Training - 24 Hours of Freedom
Arizona's Premier Team Relay Race

The following program is designed to assist RUNNERS in preparing for the 24 Hours of Freedom Relay. While we do not have a specific training program for runners who will be competing on hand cycles and one-offs, we welcome any suggestions for training programs designed for these runners. If you have a training program that you would like to share, please contact race headquarters at goforit@24hoursoffreedom.com.

Since each person will be running/cycling a total distance of approximately 25-30 kilometers (15-23 miles) in three separate legs, training considerations should include the following:

• Gain aerobic strength so as to be capable of completing at least a half-marathon type race
• Develop hill climbing strength necessary for long, sustained hills
• Prepare for multiple runs/cycles in a 24 hour period
• Practice with food/fluid consumption surrounding exercise
• Develop conditioning necessary to run at least 40 miles a week including sustained hill work, multiple runs per day and one long run

The training schedules:
These are programs for beginning and intermediate runners that develop long runs, strength training, and multiple workouts per day which will adequately prepare a person for running the 24 Hours of Freedom Relay.

We define a beginning runner as a person who is generally fit to begin an exercise program (a doctor's examine before beginning any exercise program is always essential) and has not been doing any running previous to starting our program.

We loosely define an intermediate runner as a person who has been running 20-30 miles per week, exercises on at least 3 days each week, and races only occasionally.

Our goal, for anyone following these training regimes, is to get each runner to the starting line prepared to tackle the challenge of the 24 Hours of Freedom Relay and have a good time doing it.

A few notes of explanation:
The beginning of the schedule below is broken down by minutes instead of miles. Run at your own "comfortable pace" for the given amount of time. Comfortable might mean walking periodically in order to complete the workout. That’s OK, the important thing is to stick to the length of time allotted for each workout. While you are exercising you should be able to talk easily. Don’t worry about how fast you’re moving, it’s the time you spend on your feet and not the pace of the run that counts. When you start adding hills to your Tuesday run be conservative. Start with just a couple of short hills and add another hill every week or choose hills that are longer in length. If you miss a workout don’t worry, just start from where you are on the schedule and don’t try and make-up the missed day by adding on to workouts or squeezing in the missed training on a day off.

We’ve put in several days that feature multiple workouts on one day. This is to give you the same experience you’ll encounter in the race when you’re faced with 3 stages of the relay only hours apart. There will be added stress of running at night and at high altitude that you can't really prepare for, but the multiple run workout will at least allow you practice before the challenge of running 3 difficult relay legs.

The intermediate workout schedule is written in miles and, like the beginning schedule, works at building long runs and developing strength through hill training. Keep the general miles very easy and place the emphasis of your training on the hills and long runs. Start the hill workouts by doing a few easy hills that don’t put a lot of pressure on your legs, then gradually add more resistance as the program develops. By the final weeks you should be able to do the entire length of the run over hills. The longer the hills, the better.

On your long runs and on the days of your multiple workouts you should practice rehydrating and eating in the same manner as you’ll be utilizing during the relay. Choose replacement drinks and foods that are easily managed by your stomach: high in carbohydrates, easily digestible, and easily transportable. Practice with those foods and drinks so there aren’t any surprises.

BEGINNER SCHEDULE (NOT actual dates):

Wk. of Date	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri		Sat	Sun
1-Jan	15MN	Rest	15MN	Rest	15MN		Rest	20MN
7-Jan	Rest	20MN	Rest	20MN	Rest		30MN	Rest
14-Jan	20MN	Rest	35MN	Rest	25MN		Rest	40MN
21-Jan	Rest	30MN	20MN	Rest	35MN		Rest	45MN
28-Jan	Rest	30MN	20MN	Rest	40MN		Rest	50MN
4-Feb	Rest	35MN	30MN	Rest	45MN		25MN	55MN
11-Feb	Rest	35-H	Rest	45MN	30MN		25MN	60MN
18-Feb	Rest	40-H	Rest	45MN	35MN		30MN	70MN
25-Feb	Rest	45-H	Rest	50MN	35MN		20/20MN	80MN
3-March	Rest	50-H	Rest	55MN	40MN		25/25MN	90MN
10-March	Rest	55-H	Rest	60MN	45MN		Rest	105MN
17-March	Rest	60-H	Rest	65MN	20MN		30/30MN	90MN
24-March	Rest	70-H	Rest	70MN	30MN		Rest	120MN
31-March	Rest	35MN	Rest	80-H	30MN		Rest	35/35/35MN
7-April	Rest	70-H	Rest	45MN	Rest		1M/40MN	45MN
14-April	30MN	25MN	Rest	Rest	Race (4/18)		Race (4/19)	Celebrate!

INTERMEDIATE SCHEDULE:

Wk. of Date	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Friday		Sat	Sun
1-Jan	5M	Rest	5M	Rest	5M		Rest	8M
7-Jan	Rest	6M	4M	Rest	6M		3M	8M
14-Jan	Rest	7M	5M	Rest	6M		3M	9M
21-Jan	Rest	7M	5M	Rest	7M		3M	11M
28-Jan	Rest	8M	5M	Rest	7M		4M	12M
4-Feb	Rest	8M	6M	Rest	8M		4M	12M
11-Feb	Rest	6M-H	6M	Rest	8M		4M	12M
18-Feb	Rest	7M-H	7M	Rest	9M		4M	13M
25-Feb	Rest	8M-H	7M	Rest	9M		3M/3M	13M
3-March	Rest	8M-H	7M	Rest	8M		4M/4M	12M
10-March	Rest	8M-H	7M	4M	9M		4M	6M/4M/4M
17-March	Rest	8M-H	7M	4M	8M		Rest	16M
24-March	Rest	8M-H	7M	5M	9M		5M	5M/5M/5M
31-March	Rest	8M-H	7M	5M	6M		Rest	18M
7-April	Rest	6M-H	5M	4M	8M		Rest	10M
14-April	Rest	4M	3M	2M	Race (4/18)		Race (4/19)	Celebrate!