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One Month to Race Day

The 30-day guide to preparing for your first 10-K on the trail.
By Gordy Megroz
Published May 9, 2011

Before you tackle your first trail race, there are three things you need to know:
1) If you've been running roads your whole life, you've been training yourself
not to be a trail runner. A road's even surface encourages long, lazy strides
along a straight plain. Trails, on the other hand, with their twists and turns and
terrain littered with rocks, roots, and twigs, make every footfall a mystery,
engaging muscles for balance and control that you never knew you had.
2) Don't worry; it only takes four weeks to prepare your body to race a
10-Kthe most classic trail distance.
3) Don't be a hero. Try to jump into a trail race without the proper training
andbecause your hips, ankles, and legs aren't used to the uneven ground and
changing directionthere's a decent chance you'll hurt yourself. We tapped Ian
Torrence, an ultramarathoner and trail running coach for McMillan Running,
to outline a training plan with all the strengthening, balance exercises, and
(gulp!) hill repeats you'll need to achieve your best timeand get home safely.
WEEK 1
Mon: Easy Run (30 to 40 mins)
Tue: Strength & Balance
Wed: Hill Repeats (6 to 8 times)
Thur: Easy Run (40 to 50 mins)
Fri: Strength & Balance
Sat: Long Run (75 to 90 mins or as long as you can go)
Sun: OFF
Key Thing to Think About: Become comfortable with your footwork, taking
shorter strides as you negotiate rocks, roots, mud, and sudden terrain changes.
WEEK 2
Mon: Easy Run (40 to 50 mins
Tue: Strength & Balance
Wed: Tempo Intervals (2 to 3 times 2 miles)
Thur: Easy Run (40 to 50 mins)
Fri: Strength & Balance
Sat: Long Run (75 to 90 mins)
Sun: OFF
Key Thing to Think About: You've likely become a bit sore from the new
training. Use a foam roller to iron out some of the kinks, take an ice bath, and
maybe schedule a massage.
WEEK 3
Mon: Easy Run (30 to 40 mins)
Tue: Strength & Balance
Wed: Hill Repeats (8 to 10 times)
Thur: Easy Run (40 to 50 mins)
Fri: Strength & Balance

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30 Days to Your First Trail 10-K | Runner's World

http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-running-training/one-mont...

Sat: Fast Finish Progression Run (60 mins)

Sun: OFF
Key Thing to Think About: With race day only two weeks away, think about
how you wish that day to unfold. Set a few race-specific goals to aim for that
will keep you motivated.
WEEK 4
Mon: Easy Run (30 to 40 mins)
Tue: Cruise Intervals (4 to 5 times 1,000 meters
Wed: Strength & Balance
Thur: Stride Workout (5 to 6 times 20 to 25 secs)
Fri: Easy Run (30 to 40 mins)
Sat: OFF
Sun: Race Day
Key Thing to Think About: It is important that you not change your routine
or try new things this week. Focus on sleep, nutrition, and eliminating all
possible daily stressors.
TRAINING KEY
1. Long Runs: These should be run at a conversational pace and on trail terrain
similar to that of your race. Training specificity during your long run gives you
the most bang for your buck.
2. Fast Finish Progression Run: This is a dress rehearsal. Test your gear on the
trails that you'll be running on race day. This workout should mimic your long
run's steady pace, but in the last five minutes, increase your effort so that you
are running faster than 5-K race pace. Focus on your foot plant and practice
weaving around obstacles on the trails without losing your momentum.
3. Hill Repeats: An excellent way to strengthen the legs and increase the
cardiovascular workload without stressing your joints. Find a hill with a 6 to
10% grade that you can ascend in 60 to 90 seconds. Jog back down to recover
between reps. Each hill repeat should be run at an effort equivalent to your
mile race pace, which translates to roughly a 5-K race pace. If you do not have
an appropriate hill nearby, use a treadmill, highway overpass, or parking
garage.
4. Tempo Intervals: Run these at 10-K race pace on an even, flat surface in
order to maximize leg turnover. Recover for 4 to 5 minutes between intervals.
5. Cruise Intervals: Run these on an even, flat surface as well. These intervals
are shorter and slightly faster than your Tempo Intervals (roughly 8-K pace).
Recovery is 200 meters for 1,000 meter repeats.
6. Stride Workout: Warm up thoroughly (15 to 30 minutes). Gradually build
your speed as you progress through each stride. Focus on form and turnover.
These are not all-out sprints. Cool down for 10 to 20 minutes.
7. Easy Runs: Run at your natural pace. There is no need to push this workout.
You should run on whatever surface is most convenient for you.
8. Off Days: You can use these days as you wishjust no running. Crosstraining (yoga, swimming, biking, rowing) is fine, but be sure to incorporate
only very light cross-training as you approach race day.
9. Strength and balance training: The key is to develop the muscles
particularly your hips, quads, glutes, and anklesthat aren't used enough
during road running. This training also helps cultivate proprioception, or your
awareness of your own body relative to its surroundings.
BALANCE DRILLS
Balancing on One Leg
Stand upright on one foot. Slightly bend the hip, knee, and ankle of the
weighted leg. Keep your balance without having to catch yourself with your
other leg. Build up to a minute or more. To make this exercise more difficult,
try it with your eyes closed. Beginning in week three, start doing this exercise
on a Bosu Ball.

