​A 5K race, whether with a dog or not, is likely to feel intense regardless of the pace at which you run it because you know the distance is short and therefore you are willing to go for a faster pace that you can maintain for 15 to 25 minutes.

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The foundation for any distance endurance training plan is to have a good aerobic base. This will only improve with the 80/20 running you will be doing going forward. 80% will be low intensity and 20% or less will be high intensity. An excellent aerobic base is also the foundation for training fatigue resistance which is so important in canicross racing because you have to run on tired legs. 80% of your runs (this applies to your dog too) should be at easy pace. ‘Easy pace’ sounds deceptive at first but we’ll use heart rate at first to know you’re in the ‘easy pace’ zone.

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There are a few ways to work out your training zones but I think it is best to keep it as simple as possible, you will use HEART RATE and PERCEIVED EFFORT, both explained below. Heart rate for easy and recovery runs and perceived effort for speed intervals.

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HEART RATE – When I started MAF training (maximum aerobic function) I used this formula to work out my HR zones for training. You can research MAF training online and read about it, I did. The whole science behind it is very interesting but to keep it simple this is the formula to work out your maximum HR for easy runs.

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180 minus your age = the maximum HR for your easy runs and long runs. Take away 5 if you have been injured or are prone to injury; add 5 if you are an experienced runner without injuries. I keep it simple and don’t add or take away anything, after all it is just a guidance and you should use perceived effort anyway alongside heart rate zones.

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PERCEIVED EFFORT – this represents exactly this: your perception of the effort. You know when you start a race if you’ve gone too fast and soon realise that you won’t be able to maintain that pace for the rest of the distance and therefore you adjust your pace so that you manage to finish the race strong. The same applies in training.

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Heart rate can change dramatically if you are tired, dehydrated or not fuelled properly. With training and racing you will be able to work out your corresponding pace which will vary depending on the distance, type of course and weather conditions and will change, of course, as you get fitter. Your body will also get used to running at different paces and at some point you will be able to tell the pace without checking your heart rate or your watch.

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For Easy Runs, Recovery Runs and Long Runs you will use HR zones and for interval training you will use PE.

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The green highlighted rows indicate recovery weeks and the yellow highlighted row indicates the taper week. 

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ENJOY TRAINING!