With winter setting in and the challenge of being outside to train becoming less inviting, now might be the time to set yourself and little challenge of running a fats mile. Below are three, four week training plans to get you running a mile as fast as you can, all doable outdoors or indoors when the treadmill beckons.
Four weeks isn't that long but it's plenty of time to make some serious improvements over a mile; the easy one is based on four days a week training, the moderate and hard plans based on 6-7 but with hard handing out a bigger work load.
m time trial approx 5-10 secs quicker than mile pace; then 10 mins easy jog then 8 x150m hills!
Free marathon training plans for every goal.
| MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK 1 | Rest | 3M inc 5 x 100m strides, each faster than the last, to faster-than-mile pace | Rest | 3M inc 200m at estimated mile pace, then 200m jog; then 400m at mile pace; then 400m jog; then 400m at mile pace | Rest | 25 Advertisement - Continue Reading Below | 45 mins slow |
| WEEK 2 | Rest | 4Mission Marathon Training Plan: sub-3 hours | Rest | 4M inc 300m at mile pace, then 200m jog; then 600m at mile pace; then 400m jog; then 200m at faster than mile pace | Rest | 25 week training plans for running a fast mile | 45 mins slow |
| WEEK 3 | Rest | 4week training plans for running a fast mile | Rest | 4M inc 200m at mile pace, then 200m jog; then 800m at mile pace; then 400m jog; then 200m at faster than mile pace | Rest | 25 x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 45 mins slow |
| WEEK 4 | Rest | 4M inc 200m at mile pace, then 200m jog; then 1000m at mile pace; then 400m jog; then 400m at faster than mile pace | Rest | 3M inc 6 x 100m strides, 1 at 10K pace, 1 at 5K pace, 1 at 3K pace, 1 at mile pace, 1 at 800m pace, 1 at 400m pace | Rest | 25 week training plans for running a fast mile | Mile race! |
Couch to 5K: How to start running in six weeks.
| MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK 1 | x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 10 x 2K at 5K pace with 3-min recovery then 10 mins easy jog; then 6 x 150m strides at 400m pace | x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 2 RWs 16-week, sub-3:45 marathon training plan | Rest | 25-35 mins fartlek | 60-75 mins slow |
| WEEK 2 | x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 10 Hard. 6-7 days a week | x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 4 x 400m at mile pace, with 30-sec recoveries; then 15 mins easy jog; then 2 x 400m with 1-min recovery, a little faster than the first set. Ideally use track | Rest | 5-6 Mission Marathon Training Plan: sub-3 hours | 60-75 mins slow |
| WEEK 3 | x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 10 Hard. 6-7 days a week | x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 4 RWs 16-week, sub-3:45 marathon training plan | Rest | 800m at mile pace; then 30 secs recovery; then 400m slightly quicker; then 15 ins jog recovery; then 600m at mile pace; then 1 min recovery; then 400m quicker than last time | 60-75 mins slow |
| WEEK 4 | x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 4 x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | x 400m at mile pace, with 200m jog recoveries. Ideally use track | 10 Hard. 6-7 days a week | Rest | 25-35 mins easy | Mile race! |
Couch to 5K: How to start running in six weeks.
| MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK 1 | 30-40 mins slow | 3 x 800m at mile pace with 3-min recoveries then 10 mins easy jog; then 6 x 200m with recoveries of 30, 25, 20, 15 and 10 seconds. | 30-40 mins slow | 1200m time trial; then 10 mins jog; then 4 x 400m with 2-min recoveries with 200m at 3K pace, 200m at 800m pace | week sub-3:30 marathon training plan | 2 x 2K at 5K pace with 3-min recovery then 10 mins easy jog; then 8 x 150m hills | 70-80 mins slow |
| WEEK 2 | 30-40 mins slow | 4 x 600m at mile pace with 5-min recoveries then 10 mins easy jog; then 4 x 300m with 2-min recoveries with 200m at mile pace, 100mat 800 pace. | 30-40 mins slow | 1000m at mile pace then 10 mins Rest/jog; then 600m at quicker pace; then 10 mins Rest/jog; then 400m flat out | week sub-3:30 marathon training plan | 800m time trial (approx 5-10 secs quicker than mile pace); then 10 mins easy jog then 8 x150m hills | 70-80 mins slow |
| WEEK 3 | 30-40 mins slow |
8x400m at mile pace with 2-min recoveries then 10 mins easy jog; then 4 x 200m with 1-min recoveries with 100m at mile pace, 100m flat out. |
30-40 mins slow | 2 x 2K at 5K pace with 3-min recovery then 10 mins easy jog; then 6 x 150m strides at 400m pace | week sub-3:30 marathon training plan | 1200m time trial (aim for quicker than first one at faster than mile target); then 10 mins jog; then 8 x 150m hills | 70-80 mins slow |
| WEEK 4 | 30-40 mins slow | Fuse 1500m with first 300m slightly quicker than mile pace, then fast 100m jog, then 800m at mile pace, then fast 100m jog, then 200m as fast as possible. Overall time should be similar to mile target. Then 10 mins jog then 6 x 200m with reducing recoveries of 30, 25, 20, 15 and 10 seconds | 30-40 mins slow | 8 x 200m at mile pace with 1-min recoveries then 10 mins easy jog; then 4 x 200m with 1-min recoveries with 100m at mile pace, 100m flat out. | week sub-3:30 marathon training plan | 25-35 week training plans for running a fast mile | Mile race! |
