A Typical Week
So just how might a week look for a runner embarking upon some non-paved running? See the below week for a runner executing roughly 35 to 45 minutes of running, four days weekly (considered the average amongst American distance runners).
Sunday: 55-70 minutes on a paved surface, with the final 15 to 20 minutes on a soccer field.
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 35-minute paved run.
Wednesday: 15 minutes on dirt or cinder, followed by 25 minutes on a paved surface.
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 30 to 35 minutes on dirt or grass.
Saturday: Short, paved run.
The late, great coach Arthur Lydiard once said, "A bit of time each week on the soft stuff will give you the tools of power and coordination."
While time on grass, dirt and cinder is not necessarily a cure all for all running-related maladies, a few miles away from man-made surfaces will provide you with the basic balance and coordination tools increasingly lacking in modern runners.
Train aggressively and intelligently.
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