Dear Coach:
I am getting back into shape after a long time off due to an injury. I started running again about four months ago and had to walk some of the time for the first couple of weeks. I am now running 3 to 5 miles four times per week and doing a Sunday long run of 8 miles. I would like to start doing some speed work so I can enter some races without embarrassing myself, but I don't want to get injured again. Do you have any suggestions of what I should do?
Ginny

Dear Ginny:
So far you have made all the right moves. It is very important that a runner rebuild her aerobic base before considering speed work and racing. This helps you build leg strength while getting used to the pounding from running. You have more than a sufficient base to start a speed program.

I would suggest a two-stage approach. First, spend 6 to 8 weeks running aerobic intervals. Aerobic intervals are designed to help you strengthen your joints and ligaments in preparation for anaerobic threshold (AT) work that involves real huffing and puffing.

Here are a couple of my favorite aerobic intervals. First, you can do the 15/45 workout as follows. Warm up for one mile and then pick up the pace for 15 seconds (this does not mean sprint) and then jog for 45 seconds. Repeat this 15/45 sequence for 2 to 3 miles and then cool down. If you are running on a track, you could do a variation of this by picking up the pace on the straights of the track and jogging the curves (I have heard this workout referred to "ins" and "outs").

After the 6 to 8 weeks of aerobic intervals, then do 4 to 6 weeks of AT running. My favorite AT workouts are 3 times one mile at 15K/10 mile race pace with a 2 to 3 minute recovery between sets and a 20 minute nonstop AT run. For those using a heart monitor, AT runs are at 80% to 85% of MAX heart rate. After a few weeks of AT training, you should be ready to run some pretty fast races.

Dear Coach:
I am signed up to run a marathon at the end of April but I also want to do well at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 mile race. How do I balance the speed work necessary to race a 10 miler while still doing the long distance needed to complete the marathon?
Bill

Dear Bill:
You will have three weeks between the 10 miler and your marathon. This will require some adjustments in your training schedule because the ideal time to do your last long run before the marathon is three weeks before. Try the following approach. Start your long runs a couple of weeks earlier or 10 to 12 weeks before the marathon. Your second to last long run of 20 miles should be two weeks before Cherry Blossom. If you run 20 miles the weekend before Cherry Blossom, you run the risk of still having dead legs at the race. Then you will do your last long run of 20 miles two weeks before the marathon and then drastically reduce your mileage.

A second option is something I did years ago when Cherry Blossom was three weeks before the Pittsburgh Marathon. After racing Cherry Blossom, I ran the course a second time at an extremely easy effort to get 20 miles in. As far as speed work goes, you need to concentrate on anaerobic threshold runs in preparation for Cherry Blossom, stopping speed work two weeks before the race. The bonus is that this kind of speed work will benefit anyone training for the marathon.

Kirt West is a private coach for motivated adult runners. Questions may be sent to him at his e-mail