Make Every Minute Count

Extracted from Runners World
THE PERFECT WEEK
No matter how many days you run, here's how to mix up your workouts to nail your goal

RUNNING FREQUENCY (per week)
YOUR GOAL
Getting Faster
2 times a week Short sprints; tempo run
3 times a week Short sprints; tempo run; long run
4 times a week Quarter-mile repeats; short sprints; tempo run; long run
5 times a week Quarter-mile repeats; short sprints; tempo run; long run; easy run

Staying Fit
2 times a week Tempo run; long run
3 times a week Intervals 2; tempo run; long run
4 times a week Intervals 2; cross-train; tempo run; long run
5 times a week Intervals 2; cross-train; crosstrain; tempo run; long run

Losing Weight
2 times a week Tempo run; long run
3 times a week Intervals 1; tempo run; long run
4 times a week Intervals 1; hill workout; tempo run; long run
5 times a week Intervals 1; hill workout; tempo run; long run; short and steady


KEY:

Cross-train: See "Time for Change" (below).

Easy run: 30 minutes or less, low-intensity run at a conversational pace

Hill workout: Run at one minute slower than 10-K pace halfway up a quarter-mile-long hill. Run at that pace down. Repeat twice. Run to the top and down three times.

Intervals 1: Warm up, incorporating two 20-to 30-second pickups at 5-K pace. Sprint for 20 seconds, then jog for 10 seconds. Repeat four to eight times. Walk one minute. Repeat sequence (sprint/jog repeats/walk) two to four more times.

Intervals 2: Warm up for 10 to 15 minutes. Then alternate three to five minutes running slightly faster than 5-K pace with three minutes of jogging slowly. Repeat five times.

Long run: 60 minutes or longer at a conversational pace

Quarter-mile repeats: For the duration of the run, alternate three minutes of running 15 seconds faster than 5-K pace with three minutes of jogging slowly.

Short and steady: 30 minutes or less, medium-intensity run (you should feel breathless)

Short sprints: Run 100 meters all out. Walk 30 seconds. Repeat five to 10 times.

Tempo run: Warm up, then increase pace to an effort that is just beyond comfortable. Run as time allows.