Base Training

Here is the training program you’ve been looking for: Base Training. Looking for a program to develop your base fitness before starting a marathon program? This is it. Time to get in shape For Novice runners–those who never have run before–this may mean getting into some semblance of shape so that they can begin my 18-week marathon training program. For those of you who have been running several years, Week 1, which is climaxed by a 6-mile long run on the weekend may not seem that tough, but it’s like Mount Everest for those who have never run before. This Base Training program will give novice runners a chance to gradually raise their fitness level so they can begin that first week of training with some chance of success. Advanced runners often have a different problem. They’ve run a bunch of marathons and other races at different distances, and they want to improve their performances, not merely in the marathon, but in other distances they run frequently, like the 5K, 8K or 10K. These advanced schedules will tell them how to do just that, showing how to mix various forms of speedwork (interval training, tempo runs, hills, fartlek) into their training week. They also get a chance to race frequently (5 times in fact) with goal 5K and 10K races in the last few weeks. The Intermediate runners fall somewhere in between. These are runners who probably have been running several years, may have run one or two marathons, have faithfully trained through the winter, maintaining a certain mileage base, and now they want to build on that base. They want to continue to maintain that fitness level–perhaps improve on it slightly–so they can start marathon training in better shape than before. The 12-week Intermediate schedule offers some speedwork and some racing and should provide what they want. So here is Base Training in multiple variations. Whichever one of my programs you choose, I hope it will help you to achieve your running goals.

Hal offers three levels of his 12-week Base Training program, designed to get you into shape for a race later in the year or help you maintain performance between races.

• Advanced

  This Base Training Program for Advanced runners was designed to bridge the three-month gap between the Winter Training Program and the start of the 18-week training programs leading to a fall marathon. Its goal is to show very experienced runners how to develop a base to help them achieve peak performance. Although it works best in spring, you can use it any time of year you want to focus on fitness and conditioning.

• Intermediate

  This Base Training Program for Intermediate runners was designed to bridge the three-month gap between Hal's Winter Training Program and the start of the 18-week training programs leading to a fall marathon. Its goal is to show runners how to develop a base to help them move up to the next fitness level. Although the program works best in spring, you can use it any time of year you want to focus on fitness and conditioning. We also offer a 30-week Personal Best program that combines this program with the Intermediate marathon program.

• Novice

  This 12-week Base Training Program for Novice runners is designed to get you in shape so that, later, you can begin Hal's 18-week Novice Marathon Training Program aimed at a marathon. Each day I will send you email messages telling you how to run and offering training tips. Be aware also that if you do plan to use Base Training to launch you into marathon training, I have 30-week Novice Supreme program that combines this program with my novice marathon program.

• Spring Training

  Most training programs—mine and those of other coaches—are goal-oriented. You train for 12 weeks and show up at the starting line of a half marathon. Or train a half dozen weeks more and run the classic 26 miles 385 yards. But what happens if that goal vanishes, your goal race canceled because of the pandemic? Unfortunately, that has happened to a lot of us this last year of sorrows. The Boston Athletic Association postponed its marathon from April to September, then cancelled until April 2021, then finally to October. Many other races from 5K to 50K did the same. As I write this, I am worried about the Berlin, Chicago and New York City marathons as well as a lot of smaller races at various distances from 5K and up. Yes, you can continue to follow the training programs leading to those races, but motivation becomes difficult without a shining light at the end of the training tunnel. Here is my newly created Spring Training Program. No race goal, but following this 10-week program (also available in an interactive version through TrainingPeaks) will provide structure to your training until the pandemic slides into our rear vision mirrors. Use our app for your next training program.