Benefits of a varied weekly training schedule

One of the best ways to improve your overall running performance is to combine several different types of running into a structured weekly schedule. By doing this you will improve different aspects of your fitness, provide greater opportunity for recovery between training sessions and reduce the risk of injury. In addition, not only will it help to better condition your body for running, it is likely to provide added interest and variety to help keep you motivated.

What types of running should I include in my weekly training?

One of the most common ways to categorise running is by how fast you run. However, "fast" means different things to different runners, so in general terms it is best explained by how hard you run, i.e. the level of effort or the intensity of the training session.

The following table describes a number of common types of running and the benefits of each. It also sets out our recommended guidelines on effort levels and distance for medium distance runners (running distances between 3 miles to 10 miles) who are aiming to improve performance.

NOTE: You should only follow these guidelines if you are already reasonably fit e.g. you can run 5km without stopping.
If you are not quite at this level, take a look at our Beginners Guide to Running article, which also contains a Beginners 5K Training Plan.

How fast should I run at different Effort Levels?

If you are relatively new to running it is not always easy to translate the target level of effort into how fast you should run.

Here are three techniques you can use:

1. Learn to judge how easy it feels - You should be able to hold a conversation while running at an Easy pace and should be able to run at the same speed for at least 20 minutes at a Tempo pace. If you are finding it very hard to do this or you are finding it very easy, adjust your speed as necessary, using a stopwatch to pace yourself if it helps. Over time you will get used to judging how fast you are running, even without the aid of a stopwatch.
   
   
2. Use a Heart Rate Monitor - A Heart Rate Monitor is certainly not essential for the everyday runner but it can give you accurate feedback on how hard you are running and help you to train more consistently at the target level of effort based on your own Heart Rate Zones. For more advice on training with a Heart Rate Monitor read our article on Heart Rate Training.
   
   
3. Use our Training Pace Calculator (see below)- This will suggest a target pace and weekly distance for each type of run based on a recent race result and the total distance you run each week.

How much running should I do each week?

It is possible to run as little as 10 miles per week and still achieve a good level of fitness and participate in shorter distance races.

This is very much dependent on your personal goals, your current level of fitness, the time you have available and most importantly, how much your body can cope with; there is no set recommendation that suits everyone.

It is possible to run as little as 10 miles per week and still achieve a good level of fitness and participate in shorter distance races.  However, if you want to train for medium distance races and achieve your best possible performance for the time spent training, a good goal is  to run between 15 and 40 miles a week (depending upon time constaints, the speed you run,  and how well your body copes with training). Always monitor your own health and tiredness levels each week so that you don’t overtrain.  Also, cross-training such as cycling, swimming and strength training, can have a beneficial effect, so it is worthwhile considering adding this to your weekly schedule if possible.

If you want to increase the distance you run each week, we recommend that you only increase it by a maximum of 1 mile for each run that you do per week, up to a maximum increase of 10 miles. So, for example, someone doing 5 runs a week covering a total of 20 miles could increase their distance the following week to a maximum of 25 miles. You should then try to maintain this distance for at least 3 weeks in order to reap the full benefit before increasing it again.

With regard to frequency, we would recommend that you try to run at least 3 times a week.

Training Pace Calculator

If you are a medium distance runner and your goal is to improve your running performance, you can calculate a recommended weekly training schedule using our Training Pace Calculator. Enter a time from a recent race and the distance you run each week and we will suggest a training pace and weekly distance for each type of run. If you haven't run a race recently then we recommend that you map out a 5K flat route using our Route Measurer and run this as a time trial to estimate your current race pace.

General Training Tips

• Listen to your body - Always train according to how your body feels. If you feel unusually tired one week, it is best to cut back, perhaps by eliminating one of the harder sessions. Most importatnly, do not ignore any niggles; monitor them carefully to make sure that they don't turn into injuries.
  
  
• Adjust your training pace for strong headwind or difficult terrain - Bear mind that the paces recommended by our Training Calculator are based on running on flat, even surfaces, without a headwind. If this is not the case, you should aim for a slower pace so that you are still running at your target level of effort. If possible, try the pace out on a flat route in good conditions to get used to the level of effort required. This will help you to judge the right level of effort when conditions are more difficult.
  
  
• Vary your training over time with new goals - Don't continue with the same weekly schedule for months on end or you could get bored, disillusioned or even injured. It's a good idea to base your training around a specific goal or race; choose a goal, train towards the goal, then allow some recovery time (perhaps just running at an Easy pace for a few weeks or alternative exercise), and then set a new goal.
  
  
• Review and recalculate - As your performance or weekly distance changes, recalculate your target paces so that you are training at a level that reflects your current ability.
  
  
• Train on terrain to match the races you plan to do - If you are training for a cross-country or multi-terrain race, try to train when you can run on reasonably similar surfaces and terrain. This is particularly beneficial as the race date approaches. You can search for ideas for off-road routes in the Running Routes section of the site.
  
  
• Warm-up and cool-down - Always remember to warm-up and stretch and cool-down and stretch before and after any exercise.

Example Weekly Training Schedule

The following is an example of a weekly training schedule for someone who runs 25 miles a week.

Training for a medium distance race

The above advice provides a guide to a developing a regular weekly training schedule but if you are planning a race, you should consider developing a longer-term schedule that builds your training over time with the race date as a goal. The following table provides some general advice on developing a longer-term training schedule for a medium distance race (3 to 10 miles). You should use this in combination with the training pace guidelines above and should recalculate your target paces as your training progress.

* The 1st Quarter should be treated as the Foundation Stage and may not be required if you are already including Long runs and Speedwork sessions in your weekly training.