CVRR Tuesday Training Sessions from January 14th – April 8th, 2024

Welcome all CVRR runners to the winter-spring training sessions. These workouts are suitable for newer runners and experienced veterans with specific race goals. They emphasize a mix of strength endurance (i.e., marathon pace runs, tempo runs, hill circuits at 7.5-8.5/10 effort) and aerobic power (i.e., 5 km and 10 km race pace intervals at 8.5-9/10 effort range). Repetition paced workouts are also included (i.e., hill running, strides, and faster track running at 9.5/10 effort) to develop speed and good running mechanics. Please do an easy 10-minute warm-up run with some dynamic drills and an easy cool-down run after the session. Please come prepared in reflective gear, light(s), and shoes with good traction during the fall and winter months!

In workout descriptions, Coach Neil often lists the number of repeats to do in a session, such as 2-5 x 5 minutes hard. If you are a newer runner, you should do less, such as 2-3 repeats, to build your strength gradually. Perceived effort (1-10 scale) means how hard to push yourself. Using the scale, a 1-2/10 effort is very easy, so you can probably talk when running. Running 9-10/10 effort is hard to very hard with strong breathing, so talking would be difficult. Don’t worry: If you’re unsure, Coach Neil will help you adjust workouts, so you get the most out of them. It is important to run at the effort and pace based on your current fitness and not try to match people who are currently faster than you. Improvement occurs with proper pacing for you and adequate rest between sessions which can be an easy run or alternative cross training session on another day.

Please email Neil with any training questions at [email protected]. Above all train smart, stay safe and enjoy!

Click HERE for Interval and Threshold Pacing Chart

Click HERE for 5K and 10K Pacing Chart

Track Session Plans

January 14th: Strength Endurance Vanier Hill Circuit with three efforts per 1.3 km loop. 1-5 continuous loops at tempo/marathon pace (i.e., 7.5-8.5/10 effort) with pick-ups. Pace yourself carefully as there is no rest between the circuits!

January 21st: Track Session: 2-10 x 400 metres at interval pace (i.e., 5 km race pace or 9/10 effort), off 1-2 minutes rest; 1-4 x 150 metres at repetition pace (i.e., 9.5/10 effort), off 60-90 seconds jog back to the start. Focus on running strong and relaxed – not full out!  Splits will be provided for the 400s.

January 28th: Glacier Loop Cruise Intervals: 2- 5 x 1200 metres at threshold pace (i.e., 8.5/10 effort), off 1-2 minutes jog; 4 x 15 seconds strides, off 45 second rest.

February 4th: Tempo and Hill Reps: 16 minute tempo run (i.e., 8.5/10 effort), then 2-10 x 30 second hills (at 9-9.5/10 effort) with walk/jog down the hill for recovery. Focus on relaxed form and not straining!

February 11th: Track Session: 2-6 x 800 metres at 5k race pace (i.e., 9/10 effort), off 2-3 minutes rest. Splits will be provided to set your goal pace.

February 18th: Strength Endurance Vanier Hill Circuit with three efforts per 1.3 km loop. 1-5 continuous loops at tempo/marathon pace with pick-ups (i.e., 7.5-8.5/10 effort) Pace yourself carefully as there is no rest between the circuits!

February 25th: Vanier School Driveway 650s: 2-8 x 650 metre intervals at 5k race pace (i.e., 9-10 effort) to the gate behind Vanier school, off 1.5-2 minutes rest, and then repeat in the opposite direction. Lots of fun, but pace accordingly!

March 4th: Tempo and Hill Reps: 16 minute tempo run (8.5/10 effort), then 2-10 x 30 second hills (at 9-9.5/10 effort) with walk/jog down for recovery. Focus on relaxed form and without straining or racing!

March 11th: Mono Fartlek Track Session: 2 x 90 seconds hard (i.e., 8.5 – 9.5/10 effort), off 90 seconds easy; 4 x 60 seconds hard, off 60 seconds easy; 4 x 30 seconds hard, off 30 seconds easy; 4 x 15 seconds hard, off 15 seconds easy. Fun and challenging!

March 18th: Track Cruise Intervals: 2-6 x 1200 metres at threshold pace (i.e., your 15k to half marathon pace or 8-8.5/10 effort), off 2 minutes rest. If racing the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon, do 3-4 repeats.

March 25th: Horse Track Session: Counting Steps Pyramid at tempo-interval Pace (i.e., 15k-3k race pace or 8.5 – 9.5/10 effort). Example: 10 steps easy, 10 hard, 20 easy, 20 hard… up to 100 steps, and then back down to 10 steps again. New runners go up to 50- 60 steps maximum. This is a great variable pace workout!

April 1st: Blooming Barn Loop Progressive Tempo: 10 minutes at 7.5/10 effort, 10 minutes at 8/10 effort, 10 minutes at 8.5-9/10 effort. New runners can do 5-minute efforts instead, and then continue with an easy cooldown run.

April 8th: Track Session Mix: 1–3 x 1200 metres at threshold pace (i.e., 8.5/10 effort), off 1- 2 minutes rest; 1-2 x 800 metres at 5k pace (i.e., 9/10 effort), off 3-4 minutes rest; 2-4 x 200 metres at repetition pace (9.5/10 effort), off 1.5-2 minutes rest.