What’s up guys!

Hope you have been enjoying this awesome weather that we have been having in the Philadelphia area! It’s getting me hyped about hitting the pavement for those Spring Races that I have planned.

If you are in the Philadelphia area, you know that the Broad Street Run is a major race every year. The lottery opens up on February 1st + you have about two weeks to enter the lottery. They only accept 40,000 runner to be able to participate in the 10 miles down Broad Street. You can enter as an individual or as a team.

I started racing in the Broad Street Run in 2013 and it sparked my running journey. You can read about my first Broad Street Run here.

This is an exciting time (whether it’s your first or tenth run down Broad). Each race can bring new challenges + something thrilling. If you’re hoping to make 10 miles for your first time, or hoping to get a new PR (personal record) this training plan will ensure you hit your goals!

It is really important to follow the training plan the best you can. You can switch days around depending on your schedule. Do you have a favorite instructor that only teaches on Tuesdays? Go ahead + swap your easy run with that class. The best training plan is the one that you stick to + keeps you consistent.

By just doing distance runs are not nearly as effective as mixing in other strength + recovery workouts. If you don’t believe me (and I know, it seems crazy to think short distances can actually help you run long distances more than doing distance runs). If you have taken my class before, you know I’m always saying about flushing out the lactic acid + that is exactly what those short, easier runs do.

It’s super important to balance your training with strength training because of injuries + the need for strength to push you through the final miles of your race. If you only run, it’s a very repetitive motion that can lead to muscle imbalances + injury. Strength training regularly will help you get stronger + faster on the road, prevent injury + give your brain function a boost.

I have found over the years finding the right amount of runs is crucial to getting to race day feeling strong
+ injury free. I used to run as many as 6 days a week with zero weight training. Well, I ended up injured + with muscle imbalances. Plus, I was found I hit a plateau in terms of performance + body composition I was hoping for. If you get in 3 EFFECTIVE runs per week, that will give you enough training to get you to the finish line.

Rest is also important. Your muscles need time to rest in order to recover + grow stronger. Overtraining can leave your muscles weak, not enough time to correctly recover + build strength, + leave you prone to injury.

I have designed a training plan to give you the best mix of long runs + short runs.

Breakdown:

Monday:

This is your Cross Training Day. Take your favorite class like spin, strength, HIIT, or yoga.

Tuesday:

Easy Run. This should be a very comfortable pace where you can hold a conversation.

Wednesday:

Rest day or active rest by going on a walk or take a yoga class.

Thursday:

Tempo Run. This should be your goal race pace, going about 85-90% effort.

Friday:

This is your Cross Training Day. Take your favorite class like spin, strength, HIIT, or yoga.

Saturday:

Long Run. This will you be your long run of the week. Each week you will be adding a mile each week. Go at a comfortable pace, focusing on distance.

Sunday:

Rest day. Use this day to plan + prep your week.

Explanation:

Long Distance Pace - while you are working to add more miles, you don’t want to go all out on longer runs. My track coach always called it LSD for long slow distance. This should be a very comfortable pace just focusing on mileage rather than pace.
Speed Training - Speed training is where the body will shape and improve its running economy (energy demand for a given speed) thus improving overall efficiency in energy consumption and oxygen utilization
Tempo - Tempo pace running is about maintaining consistent speeds over longer periods of time, and distance training is about getting the body used to impact and elongated performance

As you see, there are many different styles of running/strength training necessary to reach optimal performance. This is why I highly suggest following this program as closely as you can.

Do you have a training or race tips?

10 Week Broad Street Training Plan