Exclusive Brooks Beasts Race Training Guides
Ready. Set. Go!
Brooks Beasts Head Coach Danny Mackey created four exclusive race training guides to get you ready and confident for your next race: Couch to 5K, 10K Speed Sharpening, Half Marathon, and Marathon.
Couch to 5K
This 6-week plan is designed to get you moving at a pace that’s comfortable for you. Everyday runners can aim to complete a mile in about 9 to 12 minutes. This means you'll finish a 5K in about 28 to 37 minutes. Getting to the finish line, feeling good and proud of completing your first race is your ultimate goal!
10K Speed Sharpening
If you’re looking to boost your speed for your next 10K race, this four-week speed-sharpening training plan is for you. Before hitting the pavement with this plan, make sure you have a goal pace to work toward. In general, your 10K pace will be around 45 to 60 seconds per mile slower than your best mile time or somewhere between 10 and 30 seconds slower than your 5K pace, so knowing this, you can determine the 10K pace you’d like to get to with this speed sharpening plan.
12-Week Training Plan: Half Marathon
Give us 12 weeks to get you half marathon ready! It’s important to have your goal pace in mind when using this plan, as Mackey refers to goal pace throughout. To find your goal pace, use this Brooks Marathon Pace Chart. Goal pace will become a focus two weeks into this plan.
16-Week Training Plan: Marathon
Marathon training is a serious endeavor, and this plan gives you the support you need to keep pounding the pavement. Make sure to have your goal pace in mind when using this plan, and you can use this Brooks Marathon Pace Chart to find it. Please note it is important to track your distance each day and your total distance for the week.
PACE DEFINITIONS:
Easy Pace – This can be your “default” pace and try not to pay attention to your watch, just run relaxed and off feel. You should be able to carry a conversation. On a 1 to 10 scale. 1 being a walk, 10 being an all-out race effort, this is a 3-4 out of 10 effort.
Moderate Pace – This should be markedly faster than your Easy Pace but should be much easier than a sprint and much less intense. You should be able to maintain this pace for an entire run if you were to focus. You should be able to say a full sentence but not carry on a conversation. Effort is a 5-6 out of 10.
Hard Pace – This should be faster than Moderate pace. You’ll push yourself to run this hard pace for shorter intervals at various times in the training plan. You’ll want to practice good form while staying mentally tough to practice pushing through discomfort at this faster speed. You can say a few words but not a full sentence. Effort is an 8-9 out of 10.
Race Pace/Goal Pace [GP] – Use the pace calculator to determine your time per mile based on your goals. This will help you determine what your race pace is for your workouts. This is a 10 out of 10 effort.
Recovery Pace – Your body can help you determine what Recovery Pace is for you. Used mostly in workouts after hard or fast intervals, recovery pace is slow and steady, usually slower than your Easy Pace. This is meant to keep your heart rate up and your body warm while giving your systems the chance to recover and reset. Effort is a 2 out of 10. Slower is better, don’t worry about pace here, the aim is to recover.
Pickups – These are short efforts. You can think of these as controlled sprints where you work on speed and your form. Use these as an opportunity to be athletic and get back to your pure speed.
Warm-Up / Cool-Down - Easy jogging and a few shorter, faster intervals to get your body ready for a workout, and easy jogging to recover once you’re done.