So you were talked into joining your first 24-hour relay with a bunch of running friends. “Come on, it’ll be fun”, they say! If your idea of fun is sitting in a van with a bunch of stinky runners, running your second leg in the dark and your last leg totally sleep deprived, then you’re gonna have a blast! Here is an easy 10 week beginner relay training program that will make sure you get through those “fun” 24-hours injury free!
10 Week Beginner Relay Training
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| Week 1 | 2 miles easy | 25 crunches 10 push-ups |
3 miles easy | 20 second plank – Rest – 20 second plank (or 20 sec plank x 2) 10 push-ups |
REST | 3 miles easy |
| Week 2
|
2 miles easy | 35 crunches 12 push-ups |
3 miles hilly | 30 sec plank x 2 12 push-ups |
REST | 3.5 miles easy |
| Week 3 | 3 miles easy with last 5 mins at moderate – called Fast Finish (or FF) | 50 crunches 15 push-ups |
3 mile easy w/6ea 15 second hard efforts sprinkled in (or 6 x 15 hard) | 40 sec plank x 2 18 push-ups |
REST | 4 miles hilly |
| Week 4 – Recovery Week |
2 miles moderate | 50 crunches 20 push-ups |
4 miles hilly | 50 sec plank x 2 20 push-ups |
REST | 3.5 miles easy |
| Week 5 | 3 miles FF | Crunches Push-ups (you decide how many you can do at this point) |
4 miles hilly | 2 sets of planks Push-ups |
REST | 5 miles hilly
|
| Week 6 | 3 miles moderate | Crunches Push-ups |
4 miles hilly w/ 4 x 30 second hard uphill sprinkled in |
2 sets of planks Push-ups |
REST | 6 miles hilly |
| Week 7 | 3 miles FF | Crunches Push-ups |
4 miles hilly | 2 sets of planks Push-ups |
REST | AM: 7 miles easy PM: 2 miles easy |
| Week 8 – Big Week |
3.5 miles total 1 – easy 1.5 – moderate 1 – easy |
Crunches Push-ups |
4 miles hilly w/ 6 x 30 second hard uphill sprinkled in |
2 sets of planks Push-ups |
REST | AM: 8 miles easy PM: 3 miles easy |
| Week 9 – Recovery Week |
3 miles easy | Crunches Push-ups |
3 miles easy w/ 4 x 1 minute hard Sprinkled in |
2 sets of planks Push-ups |
REST | 7 miles hilly |
| Week 10 – Race Week! |
3 miles easy | Crunches Push-ups |
2 miles easy w/ 4 x 15 sec hard sprinkled in |
REST | RACE | RACE |
Sundays are always a rest day. If you need to change your long run from Saturday to Sunday you’ll want to switch the rest of the week around so you are not running two consecutive days in a row – i.e. run Sunday then make Monday crunches/push-ups and Tuesday run; Wednesday planks, Thursday run.
Weeks 4 and 9 are recovery weeks with lower weekly mileage than the previous week so your body can adapt and strengthen from the added workload.
Easy – means running at a pace where you can carry on a conversation. On an exertion scale of 1-10 it should feel like a 4.
Moderate – should feel considerably harder, more like a 6 or 7 on the scale.
Hilly runs are considered moderate.
Hard efforts – should be difficult to talk and feel close to a 9 on the exertion scale.
Of course these are all just guideline and ways to help you become a stronger runner. You can do them all at an easy pace if you prefer – just make sure you get in the distance.
Leave A Comment