Day 41 is the calf circuit at 14: 14 calf raises, a 14-count hold on the balls of your feet, and 14 lunges, 2 minutes rest, 3, 4 or 5 sets by level. Up two from Day 27.
The calf raise and the top-position hold are the core of this circuit, and they train the muscles that take the most punishment from running: the calves on every push-off and the ankle stabilisers on every landing. A 14-count hold on the balls of both feet is a genuine test of calf endurance and balance together. Lunges follow at 7 per leg, on calves already pre-tired, which is the state they will be in for the closing minutes of the weekend's 25-minute run.
Calf raises: full height, slow lowering. The hold: rise as high as possible, weight even across both forefeet, ankles quiet, hands behind the back; a wobble is fine, a heel touching down pauses the count. Lunges: vertical front shin, back knee hovering, drive up through the front heel, alternating.
Fourteen counts on the balls of your feet - the calves learn patience two days before the longest run yet.
Make it Harder: Do the hold one foot at a time, 14 counts each, before starting the lunges.
Make it Easier: Use a wall for balance during the hold and reduce the lunges to 10.
