Week 7: Consolidation Week (August 2-8, 2025)
Welcome to Week 7! This is a consolidation week, which means we’ll maintain the same distances and intensity as Week 6 to allow your body to adapt to the increased training load. These plateau weeks are strategically placed throughout your training plan to help prevent injury and ensure proper adaptation.
Week 7 Goals
- Consolidate fitness gains from previous weeks
- Focus on quality and consistency in all workouts
- Refine your running form and mental strategies
- Continue building confidence with 5-mile long run
Daily Workout Schedule
Monday: Rest Day
Complete rest day after Week 6. Use this time to assess your progress so far and reflect on any adjustments you might need to make to your training, nutrition, or recovery strategies.
Tuesday: Run/Walk
Total Time: 40 minutes
- 5 minutes walking
- 5 minutes dynamic stretching
- Run 8 minutes / Walk 1 minute
- Repeat this cycle 3 times (27 minutes)
- Focus on consistent pacing and form throughout each running segment
- Pay attention to how your body feels compared to last week’s workout
- Walk 2 minutes
- Static stretching (3 minutes)
Wednesday: Cross-Training
Duration: 45 minutes
- 45 minutes cycling (same structure as Week 6)
- Focus on maintaining good form throughout
- 45 minutes swimming (same structure as Week 6)
- Work on breathing technique and efficiency
- 45 minutes including same exercises as Week 6
- Focus on proper form with each exercise
- Consider increasing reps or resistance slightly if previous week felt comfortable
Thursday: Steady Run
Total Time: 35 minutes
- Same as Tuesday
- Run at a steady, comfortable pace for 20 minutes without walking breaks
- Try to maintain more consistent pacing than last week
- Focus on relaxed breathing and efficient form
- Same as Tuesday
Friday: Rest Day
Complete rest day before your long run. Focus on proper hydration and nutrition to prepare for tomorrow’s workout.
Saturday: Long Run/Walk
Total Distance: 5 miles
- 5 minutes brisk walking
- 5 minutes dynamic stretches
- Run 8 minutes / Walk 1 minute
- Repeat this cycle until you reach 5 miles
- Try to complete the distance slightly faster than Week 6, but don’t push too hard
- Practice your nutrition and hydration strategy during this run
- Walk 5 minutes
- Complete full-body stretching routine (5 minutes)
Sunday: Active Recovery
30-40 minutes easy walking
30 minutes yoga focusing on recovery
20-30 minutes light swimming
Tips for Week 7
Quality Over Quantity
During consolidation weeks, focus on improving quality rather than increasing distance:
- Pay closer attention to your running form
- Work on more consistent pacing across your intervals
- Practice mental strategies during challenging portions of runs
- Refine your nutrition and hydration strategies
- Take stock of how far you’ve come since Week 1
Gear Check
Week 7 is a good time to assess your equipment needs:
- Check your running shoes – are they still providing good support?
- Evaluate any chafing issues and address them with proper clothing or anti-chafing products
- Test different hydration systems (handheld bottle, belt, vest) to find what works best
- Consider if you need any weather-specific gear for upcoming training
- Make sure your timer/watch is working well for tracking intervals