30 Days to Your First Trail 10-K

8/10/2019 30 Days to Your First Trail 10-K

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By Gordy Megroz

Published May 9, 2011

One Month to Race DayThe 30-day guide to preparing for your first 10-K on the trail.

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


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



Wed:Hill Repeats (8 to 10 times)

Thur:Easy Run (40 to 50 mins)Fri:Strength & Balance

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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


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. Cross-training (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 tothree 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

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