Q. I am currently running two miles twice a week and a three-mile run on the weekend. I'm thinking of signing up for a five-mile run on Thanksgiving Day. Do you think I have enough time for training to add two miles to my workouts?
Also, how do you suggest I add on the miles? Just one or two runs per week or all my runs? I need help with training.
A. You have about eight-and-a-half weeks between September 26 and the Thanksgiving run, plenty of time to be ready for five miles. There are lots of ways to go, but let's just hold your weekday runs constant in this model. For planning purposes, I'm going to assume your run Tuesday, Thursday and one weekend day. Your run mileage on those days, of the following weeks could look something like:
| Week of: | Distance (Tues/Thurs/Weekend day) |
| 9/26 | 2 miles / 2 miles / 3.5 miles |
| 10/3 | 2 miles / 2 miles / 4 miles |
| 10/10 | 2 miles / 2 miles / 3 miles (recovery week) |
| 10/17 | 2 miles / 2 miles / 4.5 miles |
| 10/24 | 2 miles / 2 miles / 5 miles |
| 10/31 | 2 miles / 2 miles / 3 miles (recovery week) |
| 11/7 | 2 miles / 2 miles / 5-5.5 miles |
| 11/14 | 2 miles / 3 miles / 2 miles |
| 11/21 | 1-2 miles / 5-mile race / no run or an easy 2 miles |
Good luck at the race and have fun!
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