A 12‑Week Journey from Quiet Winter Roads to Spring Start Lines.
"The miles no one sees become the finish lines everyone remembers."
Week 4 — February 2–8, 2026
There’s a point in every winter training cycle when the miles start to feel different — not easier, not harder, just… more purposeful. Week 4 is that point. You’ve settled into the season, stabilized your base, and now you’re ready to nudge things forward.
This isn’t a leap.
It’s a turn.
A subtle shift from holding steady to building strength. The kind of shift you only notice because you’ve been paying attention — to your breath, your legs, your rhythm, your winter grit.
And speaking of winter grit…
🌨️ A Quick Word About Winter Storm Fern
Before we even talk about training, let’s acknowledge the obvious: Winter Storm Fern absolutely body‑slammed us. Rome and the rest of central Maine picked up 12–18 inches of snow — that’s 30–46 centimeters for anyone who prefers their suffering metric.
My usual running route? Gone. Buried. Vanished. It’s now a scenic tour of snowbanks tall enough to qualify as minor mountain ranges, with just enough ice underneath to keep things “exciting.” The roads are so narrow that if two cars meet, one of them has to emotionally prepare for sacrifice.
So yes — I’m on the treadmill. Proudly. Happily. Safely.
At 55, the goal is to stay healthy, stay upright, and avoid becoming a cautionary tale on the local news.
Winter grit is great.
Winter injuries? Hard pass.
Luckily, the treadmill and I are getting along just fine — it’s warm, predictable, and doesn’t try to kill me with frozen slush.
🧭 WEEK 4 OVERVIEW
Theme of the Week:
Turning the Corner: Finding Your Winter Strength
Primary Goals:
• Introduce the first structured workout
• Build mileage modestly
• Reinforce winter consistency
• Strengthen aerobic capacity
• Maintain easy‑run discipline
Key Workout:
A light aerobic session — enough to wake up the system without tipping into intensity.
📚 TRAINING INSIGHT: WHY THIS WEEK MATTERS
Week 4 is the bridge between “settling in” and “building up.” You’re not chasing speed yet — you’re developing strength, rhythm, and control.
A quick word on Fartlek sessions
“Fartlek” is Swedish for “speed play,” and that’s exactly what it is: short, controlled pickups sprinkled into an otherwise easy run. Nothing sharp, nothing stressful — just gentle changes in pace that wake up your legs and your aerobic system. Think of it as structured playtime for runners.
And a reminder about Strides
Strides are 20–30 second accelerations where you smoothly build to about 85% effort, hold it briefly, then glide back down. They improve running economy, reinforce good form, and keep your legs feeling lively — especially in the winter when everything wants to feel a little sluggish.
Heart Rate Zones + RPE (Quick Refresher)
For the full breakdown, see Week 1 — here’s the short version:
These aren’t targets — they’re guides. Use them to keep your effort honest, especially on the treadmill where pace can trick you into working harder than intended.
This week’s workouts — fartlek for beginners, steady‑state for intermediates — are intentionally gentle. They’re designed to:
• elevate your aerobic ceiling
• build confidence
• introduce structure without strain
• prepare you for the bigger work ahead
Think of it as the first turn of the dial
🏃 WEEK 4 TRAINING PLAN — BEGINNER
🏃 WEEK 4 TRAINING PLAN — INTERMEDIATE
WINTER + TREADMILL OPTIONS
• Swap any outdoor run for treadmill equivalents
• Shorten or split runs if roads are icy
• Keep effort easy on snow‑packed surfaces
• Traction and headlamp remain essential
• Don’t chase pace — chase feel
🧘 RECOVERY FOCUS OF THE WEEK
Strength Through Consistency
Your body adapts to structure when it’s introduced gradually. This week is your reminder that strength isn’t built in big moments — it’s built in steady ones.
• Keep your easy runs truly easy
• Add 5–10 minutes of mobility after each run
• Hydrate consistently
• Prioritize sleep
• Notice how your body responds to the first structured effort
This is the week where winter strength starts to take shape.
Before You Head Out… Winter training builds character — and sometimes that character is just you muttering at a snowbank while heading to the treadmill… again. But this is the turn. The quiet shift. The moment where you stop just surviving winter and start getting stronger because of it.
If winter’s going to test you anyway, you might as well get fitter in the process.