton track again on Tuesday to run and to discuss what we want the group to do and be going forward. I'll also tee up an e-mail to that effect as well.

Congrats again to the turkeys who trotted on Thursday!


Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 8 two-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 5 running segments of 2-and-a-half -minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 10 running segments of one block each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute session with 8 running segments of 3:00-minutes each within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute walk with 3 running segments of 5:30 each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 25-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 6 one-block "surges" at faster pace.
Day 2: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 35:00 run over hilly terrain.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 45:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Training for November 21 - November 27

Here's the training plan for Turkey Trot week! For those of you "trotting" on Thanksgiving day, your see I'm trying to give you a little rest ahead of the big event.

If a Turkey Trot isn't in the plans for your Thanksgiving Day morning, you can still try to do something like a 5K on your own on another day, if you want.

Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! (Again, I won't be at the Tuesday night run this week.)

Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 2: 30-minute walk with 8 one-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 3: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 4: Turkey Trot 5K!
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30-minute walk with 6 two-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 2: 30-minute session with 8 running segments of 3:00-minutes each within it.
Day 3: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 4: Turkey Trot 5K!
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 30-minute walk with 20-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest.

Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 2: 30-minute run with 6 one-block "surges" at faster pace.
Day 3: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 4: Turkey Trot 5K!
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Longer Run ... 40:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Good Read: Beginning Running & Running Form

There's a quote I like in THIS story from the New York Times ...

"Experts caution ... that it is important to start slowly, increase mileage and effort gradually, and not become a slave to a rigorous program"

There are also some interesting ideas about running form in the piece.

Training for November 14 to November 20

It's hard to believe, but this is that last full week before the Turkey Trot!

Happy training ...


Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 10 two-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 5 running segments of 3-minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 10 “faster” running segments of one block each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 2 running segments of 10-minutes (!!!) each.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute session with 8 running segments of 3:00-minutes each within it.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 30-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 8 up-hill "surges" of 30-45 seconds in length.
Day 2: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 35:00 run with final 10:00 at “pushed” pace.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 50:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Northfield Turkey Trot Registration Info

If you haven't found it already, HERE's the information page for the Northfield Rotary Club Turkey Trot. The race starts at 9:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the Northfield Golf Club.

Registration is $12 through November 18; $15.00 afterward.

A printable registration form is HERE.

Training for November 7 to November 13

Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 8 two-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 5 running segments of 2-and-a-half -minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 10 running segments of one block each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute session with 8 running segments of 3:00-minutes each within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute walk with 3 running segments of 5:30 each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 25-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 6 one-block "surges" at faster pace.
Day 2: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 35:00 run over hilly terrain.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 45:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Good Read: Tips for Cold Weather Races

HERE's a good article about preparing for a cold-weather race, which the Turkey Trot is likely to be.

I'm still hoping the weather stays mild, myself!

Training for October 31 to November 6

The calendar turns from October to November and the Turkey Trotters are getting more and more fit!

Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 6 two-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 4 running segments of 2-and-a-half -minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 8 running segments of one block each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute session with 6 running segments of 3:30-minutes each within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute walk with 2 running segments of 7:00 each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 25-minutes of running broken up any way you want.
Day 7: Rest.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 6 up-hill "surges" of 30-45 seconds in length.
Day 2: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 30:00 run with final 10:00 at “pushed” pace.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 30:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 45:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Good Read: Elite Race-Day Warm-Up Advice

I thought the Trotters might enjoy reading about how some top American distance runners warm-up for races, as described in THIS Running Times article.

Obviously, these are elite athletes in top condition, so their warm-ups might look like your workouts. Still, I thought it was helpful to take a look at how they approach getting ready for a race.

Training for October 24th thru 30th

Below is Week #2 of training for our three training groups. As you will see, I've just inched up some of the amounts and/or thrown in some different types of training, depending on the group you're in.

My aim is to have you make little gains in fitness on a consistent basis, rather than to over-tax you and leave you fatigued, injured, or burned out.

As always, feel free to ask questions or voice concerns about what we're doing.


Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 8 one-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 with 4 running segments of 2-minutes each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 6 running segments of 2-blocks each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 6 running segments of 3-minutes each within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute walk with 3 running segments of 5:00 each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 5 running segments of 4:30 each.
Day 7: Rest.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 6 one-block "surges" at faster pace.
Day 2: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 30:00 run with final 10:00 at “pushed” pace.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 25:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 45:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Good Read: The Pros/Cons of Having a Coach

It's like the New York Times knows what we're up to!

I thought, as we embark on this training-to-run thing, that yesterday's story about the "whys" and "why nots"of having a coach would be interesting.

Find the story HERE.

Training for October 17th thru 22nd

Below is the first week of training for our little flock. You'll see that I've broken things up into three training groups -- a group that will begin the transition from walking to running, another that is already well into the walk/run mode, and a final group that by-and-large just runs.

I'd ask you to place yourselves in the group that seems to fit you best. I'll be looking for feedback from you all next week (and beyond) to make sure I've got the training fitted properly for the members of each group.

If you have questions or concerns, please ask them ... either in the comments section below or by e-mail to me.


Walk-to-Run Group (The Cranberries):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 6 one-block-long running segments scattered within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 3: 30:00 walk with 8 one-block-long running segments within.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or short walk.
Day 6: 30:00 with 4 running segments of of 2-minutes each.
Day 7: Rest.

Note: This group will train to walk/run a 5K by late-November or early-December.


Run/Walk Group (The Mashed Potatoes):

Day 1: 30-minute walk with 4 running segments of 4-minutes each within it.
Day 2: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 3: 30-minute walk with 3 running segments of 5:00 each.
Day 4: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 5: Rest, other exercise, or walk.
Day 6: 40-minute walk with 5 running segments of 4:00 each.
Day 7: Rest.

Note: This group will train to run a 5K by late-November or early-December.


Run Group (The Pumpkin Pies):

Day 1: 30-minute run with 4 one-block "surges" at faster pace.
Day 2: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 3: 30:00 run over hilly terrain.
Day 4: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 5: 20:00 run at easy pace, cross training, or rest.
Day 6: Long Run ... 40:00 run at easy pace.
Day 7: Rest.

Note: This group will train to run a personal best 5K by late-November or early-December.

Good Read: "How to Become a Runner"

When I see an interesting article about running, I'll post a link to it on our web-site.

HERE is one that seems timely for many of you ... "How to Become a Runner," by Matt Fitzgerald of Competitor.com.