ADVANCED LEVEL. Have a definite target time or pace in mind and want more intensity in your workouts? The Advanced Level is for you. The Advanced Level helps develop running skills and strengths and is higher on the “challenge” scale, but fun is still the emphasis! While the Recreational Level provides opportunities to do multiple half-marathons or marathons in a year, the Advanced Level focuses energies on one or two goal marathons or half-marathons. The mid-week “intense” workout and a wider variety of workouts for Saturday morning training runs provide a different emphasis. Suggested races on the Advanced Level calendar are shorter than the half-marathon.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN RECREATIONAL OR ADVANCED? If the goal is to do your half-marathons or marathons comfortably, or you plan to do MORE than 2 half-marathons or marathons a year, we’re going to guide you toward the recreational group. If the goal is to do 2 or only 1 marathon in a year and you really have a target goal/pace/or PR in mind, then the advanced group will be the appropriate choice. As much as possible we want people to choose Intermediate/Recreational or Advanced based on training approach and experience rather than pace or “ranking” by speed.

AVERAGE WEEK: On average the Advanced Level Program calls for

• Days Running – Four Days suggested (usually Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday)
  • Monday is an easy run day
  • Tuesday or Wednesday is a more intense workout
  • Thursday is always a recovery/easy run day
  • Saturday is either a longer day or a second moderately intense workout depending upon the week

• Days Cross-Training – Two Days suggested (usually Sunday and Tuesday or Wednesday)

• Day OFF – One Day Off each week (usually Friday)