FIRST Training: No Junk Miles

No junk miles for me. Around Thanksgiving, I started to transition into using the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) plan. It calls for three runs per week with two days of cross-training. No "junk miles" in this program! With only three runs, each must have its purpose. One long run for endurance, one tempo run for stamina, one speed session (short repeats) for speed development and leg turn-over. The cross-training is a way to relieve pounding while still developing aerobic capacity. As an ultrarunner, this type of training is very different from my usual "run a lot and don't worry about speed" philosophy. This FIRST program is all about combining elements to ensure maximum speed and endurance with minimum miles. I've enjoyed it so far. The real test will be my first "fast race" attempt on April 26 (Illinois Marathon). Only 15 weeks to go, but I do have a few "test races" along the way to assess my progress:

Race	Distance	Date
Riddle-Like Run	28	1/25/2014
KRR Fat Ass	28	2/15/2014
Land Btwn Lakes	26.2	3/8/2014
Clinton Lake	30	3/29/2014
St Louis Marathon	26.2	4/6/2014
Illinois Marathon	26.2	4/26/2014

Here is my weekly schedule based on FIRST training principles and a goal of a 3:25 marathon:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Cross Training	45-60 minutes Intervals 400m @ 6:08 800m @ 6:16 1600m @ 6:31	Cross Training	45-75 minutes Tempo or Progression 3-mile @ 7:05 5-mile @ 7:18 8-mile @ 7:33	OFF	12-20 mile long run at 7:49-8:49	30-60 minutes easy
Rest with aerobic	Speed	Rest with aerobic	Stamina	Rest	Endurance	Aerobic Recovery

I added the Sunday easy run so I'll have just one more day of running to prepare myself for ultramarathons. That extra run will be fairly short and at an easy effort. The biggest change is the Tuesday/Thursday faster running. I've never done that on a regular basis. Plus, most of my usual runs are on trails so I'll need to substitute some treadmill, track, and road workouts to keep the paces prescribed. Still, I'll do most of my long runs on trails...but push them a bit harder than usual.

If you'd like to check out the FIRST program, here are some resources:

FIRST web site
FIRST training pace calculators
"Run Less, Run Faster" book

The book describes the program in depth and provides Boston Qualifying training schedules for all of the goals you might have based on your BQ age and qualifying standard.