Hello high school distance runners and here is our winter training guide (January-March) from RunBlogRun.
This is day seven of week 5 of our ten-week winter training program, which continues until the NIKE Indoor Championships (March 12-15, 2026, more info at https://nikeindoornationals.runnerspace.com/)
The goal is to be in shape at the start of the outdoor season (March in most of the country).
It The NIKE Indoor Nationals will be held March 12-15, 2025 at the NIKE Track & Field Armory. We encourage high schoolers to race indoors, but always point out that the Big Season is outdoors.
Training Sunday, February 8, 2026
Long days are relative. while many elite runners focused on the 5k/10k may do 18-20 miles on a Sunday, runners like 2019 WC Donavan Brazier cover 8.5 miles for their long runs. We focus on distances from 800m to 5000m to train here every day, so in the long run we build you up to 60 minutes to 90 minutes. Arthur Liddiard, the late distance coach, believed that 90 minutes to two hours helped build a more efficient circulatory system.
Your Sunday workout. 75-90 minutes of moderate running today, chat with training partners, make it a good ten minutes halfway through, a spot of grinding hills where you can’t talk, then back to moderate pace. Cool down well and get out of wet clothes as soon as possible.
Hydration is a state of mind. Hydration isn’t about drinking lots of sugary drinks, it’s about drinking water, 8-12 glasses of 8-12 oz a day, carrying a water bottle, and managing caffeine and sugary drinks, which for a true athlete is absolute crap. Also, stay away from so-called sports energy drinks and don’t combine them with alcohol. Why train your ass and then mess it up by putting some junk in your mortal engine?
Think before you drink.
For this winter, I recommend two pairs of sneakers, such as a NIKE Pegasus PLUS and a NIKE Vomero 18 or Vomero PLUS (shown below) for easy days and long days. The Pegasus PLUS is well built, can handle dirt and mud, and provides a stable, comfortable ride without overdoing the cushioning. As always, we don’t recommend buying your running performance shoes remotely, but rather going to an actual live running store.
If you need a little more cushioning, try the Vomero 18 Vomero 18:00 has more cushion than Pegasus PLUS. If you like NIKE, I would suggest high schoolers use the NIKE Pegasus PLUS on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I would suggest Vomero 18 on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I always recommend two pairs of sneakers. Learn more www.nikerrunning.com.
Want to be a better runner than you were before? Focus and follow our training. It’s all about consistency.
For winter reading. By Self-Made Olympian Ron Dawes, Clean Heels by Murray Hallberg, First! by Tom Jordan, Quicksilver, Mercurial Emil Zatopek, Pat Butcher, The Fate of Allen Mimoun, Pat Butcher (monograph)
Remember, one day !!!! #crosscountryrunning, #trackandfieldtraining, #winterrunning, #wintertraining,
, the date is Sunday, February 8, 2026. The photo features Cooper Lutkenhaus winning MIllrose 600m in US Junior record.){kind=link}