Phillips Running

DECEMBER — Easy base prep.
This phase will begin once they’ve had 2-3 weeks off from the Cross Country season…in that time off I would encourage at a minimum a full week of total rest from running. After at least a week off, then they can run 10-15 minutes every other day if they want, but there is nothing wrong with a rest period before the long track season.

***This training is scheduled assuming that they ran the Cross Country season and can run, at a minimum, 20 miles per week entering this preparation period. 

Week One:
M — 3 miles
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
W — 3 miles w/ 4 x easy strides
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 3 miles w/ 4 x easy strides
S — 3 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 12 miles

Week Two:
M — 3 miles w/ 6 x strides (2 x easy, 2 x medium, 2 x fast)
T — 3 miles easy w/ core work
W — 4 miles w/ 30 seconds at XC effort, easy running for 90 seconds over the last 2 miles.
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 3 miles w/ 6 x strides (2 x easy, 2 x medium, 2 x fast)
S — 4 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 17 miles

Week Three:
M — 4 miles w/ 6 x strides (2 x easy, 2 x medium, 2 x fast)
T — 4 miles easy w/ core work
W — 4 miles w/ 30 seconds at XC effort, easy running for 90 seconds over the last 2 miles.
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 4 miles w/ 8 x strides (2 x easy, 4 x medium, 2 x fast)
S — 5 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 21 miles

Week Four:
M — 5 miles w/ 8 x strides (2 x easy, 4 x medium, 2 x fast)
T — 4 miles easy w/ core work
W — 5 miles w/ 45 seconds at XC effort, easy running for 75 seconds over the last 3 miles.
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 4 miles w/ 10 x strides (2 x easy, 4 x medium, 4 x fast)
S — 6 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 24 miles

January — Intense base prep (Pre-competition period).
This phase will extend into February, but will comprise four weeks and will continue the volume build. By the end of January you want to be at peak mileage and hold that thru February.

We’ll take a down week at week #3 in January.

Week One:
M — 5 miles w/ last 1 mile steady (about 90 sec slower than mile PR)
T — 4 miles easy w/ core work
W — 1.5 mile WU + 8 x 1 min hill + 1.5 mile CD (Run strong up, jog down — continuous)
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 4 miles w/ 10 x 100 meters on the track (2 x easy, 4 x medium, 4 x fast)
S — 6 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 24 miles

Week Two:
M — 5 miles over hilly course
T — 5 miles easy w/ core work
W — 1.5 mile WU + 2.5 miles tempo (60-75 sec slower than Mile PR) + 1 mile CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 5 miles w/ 10 x 100 meters on the track (2 x easy, 4 x medium, 4 x fast)
S — 7 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 27 miles

Week Three:
M — 5 miles w/ last 1 mile steady
T — 4 miles easy w/ core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 8 x 1 min hills + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 4 miles w/ 8 x 100 meters on the track (2 x easy, 4 x medium, 2 x fast)
S — 5 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 23 miles

Week Four:
M — 6 miles over hilly course
T — 5 miles easy w/ core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 6 x 800 meters tempo w/ 1 min rest + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 5 miles w/ 10 x 100 meters on the track (2 x easy, 4 x medium, 4 x fast)
S — 7 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 29 miles

February — Intense base prep — continued.
We are just continuing on with the work we did in January. Week #3 in this cycle will be a ‘down’ week in training.

Week One:
M — 6 miles w/ last 2 miles steady
T — 5 miles easy w/ core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 10 x 1 min hills + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 5 miles w/ 5 x 200 meters on the track (@ mile effort) w/ 200 meter jog rest.
S — 7 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 30 miles

Week Two:
M — 6 miles over hilly course
T — 5 miles easy w/ core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 3 miles tempo run + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 5 miles w/ 5 x 200 meters on the track (@ mile effort) w/ 200 meter jog rest.
S — 7 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 30 miles

Week Three:
M — 5 miles w/ last 1 mile steady
T — 4 miles easy w/ core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 8 x 1 min hills + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 4 miles w/ 8 x 100 meters on the track (2 x easy, 4 x medium, 2 x fast)
S — 5 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 23 miles

