Training week · Edition 05 · Archive

A week at easy effort.

Three conversational half-hours, two short familiar lifts and three open days. Keep the effort comfortable and let your recent routine decide how much of this standalone week fits.

Week of
2-8 November 2026
Load
3 runs · 2 lifts · up to 2 hours 10, including warm-ups and rests
Written for
Recreational adults already comfortable with 3 runs and at least 90 run/walk minutes a week, 30-minute easy outings and two familiar strength sessions
Jump to the week

Before you start

Four rules that outlast any one week.

  1. Start from your current routine

    This is a standalone week, not the next step in a course. Recent comfortable running frequency, weekly minutes and longest outing each set a separate ceiling. Reduce or omit sessions if any ceiling would be exceeded. Skipped weeks and archive editions create no work to catch up on.

  2. Keep conversation comfortable

    Every run stays easy, around 2-4 out of 10 perceived effort, where 10 is maximal. Comfortable full sentences matter more than pace. Slow down or walk on hills or when conditions or fatigue raise the effort. Walking breaks count within the listed time. There are no fast intervals, strides or fast finishes.

  3. Keep lifting familiar and brief

    Use only movements and resistance you already tolerate. Leave about three comfortable repetitions in reserve. Rest 60-90 seconds between exercises, longer if needed. Each 20-minute cap includes five minutes of warm-up, any practice sets, rests and transitions. Leave unfinished exercises out when the cap arrives.

  4. Make recovery part of the week

    Monday, Wednesday and Saturday have no scheduled training. Comfortable ordinary movement is welcome. Lingering soreness or fatigue means reducing or skipping the next session. Do not move missed work onto an open day. Stop for pain that changes your movement; completing the schedule is never the priority.

See the latest training edition

2-8 Nov · 3 runs, 2 lifts

The week.

2 Nov

Monday

Rest

No running

Recovery

Recovery

Leave the start open

Why it is here
Space after a weekend whose workload only you know.

Get this rightKeep everyday movement comfortable. If you are still tired from the weekend, shorten or skip Tuesday rather than adding training today.

3 Nov

Tuesday

2 sessions

30 minutes total

Easy run

Run

An easy half-hour

The session
  • Warm-up: 5 minutes of comfortable walking, gradually finding your rhythm.
  • Main: 20 minutes of easy running on a familiar route. Take walking breaks within those minutes whenever needed.
  • Cool-down: 5 minutes of comfortable walking. No extra loop or acceleration.
Effort
Easy, RPE 2-4 out of 10. Comfortable full-sentence conversation.
Why it is here
A simple outing without a distance target.

Get this rightCheck that you can talk comfortably early on. Shorten or skip both sessions today if weekend fatigue remains.

Up to 20 minutes total

Strength

Gym

Strength A: one familiar set

Squat, hinge, push, pull and trunk control

ExerciseSetsNotes
Bodyweight or goblet squat1 x 8Choose your familiar version and comfortable depth. Leave about three comfortable repetitions in reserve.
Glute bridge or light dumbbell Romanian deadlift1 x 8Use only a movement you already know and resistance you tolerate. Keep the repetitions controlled.
Incline push-up or light chest press1 x 8Use a stable support or familiar equipment. Finish with about three comfortable repetitions left.
Seated band or cable row1 x 8Use a securely anchored band or familiar machine. Pull smoothly with familiar resistance.
Dead bug1 x 6 each sideUse a comfortable range and stop before trunk control changes.
Warm-up
Within the cap: 3 minutes of easy walking or cycling, then 2 minutes of gentle unloaded squats, hinges and shoulder movements. Include any easy practice sets within the same 20 minutes.
Why it is here
A short whole-body session without chasing heavier weights or extra sets.

Get this rightIf combining sessions, run first and take a breather, or lift later that day. Rest 60-90 seconds between exercises, longer if needed. Stop at 20 minutes and omit anything unfinished.

4 Nov

Wednesday

Rest

No running

Recovery

Recovery

Give Tuesday some space

Why it is here
A day free of scheduled training after the run and lift.

Get this rightThere is no recovery workout to complete. If soreness or fatigue persists tomorrow, reduce or omit Thursday's run.

