This time of year is one of the most rewarding in our annual cycle. The spring and autumn are packed with races and the summer is for holidays, but January to April are the months where we have the scope for a long arc of training without the interruptions of tapering or recovery.
Every year, because the big spring races happen towards the end of April, runners do the majority of their endurance buildup in the first few months of the New Year. In the otherwise dull winter months there is a buzz to the feeling of building up stamina and the sense of indestructibility which comes to legs and mind.
This year we, the captains, bring you the virtual equivalent of that experience! The London Marathon weekend, 24th-25th April is the date to tackle the target of your choice. It can be anything: a marathon, half, 10k just as long as it is something which stretches you and is a challenge.
We have designed a carefully structured plan, including the “Spring Race Schedule”, to get you to your target. This consists of short virtual races including 3 handicaps and the Valentines 10k, mixed in with background training weeks. There is also a “try out” race four weeks before the big day. A hard race or run four weeks before your big day is a really good indicator of your readiness and will help you plan your attack on your target on the big day.
Signup sheets will follow, so that you can join in and benefit from this program.
- 3rd-10th Feb Handicap, 3 miles.
- 13th-21st Feb Valentine’s 10k
- 3rd-10th March Handicap, 3 miles.
- 27th-28th March RACE WEEKEND 1, The preparation race.
- 7th-14th April Handicap, 3 miles
- 24th-25th April RACE WEEKEND 2. The target race.