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One-Legged Squats
Put all your weight on one leg and, with the unweighted leg behind you for
balance and support, lower your body until the weighted knee reaches roughly
90 degrees, then slowly come back up. Try one to three sets of six to 12 reps.
Once this feels comfortable, try the squat with your eyes closed. Beginning in
week three, start doing this exercise on a Bosu Ball.
QUADS AND GLUTES
Straight Leg Lifts
This exercise assists in retraining the large quad muscle (the VMO or vastus
medialis oblique) to fire correctly. Lie on your back with
the working leg straight and the non-exercising leg bent near 90 degrees. Lift
the working leg 12 to 18 inches and hold for 5 seconds with the toe pointed
toward your head and rotated away from the center of your body. The burn
should be felt in the large quad muscle. Perform this exercise for three to five
sets of 10 for each leg. As you progress, ankle weights or shoes can be added for
more resistance.
Single-Leg Bridge
Start by lying on your back with your arms at your sides. With one knee bent at
90 degrees and the other straight, raise your hips off the ground. A straight line
should follow from the shoulders, to hip, knee, and ankle of the extended leg.
Hold for 3 seconds, lower, repeat. Work both sides. Try completing one set of
10 and gradually work up to multiple sets of 10 to 20 for each leg.
Hip Abduction
Lie on the ground on one side with the arm closest to the ground extended and
legs straight. Use the other arm to brace your body. Lift the upper leg in a
scissor-like motion. Hold for 3 seconds and lower. Try completing one set of 10
and gradually work up to multiple sets of 10 to 20.
Lunges
Looking straight ahead, with hands on hips, take a big step forward, bend the
knee and lower your body so the front leg is bent at a 90-degree angle. Then
slowly push back up and step back to the original position. Start with six to
eight reps on each side.
ANKLE AND FOOT
Alphabet
Write the alphabet with your toes.
Ankle Circles
Make five slow clockwise then counterclockwise turns with each foot. Repeat
five times.
Towel Pickups
Pick up a towel with your toes, drop, and repeat for 1 minute.
LOWER BACK
Back Extensions
Lie facedown on the floor and place your hands behind your head. Contract
your abs and keep them contracted throughout the movement. Squeeze your
back to lift your chest a few inches off the floor. Lower and repeat for one to
three sets of eight to 12 reps. To increase the difficulty, lift your legs off the
floor at the same time you lift your chest.

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30 Days to Your First Trail 10-K | Runner's World

http://www.runnersworld.com/trail-running-training/one-mont...

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