5 Nov

Thursday

1 session

30 minutes total

Easy run

Run

Same time, same easy effort

The session
  • Warm-up: 5 minutes of comfortable walking.
  • Main: 20 minutes of easy running. Choose a familiar, mostly level route and include walking breaks as needed within the time.
  • Cool-down: 5 minutes of comfortable walking.
Effort
Easy, RPE 2-4 out of 10. Full sentences should stay comfortable.
Why it is here
A repeatable midweek outing with no increase in time or intensity.

Get this rightIf running with others, choose a group that lets you chat. Let faster runners go and keep your own effort comfortable.

6 Nov

Friday

1 session

Up to 20 minutes total

Strength

Gym

Strength B: repeat without adding

The same familiar full-body patterns as Tuesday

ExerciseSetsNotes
Bodyweight or goblet squat1 x 8Repeat Tuesday's version with the same or lighter resistance and a comfortable depth.
Glute bridge or light dumbbell Romanian deadlift1 x 8Repeat Tuesday's familiar choice. Leave about three comfortable repetitions in reserve.
Incline push-up or light chest press1 x 8Keep the same comfortable setup. Stop well before failure.
Seated band or cable row1 x 8Use the same or lighter resistance, a secure setup and smooth repetitions.
Dead bug1 x 6 each sideRepeat your comfortable range. Stop before control changes.
Warm-up
Within the cap: 3 minutes of easy walking or cycling and 2 minutes of gentle unloaded squats, hinges and shoulder movements. Include easy practice sets as needed within the same 20 minutes.
Why it is here
A second brief strength session using familiar movements and no added load.

Get this rightReduce or skip this session for unresolved soreness from Tuesday or fatigue after Thursday. Rest 60-90 seconds between exercises, longer if needed, and stop at 20 minutes. Keep Saturday open.

7 Nov

Saturday

Rest

No running

Recovery

Recovery

An uncommitted Saturday

Why it is here
Space between Friday's lift and Sunday's easy outing.

Get this rightNormal comfortable movement is fine. Do not add a shakeout or missed sets. If fatigue remains, shorten Sunday or rest again.

8 Nov

Sunday

1 session

30 minutes total

Easy run

Run

Finish with another easy half-hour

The session
  • Warm-up: 5 minutes of comfortable walking.
  • Main: 20 minutes of easy running, with walking breaks inside that time whenever needed. Use a familiar route that makes it easy to finish on time.
  • Cool-down: 5 minutes of comfortable walking. Finish without a fast final section.
Effort
Easy, RPE 2-4 out of 10. Comfortable conversation throughout.
Why it is here
A third easy outing, with no longer-run target this week.

Get this rightThirty minutes is a ceiling, not a minimum. Stay within your recent comfortable outing length and shorten or skip if Friday's soreness remains.

Make it fit

Scale it to your week.

Your current week is shorter

Use 20 minutes on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday: 5 minutes walking to warm up, 10 easy run/walk minutes and 5 minutes walking to cool down each time. That is 60 run/walk minutes, or at most 1 hour 40 with two 20-minute lifts. Shorten further or omit sessions if frequency, total time or outing length exceeds your recent comfortable baseline.

You usually do more

Use this as a lighter week if it fits your routine. There is no need to add a fourth run, extra sets, faster running or a longer Sunday. Your individual plan takes precedence; this edition does not prescribe a progression from any earlier one.

Strength is less familiar

Keep only the lifting frequency and movements you already tolerate, or omit both lifts. Running alone totals 90 minutes (1 hour 30), or 60 minutes (1 hour) for the shorter option. If these movements are new, learn suitable exercises separately with qualified instruction before adopting the sessions.

You have missed weeks

Start from what feels comfortable now, even below the shorter option. Do not catch up on archive editions, double sessions or fill rest days with missed work. This is general guidance, not a rehabilitation plan. Injury or symptoms affecting running need individual advice before following it.

Edition 05

Do it together.

When a new edition is published, it replaces the latest page while this edition stays at its permanent archive URL. The hard session and the long run are both easier in company.

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