Day 29, 13 Workouts To Go
Warmup: Walk for six minutes; stretch gently.
Workout: Congratulations on completing your four-mile workout. For this recovery day, walk easily to work out any stiffness. If you need complete rest, that’s OK too. Just do your stretching routine.
Cooldown: Walk for another six minutes, and stretch again.
Day 30, 12 Workouts To Go
Warmup: Walk vigorously about six minutes, then jog for four more. Stretch easily and don’t rush. Try to loosen up your entire body from neck and shoulders to trunk down to legs and ankles. Remember you must stretch your calves and hamstrings every day.
Workout: Try to cover a little more than 2 ½ miles at a slightly slower pace you would expect to use on July 4th. If you finish up exhausted, you know that two miles more will only be a painful experience; make it fun or your running career will be ended before it even started. Stay with talk test pace and try to add a smile for every mile.
Cooldown: Walk for six more minutes and stretch.
Day 31, 11 Workouts To Go
Warmup: Walk for six minutes and stretch.
Workout: Just continue walking for a total of 30 minutes, or if you wish, rest completely. This is your easy day or day of rest.
Cooldown: Stretch again before going to bed.
Day 32, 10 Workouts To Go
Warmup: Walk briskly for about six minutes, then ease into a slow jog for another four to six minutes. Stretch and loosen up thoroughly.
Workout: Your objective in this workout is to once again get slightly past the 5k mark, somewhere between 1 ½ and 2 ½ miles. Non-stop jogging would be best, and by going slowly, you stand the best chance of getting there. Walk if you have to, but get the distance in.
Cooldown: Make sure you don’t stop suddenly; instead, continue to move in a comfortable walk for at least six minutes more. Repeat your warmup stretches.
Day 33, 9 Workouts To Go
Warmup: Walk for six minutes and jog another four. Stretch your calves and hamstrings, and work in Doc Sherman’s Magic Six as best you can.
Workout: Cover yesterday’s distance and add ½ to ¾ of a mile more. Because these are two long days in a row, go very easily. Walking and talking along the way is perfectly permissable. Try to keep moving, but don’t push too hard.
Cooldown: Walk for about six minutes more, or until you feel cool and comfortable; then, stretch easily.
Day 34, 8 Workouts To Go
This is another rest day. Take it easy. You’ve done a lot of mileage this week and your body needs to recuperate. If you insist on walking, don’t go far.
Day 35, 7 Workouts To Go
Warmup: Walk briskly for five minutes, then jog for four more minutes. Do your stretching exercises; loosen up thoroughly before getting into your run.
Workout: This workout should be the standard by which you determine whether to get on the starting line July 4th. Your goal should be to cover between 2 ½ and 3 miles as easily as possible. The objective is to comfortably handle a long run. Don’t set out to self-destruct; you’re not on Mission Impossible. Remember, the combination of distance plus heat can take its toll, so go as easily as possible – and then go a little bit easier. Cooldown: On finishing your jog, go right to a walk and keep moving until your system cools down. Remember to stretch at the end of your cool down and again in the evening.
