Week Seven
February 15th – 21th
Training
Developed for participants entering the 14.6km course
- Mon: 60min run/walk (8km)
- Tue: rest
- Wed: 3km run/walk to the bottom of your chosen hill (200 to 300m not too steep), 3 – 4 reps up the hill with a slow walk back down to the bottom in between, and then 3km run/walk back to home or work.
- Thu: rest
- Fri: 45min walk (6km)
- Sat: 90min run/walk (12km – trying to run most of it now)
- Sun: rest
Training
Developed for participants entering the 5.2km course
Choose two days (not in succession) of the week Mon-Sun to complete the following:
- 10 laps.
- 1 x day: 4 laps walk/fast, walk/shuffle or run (or a half lap if this is too difficult) and
- 1 x day: 6 laps walk/fast, walk/shuffle or run (or a half lap if this is too difficult) .
If you can’t get to or are not using an oval then a 4km run/walk one day and a 2.5km run/walk on the other day.
I know we have a beautiful course with some spectacular views across the City and along the Yarra river; but an inevitable consequence of nice views is the journey upwards to appreciate them (and down again). There are two major hills in the run, the first is over the Bolte Bridge at about 7km and the second is up Collins Street just after the 11km mark. If you have not practiced some hill running it is very likely that you will find these parts of the course really difficult and this will detract from your enjoyment of the event so I have scheduled a hill session for you to do this week as preparation. Something similar to Anderson Street on the Tan is what I am talking about so either do that one or a similar grade hill nearby to your home or work. I have listed three or four repetitions with a walk back down but if you can manage it a shuffling jog back down would be good as it is what you are most likely going to do on the day of the run so it is good to get into the habit early. Don’t go too hard in this session; the gradient of the hill will do the work for you.
Expect to be a bit sore the next day especially if you have not done hill training before. I really believe it is one of the most important training tools of a distance runner’s armoury so give it a go and you will be better prepared for the battle on March 14th.