Hi All,

BACKGROUND

Although I have always been a runner (or maybe a "jogger", as I am not really fast), about one year ago I started running more regularly. For a year I have been running 30-35 miles a week. I ran 5 days with one long run and two speedwork sessions per week. I succesfully completed a few half marathons and also improved my 5k and 10k times but right now I feel I need to improve my training plan.

GOALS

I want to desing a training plan that I can go on using for a long time, I am not anywhere close to a professional athlete, but running is important for me, so injury prevention is a must and so is improving my PBs.

My goals in terms of time are 5k in less than 20 minutes (should not be too hard, now my PB is 20:30), 10k in less than 40:00 (this one will take a while, right now I am around 42:30), and 1h:30min in HM (again, long term goal, now my PB is 1:36:07).

RESTRICTIONS

- I have decided that running 5 days a week puts a little too much stress on my injury-prone ankles, so the training plan should include 4 running days tops.

- It might include crosstraining, I practice swimming regularly too, I do not own a bycicle and practice tennis and roller-skate from time to time.

- Given work and social "restrictions", one day rest a week is probably also a good idea.

- I believe I might be able to run more than 35 miles a week, but at this moment do not really "need to", If it was to improve my training a lot I would do it, however.

SOME IDEAS

I have been some research on the subject and have decided to include some speedwork, one long run each week, some hills and some cross training. From what I have read, speedwork is recommended not to exceed 15% of the total mileage.

One typical week could look like:

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: Speedwork,  including recovery jogs after each series, one long warm-up jog (after stretching) and one long cool down jog. Aprox. 9 miles of which 4 are "fast" speedwork)

Wednesday: Swimming (about 1000m which takes me 45 min aprox, I enjoy swimming but am quite bad at it!)  

Thursday: Speedwork, 8 miles total, including 4 miles at HM pace and/or some hill training.

Friday: CrossTraining (not sure, maybe strentgh training?)

Saturday: easy jog, 6 miles,

Sunday: Long Run: 13 miles

TOTAL: 9 + 8 + 6 + 13 = 36 miles (with 8 miles speedwork which is 22% )

ADVICE NEEDED

- First of all, I need to balance my speedwork with the rest of the training, I am over the recommended 15% but I will also be doing some swimming so I guess it's not too bad, what do you think?

- I would like to include some variety in the training plan, so first I want to set up a typical week and then find ways to tinker with it (move miles around, include otther types of trainng) so each week is a littel different from the other.

- Not much of a clue on strenth training, is it worth doing? any advice on what to do? Should I look into other types of exercise?

Thanks everybody for your advice.