Structure Logic
Plyometrics on fresh legs (Tue + Fri). Legs mid-week to recover over the weekend. Evening runs Mon/Wed/Fri — easy enough not to wreck the next morning's gym session.
Monday
Push
Chest · Shoulder
🏃 EVE RUN
Tuesday
Plyo A
Power · Speed
Wednesday
Legs
Squat · Hinge
🏃 LONG RUN
Thursday
Pull
Back · Bicep
Friday
Plyo B
Reactive
🏃 INTERVALS
Saturday
Full Rest
Recovery
Sunday
Active Rest
Mobility · Walk
Weekly Volume
Monday Push
Chest · Shoulders · Triceps · Core
Warm-up (5–7 min)Band pull-aparts 2×15 · Arm circles · Cat-cow · Thoracic rotation · 5 min incline walk
Main Lifts
Barbell Bench Press
4×6–8
Incline DB Press
3×10–12
Standing DB Shoulder Press
3×10–12
Cable Lateral Raises
3×15
Tricep Rope Pushdowns
3×12–15
Push-up Finisher
2×AMRAP
Core Circuit (2 rounds)
Dead Bug
2×12/s
Pallof Press (Cable)
2×12/s
Ab Wheel Rollout
2×10–12
Cool-down5 min walk · Chest doorway stretch · Shoulder cross-body · Child's pose
Evening Run
Easy / Tempo
If legs feel good → 20 min easy + 15 min tempo. If heavy → all easy. Don't push hard the same day as gym. Rain = rest.
Tuesday Plyo A
Power · Bilateral · Speed-Strength
Key Rule
Quality over quantity. Every rep explosive — full intent. Rest fully between sets (2 min min). Short but high-output. No run today.
Warm-up (8–10 min — Don't skip)Leg swings front/back + lateral · Hip circles · Ankle hops 2×20 · A-skips 2×20m · High knees 2×20m
Plyometrics — Power Block
Box Jumps
4×5
Broad Jumps
4×4
Jump Squat
3×8
Depth Jump
3×5
Speed Skaters
3×10/s
Ankle Hops / Pogo Jumps
3×20
Accessory (Light)
Bulgarian Split Squat
3×10/s
Hip Thrust
3×15
Single-leg Calf Raises
3×15/s
Cool-downHip flexor stretch 60s/side · Hamstring stretch · Calf wall stretch · Pigeon pose 60s/side
Wednesday Legs
Squat · Hinge · Carry · Single Leg
Most Important Day
Heavy squats + RDLs + single-leg work = foundation of running power. Don't skip, don't rush. Evening run is a slow flush run — not training.
Warm-up (8–10 min)Hip CARs 10/side · Glute bridges 2×15 · Goblet squat BW 2×10 · Leg swings · Ankle wall drill 2 min
Main Compound Lifts
Barbell Back Squat
4×5–6
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
4×8
Walking Lunges
3×12/s
Single Leg + Accessory
Step-ups (weighted DB)
3×10/s
Nordic Hamstring Curl
3×5–8
Lateral Band Walks
3×15/s
Farmer's Carry
3×40m
Tibialis Raises
3×20
Cool-down (10 min — you have a run later)Quad stretch · Hip flexor lunge 60s/side · Hamstring stretch · Pigeon pose · Foam roll quads
Evening Run
Long Run
Primary race prep run. Start 6–8 km in June, peak 16–18 km in September. Keep it very easy — distance is the stimulus. Monsoon = reschedule to Thursday morning.
Thursday Pull
Back · Biceps · Rear Delts · Core
Warm-up (5 min)Band pull-aparts 2×15 · Cat-cow 10 reps · Dead hang 20–30 sec · Scapular shrugs in hang
Main Pulls
Pull-ups / Assisted
4×max
Bent-over Barbell Row
4×8–10
Seated Cable Row
3×12
Face Pulls
3×15–20
Single-arm DB Row
3×10/s
Hammer + Supinating Curl
3×10–12
Runner Core (10 min)
Copenhagen Plank
3×30s/s
Suitcase Carry
3×30m/s
Bear Crawl
3×20m
Cool-downLat stretch on rack · Chest opener · Thoracic foam roll · Child's pose with reach
Friday Plyo B
Reactive · Unilateral · Agility
Plyo B vs A
Plyo A = bilateral power. Plyo B = reactive, single-leg, direction changes. This translates directly to running economy and race-day power.
