Week 1: Mar 16 - Mar 22
Monday - Easy Run + Strides
- Warm-up: 5 min brisk walk into 5 min very easy jog
- Distance: 6 km total
- Pace: Z2 (5:00-5:30/km). Conversational the entire way.
- Strides: After main run: 4 x 80m strides at ~90% effort, walk-back recovery
- Cool-down: 5 min walk + light stretching
- Breathing: Practice 2:2 cadence. Get it locked in at easy pace before harder days.
Should feel EASY. If breathing hard, slow down.
Tuesday - KEY: Speed Intervals (VO2max) [REVISED]
- Pre-fuel: 30-50g fast carbs 60 min before. Do NOT run fasted.
- Warm-up: 10 min easy jog (Z1) into 4 x 80m strides
Workout:
| Interval | Reps | Pace | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| 600m | 6 | 3:40-3:45/km | 2:00 easy jog |
- Total quality: 3.6 km at capped VO2max effort
- Pacing: Each 600m in ~2:12-2:15. Be CONSISTENT across all reps. No hero reps.
- HR ceiling: 185 BPM. If you cross it, slow the next rep.
- Breathing: 2:2 cadence. If it breaks, you’re too fast.
- Cool-down: 10 min very easy jog + stretching
Total ~8-9 km. Hardest run of the week. Respect rest intervals.
COACH’S NOTE: CHANGE FROM v1: Pace target lowered from 3:20/km to 3:40-3:45/km. Your ventilatory system needs 2 weeks to adapt before pushing full Z5. Consistency across reps matters more than peak pace on any single rep.
WHY: VO2max adaptations (mitochondrial biogenesis, capillary density, stroke volume) occur across a range of intensities from ~85-100% of maximal aerobic power. Training at 90-95% (3:40/km for you) produces nearly identical aerobic stimulus with dramatically lower autonomic stress, reduced injury risk, and better session-to-session recovery. The additional 20 sec/km of pace at 3:20 was buying almost no extra adaptation while creating unsustainable physiological strain.
Wednesday - Strength A: Power + Legs + Core [REVISED]
Warm-up: 5 min incline walk + leg swings + glute bridges x10 + BW squat jumps x5
A. Plyometrics (do these FIRST when fresh)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Jumps (step down) | 3 | 5 | 90s | Max height intent. Reset each rep. Step down (no depth jumps yet). |
| Bounding (alt. leg) | 3 | 6 each | 90s | Drive knees, cover ground. Land soft. |
B. Single-Leg Strength [MACHINE-BIASED]
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Leg Leg Press | 3 | 10 each | 75s | Replaces BSS. Machine stability protects tendons. Full ROM, drive through heel. |
| Leg Extension (single-leg) | 2 | 12 each | 60s | VMO activation. Light weight, squeeze at top. |
| SL Calf Raise (weighted) | 3 | 12 each | 60s | 3-sec eccentric. Achilles insurance. Heavy DB. |
COACH’S NOTE: CHANGE FROM v1: Bulgarian Split Squats replaced with Single-Leg Leg Press. Given no prior lower-body training history, machine stability reduces proprioceptive overload on untrained connective tissue. BSS can be reintroduced in Block 2 once tendons have adapted.
C. Core [BREATHING-INTEGRATED]
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dead Bug (BREATHING DRILL) | 3 | 8 each | 45s | PRIMARY CORE MOVE. Lower back glued to floor. Inhale on extend, exhale on return. Full belly breaths. |
| Pallof Press (cable) | 3 | 10 each | 45s | Anti-rotation. Arms fully extended. |
| Side Plank | 2 | 30-40s each | 30s | Hips stacked. Glutes squeezed. |
WHY: Dead Bugs retrain the diaphragm to function under anti-extension demand, the identical motor pattern required when running at threshold. Crunches reinforce the bracing pattern that is currently limiting your tidal volume. Dead Bugs are not a core ‘exercise’ here; they are a breathing intervention that also trains the core.
D. Accessories (muscle preservation on cut)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB Lateral Raise | 2 | 12-15 | 45s | Controlled. Light weight. |
| DB Bicep Curl | 2 | 10-12 | 45s | Full ROM. No swinging. |
40-45 min total. Plyos FIRST when fresh.
Thursday - Easy Run
Re-entry week so no second quality session yet. But this isn’t a jog around the block — it needs to be long enough to actually do something.
- Distance: 6 km
- Pace: Z2 (5:30-6:00/km). Conversational but purposeful.
- Breathing: 2:2 cadence practice.
- Cool-down: 5 min walk
Friday - Strength B: Upper + Posterior Chain + Core
NO leg-taxing exercises. No plyos, no leg press, no squats. Posterior chain is hip hinge only. Saturday’s long run needs fresh legs.
Warm-up: 5 min incline walk + band pull-aparts x15 + light DB press x10
A. Upper — Pull Dominant
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups (strict) | 4 | AMRAP (8-10) | 90s | Full hang, chin over bar. |
| Cable Face Pulls | 3 | 15 | 60s | Rear delts + external rotation. |
| DB Incline Press | 3 | 10 | 75s | 30-degree angle. Shoulder-safe. |
B. Posterior Chain
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip Thrust (DB/machine) | 3 | 10 | 75s | Squeeze glutes. 2-sec hold at top. |
| Leg Curl (SLOW eccentric) | 3 | 5 slow | 90s | 4-5 sec lowering phase EACH rep. Hamstring + tendon insurance. |
| DB Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 12 | 60s | Hinge pattern. Slight knee bend. Hamstring stretch at bottom. |
C. Core
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plank Walkout | 3 | 8-10 | 60s | Walk hands out to full plank, walk back. Slow and controlled. |
| Copenhagen Plank | 2 | 20-30s each | 45s | Adductor + core. Groin injury prevention. |
D. Accessories
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tricep Pushdown (cable) | 2 | 12-15 | 45s | Squeeze at bottom. |
| DB Hammer Curl | 2 | 10-12 | 45s | Neutral grip. Controlled. |
35-40 min.
Saturday - Long Run
- Distance: 7 km
- Pace: Z2 (5:30-6:00/km). Steady the whole way.
- Breathing: 2:2 cadence. Should be comfortable at this pace.
- Cool-down: 5 min walk + foam roll quads, calves, hip flexors
This is re-entry, not base-from-scratch. 7 km at Z2 should be manageable with my running history.
Sunday - Easy Run
- Distance: 4 km
- Pace: Z2 (5:30-6:00/km). Shake out the legs.
Not a rest day. Active recovery. The volume needs to start accumulating.
Week 1 Totals
| Volume | |
|---|---|
| Running | ~20 km (Mon 6 + Tue ~8 + Thu 6 + Sat 7 + Sun 4 = ~31 with warm/cool, ~20 quality+easy) |
| Strength | 2 sessions (Wed A, Fri B) |
| Swim | — |
Re-entry week. Getting the rhythm back. Next week the second quality session comes in and the volume jumps.