Running Update (December 2023)

On to phase two of Jack Daniel’s “Red” fitness running plan, with some adjustments.

Last week I finished the first phase of Jack Daniel’s “Red” fitness running plan and this week is the first week of the second phase.

As a result of my recent revelation about the volume of pace work in relation to my weekly volume, I’ve also adjusted down the T-pace sessions in this phase.

An as-written 4-day week of this phase would look like this:

  1. Monday: 30 minutes easy + 6 strides
  2. Tuesday: 10 minutes easy + 2 miles T + 2 minute rest + 1 mile T + 10 minutes easy
  3. Thursday: 10 minutes easy + 2 x 1 mile T with 1 minute rests + 2 x 1k T with 1 minute rests + 10 minutes easy
  4. Friday: 40–50 minutes easy

At my slow pace, that would put me at around 18 miles for the week. With Daniels’ 10% recommended limit on a session’s T-pace volume, a single T session should be under 1.8 miles. Both sessions are well over that guideline ceiling.

Adjusting the T-pace workouts for my lower weekly volume, and then again for the cascade of reduced weekly volume, my next 4 weeks will look like this:

  1. Monday: 30 minutes easy + 6 strides
  2. Tuesday: 10 minutes easy + 1 mile T with 2 minutes rest + 10 minutes easy
  3. Thursday: 10 minutes easy + 1 mile T with 1 minute rest + 10 minutes easy
  4. Friday: 40 minutes easy

That’s not very different from the adjusted last phase of this plan. I’m a little conflicted if I should add another day to my week and restart the training plan, but I’m also injury shy with my injury history and want to take things easy. At the moment, I intend to finish out this plan at the adjusted workout volumes and then add a fifth day.

I have a 5k race on January 20th that I intend to give an honest race effort, so that will be interesting.