Warm-up (8 min)High knees 2×30s · Butt kicks 2×30s · Lateral bounds ×10 · Single-leg calf hops 2×15/side
Reactive Plyometrics
Single-leg Box Jump
4×4/s
Lateral Bound + Stick
4×6/s
Single-leg Pogo Hops
3×20/s
Hurdle / Cone Hops
3×6
Alternating Split Jump
3×8/s
T-Agility Drill
4×drill
Posterior Chain Finisher
Kettlebell Swing
4×15
Single-leg Calf Raise (loaded)
3×12/s
Cool-down (before evening run)10 min walk · Dynamic hip stretches · Ankle circles
Evening Run
Intervals / Easy
Option A (every 2 weeks): 1.5 km warmup → 6–8 × 400m at 5K pace (1:30 jog recovery) → 1 km cool-down.
Option B (off weeks): Easy 5 km. Even 4 km easy counts — never skip entirely.
Option B (off weeks): Easy 5 km. Even 4 km easy counts — never skip entirely.
Rest Days
Saturday Full Rest · Sunday Active Recovery
Rest is where you adapt
You don't get stronger or faster during workouts — you adapt during recovery. Both days are mandatory.
Saturday — Full Rest
- No gym, no running, no "quick workouts"
- Eat at or slightly above maintenance
- Prioritize 8–9 hours of sleep
- Elevate legs when sitting
- Light walk max 20 min if restless
- Great day to meal prep for the week
Sunday — Active Recovery
- 20–30 min easy walk
- 15–20 min full body stretching
- Foam roll: quads, calves, IT band, thoracic
- Yoga/mobility flow (Tom Merrick — YouTube)
- Hydrate well — you're depleted from the week
Sunday Stretch (20 min)
90/90 Hip Stretch
60s/side
Best hip mobility drill — both hips
World's Greatest Stretch
5/side
Half-kneeling Hip Flexor
90s/side
Posterior pelvic tilt + squeeze rear glute
Calf + Soleus Wall Stretch
45s each
Straight leg + bent knee versions both
Thoracic Extension (foam roller)
2 min
Work up/down mid-back — fixes running posture
Supine Spinal Twist
60s/side
Run Guide
Sub 2:00 HM — 5:41/km goal pace
Sub 2:00 Math
21.1 km in 120 min = 5:41/km average. Tempo: 5:40–5:50/km. Easy: 6:30–7:30/km. 400m intervals: ~2:00–2:10 per rep. Don't run easy runs too fast — biggest mistake runners make.
Type 1
Easy / Recovery
Conversational pace — hold a full sentence. Nose breathing is a good guide. Most runners run these too fast. Embrace the slow.
Type 2
Tempo / Threshold
Comfortably hard — 3–4 words max. 1.5 km warmup → tempo → 1 km cool-down. Limit once per week.
Type 3
Long Run
Most important run. Start 8 km in June, peak 18–20 km in September, taper October. Very easy — distance is the stimulus, not pace.
Type 4
Intervals
Builds VO2max. Alternate with easy Fridays. Max once per week.
Monsoon Protocol
Light drizzle
Run if you have traction — embrace it, builds character
Heavy rain
Skip. Don't risk ankle injury on wet Kathmandu streets
Only 2 runs this week
Fine — protect long run (Wed) above all else
Indoor option
Treadmill or 30 min stair climbs
Race Plan
June → October Progression
Phase 1 Base
Jun – Jul
Gym
Learn lifts, 60–70% max, form focus
Running
Easy runs only. Build the habit.
Phase 2 Build
August
Gym
+5–10% weight, add load to plyos
Running
Tempo 1×/week, intervals start
Phase 3 Peak
September
Gym
Reduce volume, keep plyos intense
Running
Peak long run, race-pace miles
Phase 4 Taper
Oct pre-race
Gym
–40% volume. 1 wk out: maintenance only
Running
–30–40% miles. No run day before race.
2-for-2 Rule (Gym)
Hit top of rep range 2 sets in a row → add 2.5–5 kg next session. Never increase more than 5%/week.
10% Rule (Running)
Never increase weekly distance more than 10%/week. Every 4th week: drop 20% (deload). This is non-negotiable for injury prevention.
Key Numbers to Track
Long Run Distance
Start: 8 km
Target: 18 km
Easy Run Pace
Start: 7:00/km
Target: 6:30/km
Tempo Pace
Start: 6:10/km
Target: 5:40/km
Back Squat
Start: BW×1
Target: BW×1.5
Single-leg Calf Raises
Start: 12 clean
Target: 20 clean
Weekly Non-Negotiables
- 7–8 hours sleep minimum — this is training
- Protein: 1.6–2g per kg bodyweight daily
- Hydrate 3+ liters (more on run days)
- Sunday mobility session — always
- Foam roll 2–3× per week minimum
Warning Signs — Back Off
- Sharp knee or ankle pain (not soreness)
- Shin pain that doesn't warm up → rest 3 days
- Resting HR elevated +10 bpm → deload
- Sleep crashing → full deload week
- Motivation gone + heavy legs → rest day