Week Four:
M — 6 miles over hilly course
T — 5 miles easy w/ core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 6 x 800 meters tempo w/ 1 min rest + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 5 miles w/ 5 x 200 meters on the track (@ mile effort) w/ 200 meter jog rest.
S — 7 miles w/ core work
S — Rest day
Total Mileage — 30 miles

March — Competition Phase — 3200 meter specialization.
Now, we are finally going to work on getting specific!!! This month we are going to focus on 3200 meter specific paces, as well as transition into some 1600 meter paced reps after tempo work. I am planning these schedules based around races being on Saturday, however, if your races are on Thursday or Friday, just adjust the week as so…you can move things around, just make sure that you are getting good recovery between hard and longer efforts.

Week One:
M — 7 miles w/ last 1 mile steady
T — 5 miles easy w/ 4 x easy strides + core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 8 x 400 meters @ 3200m pace w/ equal rest + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 3 miles easy + 4 x strides
S — Meet day — 3200 meters + 1600 meters
S — Rest day

Week Two:
M — 7 miles w/ last 1 mile steady
T — 5 miles easy w/ 4 x easy strides + core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 2.5 miles tempo run + 4 x 200 meters @ mile + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 3 miles easy + 4 x strides
S — Meet day — 1600 meters (***If able to run 4 x 400m do so!!!)
S — Rest day

Week Three:
M — 7 miles w/ last 1 mile steady
T — 5 miles easy w/ 4 x easy strides + core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 400-400-800-800-400-400 @ 3200m pace w/ equal rest + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 3 miles easy + 4 x strides
S — Meet day — 3200 meters + 1600 meters
S — Rest day

Week Four:
M — 7 miles w/ last 1 mile steady
T — 5 miles easy w/ 4 x easy strides + core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 2.5 miles tempo run + 4 x 200 meters @ mile + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 3 miles easy + 4 x strides
S — Meet day — 1600 meters (***If able to run 4 x400m do so!!!)
S — Rest day

April — Championship Phase — Prep to race!!!
Now, we are entering Championship Season…so everything we are doing is aiming to have us ready for the Championships. We are going to set this schedule to PEAK at the Regional Championships which will be on Week #4. There will not be a race on Week #1 of this phase as it’s the week before the District Championships. Again, if your meets line up on a different day than Saturday, just adjust.

Week One:
M — 5 miles w/ last 1 mile steady
T — 5 miles easy w/ strides + core work
W — 1.5 miles WU + 2 x 800m @ 3200m pace + 4 x 300m @ 1600m pace + 1.5 miles CD
T — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
F — 3 miles easy + 4 x easy strides
S — 4 miles w/ 5 x 200 meters on the track (@ mile effort) w/ 200 meter jog rest.
S — Rest day

Week Two:
M — 5 miles easy w/ strides + core work
T — 1.5 miles WU + 1.5 miles tempo + 4 x 200 meters @ mile + 1.5 miles CD
W — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
T — 3 miles easy + 4 x easy strides
F — District Championships — 3200 meters
S — District Championships — 1600 meters
S — Rest day

Week Three:
M — 5 miles easy w/ strides + core work
T — 1.5 miles WU + 5 x 300 meters @ mile + 1.5 miles CD
W — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
T — 3 miles easy + 4 x easy strides
F — Area Championships — 3200 meters
S — Area Championships — 1600 meters
S — Rest day

Week Four:
M — 5 miles easy w/ strides + core work
T — 1.5 miles WU + 1 mile tempo + 4 x 200 meters @ mile + 1.5 miles CD
W — Rest day or Light X-training w/ core work
T — 3 miles easy + 4 x easy strides
F — Regional Championships — 3200 meters
S — Regional Championships — 1600 meters
S — Rest day

Now…this is just what I advise…and remember, this is a FRESHMAN schedule. Have some fun looking this over, see how it might work for you and your team, and adjust if needed!!!

Have fun!!!