Endurance Training Plan (Week 5) – The Toughest Week of the Block

Author: Ondra Marienka

5 days a week 8 weeks Running Performance athlete

09.09.2026

3 minuty čtení

Over the past two weeks, we’ve trained VO2max and the lactate threshold separately. Week 5 is the final week of the polarization phase and pushes the intensity of high-quality training to the maximum this block will demand of you—it’s the moment when everything you’ve built up so far comes together: the broad aerobic base from the first two weeks now allows you to handle more demanding high-intensity training without it wearing you out for the rest of the week.

Physiologically, as your aerobic capacity increases, your body is able to clear lactate more quickly, even between individual intervals — which means that the same interval training you would have tried in the first week of the block would have wiped you out back then, but now you can handle it with significantly better form.

žena běží

Strategy for Week 5: Longer and More Demanding High-Quality Training

The weekly structure remains 4:1 (easy : high-quality), but high-quality training now combines VO2max and threshold elements into a single, more demanding session.
The volume of the long run reaches its peak for this phase of the training block—in the coming weeks, the focus will shift to race-specific intensity rather than further increasing the distance.
Recovery is key —after this week comes a specific training block that will be challenging in a different way. Don’t skimp on sleep or rest days.

Day	Workout	Duration / Distance	Intensity	Note
Day 1	Easy run + Strength A (lower body)	45 minutes	Zone 1–2	Strength: 3 sets of 10–12 reps, RPE 7
Day 2	Rest / light cross-training	–	Zone 1	Cycling, swimming, or complete rest
Day 3	High-quality combined workout: 4 × 4 minutes	Total ~45 minutes, including warm-up	Zone 4 (threshold–VO2max)	2.5 minutes of jogging between intervals
Day 4	Easy run + Strength B (core, stability)	40 minutes	Zone 1–2	Strength: 3 sets of 10–12 reps, RPE 7
Day 5	Rest	–	–	Full recovery before a long run
Day 6	Easy run	45 minutes	Zone 1–2	Conversational pace
Day 7	Long run	90 minutes	Zone 2	Peak volume of the polarization phase

Endurance Training Plan (Week 4) – Learn to Suffer Smartly

5 dní týdně 8 týdnů Běh Výkonnostní sportovec

02.09.2026

3 minuty čtení

Nutrition and Recovery: Support During Peak Workload

This week represents the cumulative peak load of the training block—a combination of high volume and intensity.

Collagen — supports the recovery of tendons and ligaments subjected to repetitive stress at the peak of training volume.
Sleep Support / Stress Relief — At the peak of the polarization phase, sleep quality determines how well the body handles the transition to the specific training block.

What to Expect Next

Week 6 moves away from general polarization and shifts to specific preparation for race pace—training begins to resemble what you’ll experience right at the finish line.