She Strengthens

Week 2: Building Momentum

Congratulations on completing your first week! Now, let’s dive into week two and take your training to the next level.

Running Workouts

Run 1: Chill Out

Start with a 30- to 45-minute easy run, finishing with 4-6 x 20-second strides. Don’t worry about your pace; focus on getting your legs ready for the next day. If you’re feeling exhausted, reduce the strides to 2 or 3. If you’re feeling energized, extend them to 30 seconds each.

Run 2: Mile Repeats

Mile repeats are a staple for competitive runners. Warm up with a mile, then run 3 x 1 mile at 5K pace. Take 3 minutes to jog and/or walk after each repeat, and cool down with a final mile. If you need more time to recover, take an extra 2 minutes. If you’re feeling strong, try to make each mile faster than the last.

Run 3: Recovery Day

Take a relaxed 30- to 40-minute run with friends, keeping the pace light and conversational. If you’re feeling unusually tired or sore, consider cross-training instead. If you’re feeling energetic, extend your run to a full hour.

Run 4: Hill Charges

Hill charges will make you stronger and more durable. Warm up with a mile, then do 2 sets of 6 x 40-second hill charges (hard enough that you don’t feel like you could go much longer). Jog 80 seconds between reps, and cool down with a final mile. If 40 seconds feels too long, decrease the reps to 30 seconds. If you’re feeling strong, add 2 more reps at the end.

Run 5: Long Run

Get ready for your second long run! Aim for 50-80 minutes of fluid running, sipping on a sports drink or taking a gel if you’re running for more than 60 minutes. If you need to, alternate 9 minutes of running with 1 minute of walking. If you went 90 minutes last week, keep it there – but pick up the pace for the last 10 minutes.

Strength Workouts

Bookmark this visual reference guide for all the strength training exercises and stretches below.

Option 1: Movement Drills and Supersets

Perform 3 rounds of the following exercises:

• 90/90 transitions: 12 reps
• Dead bug: 8 right, 8 left
• Single-leg deadlift: 8 right, 8 left

Then, complete the following supersets:

• Tempo squat: 3 seconds down, 3 seconds up; 4 sets of 15 reps
• Foam roller bridge: 4 sets of 20-30 seconds
• Push-up: 3 sets of 6 reps
• Split squat iso hold: 3 sets of 20-30 seconds each leg
• Side plank: 3 sets of 20 seconds per side
• Hollow hold: 3 sets of 30 seconds

Option 2: Movement Drills and Supersets

Perform 3 rounds of the following exercises:

• 90/90 knee rolls: 20 reps
• Wall stride: 10 right, 10 left
• A skips: 20 reps

Then, complete the following supersets:

• 1 1/4 split squat: 4 sets of 10 right, 10 left
• Quadruped hold: 4 sets of 30 seconds
• Single-leg hip extension: 3 sets of 10 right, 20 left
• Butterfly drill: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Calf raise: 3 sets of 12 reps
• Wall plank: 3 sets of 30 seconds

Option 3: Movement Drills and Strength Circuits

Perform 3 rounds of the following exercises:

• 90/90 transitions: 12 reps
• 90/90 knee rolls: 20 reps
• Wall stride: 10 right, 10 left
• Slow march: 12 reps

Then, complete the following strength circuit:

• Heels-elevated squat: 20 reps
• Long lever single-leg hamstring bridge: 20 seconds right, 20 seconds left
• Renegade rows: 20 reps
• Dead bug: 20 reps
• Single-leg deadlift: 10 right, 10 left

Nutrition Advice

When your runs exceed 90 minutes, add up to 30 grams of carbohydrates to consume during your run. This could come in the form of a sports drink, gel, or gummies. Tart cherries contain high levels of flavonoids and anthocyanins, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Consider adding tart cherry juice to your post-run recovery drink.

If you experience exercise-induced gastrointestinal issues, try the following strategies:

• Determine your potential trigger foods
• Reduce fat, fiber, and caffeine consumption 2-3 hours before your run
• Hydrate with water or other sports drinks as needed, but avoid fructose-only and hypertonic drinks before and during your run

You’re ready for week 3!