So not saying there's any one right way, this is just how I use the book...

The plans are all 24 weeks but the first 6-week 'phase I' is optional if you have been running/racing and have an appropriate base for the mileage you want to be running.  So that leaves basically an 18 week between phase II, III and IV.

Phase IV is the phase you're meant to be racing, so you can have your goal race be at the end of phase IV, but you can plan to race well all through phase IV. His plans are modeled on the type of training you'd be doing in high school, where you might be racing just about every week, but you'd plan to be peaking towards the end of your season, for championships and that type of thing.  I think this model still works well for most runners-- I don't usually care about racing well in January or July, but if I can peak for 6 weeks around October/November or March/April, I would be likely to do well in several races since conditions are most likely to be at the best.  Of course, what is best for you is going to depend on your climate, where you live, what races you're targeting, and other factors.

Yes, you do have to put some thought into the plans.  You choose a plan based on the mileage you're going to run (40-50, or 60-70, or whatever) and then pretty much divide up the mileage more or less as you see fit.

So, say a 40-mile week:

Take the long run out of the equation first: 25% of total is 10.

So now you have 30 miles to divide among the other days.  The other 2 Q workout days are probably going to be around 8 miles including W/U and cooldown, so that's 16 miles between those 2.  So that's 26 total with 14 miles left.

The other days are all 'easy', so you can do with the other mileage what you want.

(the book assumes you're running 7 days a week but I think it's more helpful to have a day off if your mileage isn't too high).

Hope this is helpful?  I am just starting on a Jack Daniels plan myself.  My goal race is 20 weeks away so I'm doing two weeks of phase I before I jump into phase II.

Exactly...

Though I have to admit I have it much easier since my plans are created for me but based on Daniels methods and philosophy.

I am just understanding why my coach sometimes has me racing sans taper and that would be because the race in question is not a goal race and happens to fall somewhere in phase II and III.

But all that said, 'based on' and 'follow exactly' are worlds apart.  So even though I read Daniels I can't comment or specifically target how it relates to my plan/ work.

The basic method of usage is to 'count back'.  ie: find your goal race and count backwards in weeks until when you start. (or now ) That will tell you where you would fit into the plan.  With the note that if you are not at the level to do the workouts at that week, then you have a couple of hard decisions and questions to answer.

Exactly...

 

 

Though I have to admit I have it much easier since my plans are created for me but based on Daniels methods and philosophy.

 

I am just understanding why my coach sometimes has me racing sans taper and that would be because the race in question is not a goal race and happens to fall somewhere in phase II and III.

 

But all that said, 'based on' and 'follow exactly' are worlds apart.  So even though I read Daniels I can't comment or specifically target how it relates to my plan/ work.

 

 

 

The basic method of usage is to 'count back'.  ie: find your goal race and count backwards in weeks until when you start. (or now ) That will tell you where you would fit into the plan.  With the note that if you are not at the level to do the workouts at that week, then you have a couple of hard decisions and questions to answer.

My schedules are loosely based on Hudson and this is what I do. Count back 8-12 weeks and jump in. When I first picked up his book I was looking at the earlier weeks and thinking "this would be a step back from what I'm doing now". I was already doing some form of speedwork, I just need to structure my speed endurance workouts in relation to my goal race. I didn't need 16-18 weeks to prep for a 10k, half or marathon. Hell, I ran my grand master marathon PB on 6 weeks of training [2 week taper]. This wasn't always the case but one year stood on top of the next and I realized repeating workouts only burned me out.

Meaghan: Thank you. That makes sense. What I need to do is get a race on my calendar so I can put it in action. My problem will be how many miles I want to run every week, when to peak, etc...

 

Docket: I found that in the book. It's in the chapter about season training. I am still not sure about how to use the Phases and how many weeks for each one.

 

Sly: Do you have a coach?

 

Moth: I might try the Hanson plan next time, unless I get comfortable with this.

You decide how many weeks you want to train and go to that chart.  1, 2, 3, 4, etc.  Wherever those weeks fall (phase I-IV) that's the week you need to do on that phase.  For example, if you want to train 12 weeks, you will choose from the chart weeks 1-12.  Wherever they fall, that is the phase that the week will be.  If week 12 falls in Phase IV, that's the phase you have to use for week 12.

For example, in my example, weeks 1, 2, and 3 fall in Phase I, so those first three weeks (the numbers in order) will be in Phase I.  After that, you look at his training plan and if you have 3 weeks in Phase I (weeks 1, 2, and 3), you go to the plan and choose from the workouts available in Phase I and choose three weeks. After that, you look where Week 4 falls (let's say Phase II) and do the same (go to the training plan and look for workouts in Phase II and choose.

I think Daniels' is a bit intimidating the first time through. I think what helped me most is just put everything down on paper and see how it shakes out. If you're starting the program, but you have a good base of miles under you, just skip "Phase I". Phase 2 thru 4 go 18 weeks, but if you don't have that much time then you need to reference that table that shows training weeks and phases.

Once you figure out the max miles you want to run, then things fall in to place. I chose 60 for mine. You also need to figure out which vDOT value that you're going to use. That will help you determine how far you can run in 120 minutes for the LR (and all of your other distances). A pace calculator is really necessary to figure out your plan.

You could always draft up a plan and we could look at it?

One difference I see between 2nd Ed. and 3rd Ed. is that in the 2nd he would do percentage of max miles for your mileage. So you'd run 70%, 80%, 90% and 100% of your weekly mileage depending on the week. I don't see that in the 3rd Ed. Am I missing something or has he changed that bit?

I think Daniels' is a bit intimidating the first time through. I think what helped me most is just put everything down on paper and see how it shakes out. If you're starting the program, but you have a good base of miles under you, just skip "Phase I". Phase 2 thru 4 go 18 weeks, but if you don't have that much time then you need to reference that table that shows training weeks and phases.

 

Once you figure out the max miles you want to run, then things fall in to place. I chose 60 for mine. You also need to figure out which vDOT value that you're going to use. That will help you determine how far you can run in 120 minutes for the LR (and all of your other distances). A pace calculator is really necessary to figure out your plan.

 

You could always draft up a plan and we could look at it?

 

One difference I see between 2nd Ed. and 3rd Ed. is that in the 2nd he would do percentage of max miles for your mileage. So you'd run 70%, 80%, 90% and 100% of your weekly mileage depending on the week. I don't see that in the 3rd Ed. Am I missing something or has he changed that bit?

It's in there, just on the marathon plans. It's called "Fraction of Peak." You can see on pages 219-242.

I have my vDOT so I know my training paces. Unfortunately I don't have any races on the calendar because right now our weekends are dictated by our kids' schedules. Once I get the XC and swim schedules I will get signed up for a few.

Thanks for the help!

Ok, that makes sense now. I was thinking "Why did he go from Phase I to IV?" Those numbers are set for any plan, I take it, whether it's a 5K or marathon.

Phase I base building

Phase II Speedwork focus

Phase III LT(tempo) training focus

Phase IV Race specific focus

Pretty standard periodisation