How to lower my Mile time

Last week I did 3X1 mile repeats in 5:42, 5:33, and 5:39, what should I be getting in the mile?

5:20.73

I can do 520 in practice with my hands tied behind my back

Ok, this is a proven method that will get you to reach your potential. On tomorrows run, go out in about 5:30 for your first mile and try to hang on for 9 more miles. Basically blast a 10 miler starting it as fast as you can and then going from there, remember...you should feel like you're about to die after about 20minutes of this run. Repeat this every day for 6 weeks and you will break 5min in the mile.

this may sound familiar wrote:

Ok, this is a proven method that will get you to reach your potential. On tomorrows run, go out in about 5:30 for your first mile and try to hang on for 9 more miles. Basically blast a 10 miler starting it as fast as you can and then going from there, remember...you should feel like you're about to die after about 20minutes of this run. Repeat this every day for 6 weeks and you will break 5min in the mile.

Paavo? It's retarded.

Maybe you should try running shorter repeats like 6x600 or 10x400. You don't necessarily have to do track workouts 3 times a week. 2 track workouts should do it and maybe try pushing your mileage between 35-40mi for a couple of months. After a couple of months of this you should lower your intervals to 200's and 300's. If you are trying to break 5 just on strength workouts, you might not do it. Also I wouldn't do any runs over 6 miles just to keep the intensity. Also some 2 a days might help on the interval days like running 3 mi in the AM. Let me know if that helps.

just run faster

nope, I believe it is known as the Lindgren model for success in distance running.

Maybe you should try building a base? I don't know how old you are, but if you are in HS and you can't break 5, you need some base to develop your VO2 and such so that, when you do start intervals, they will actually do some good and not jsut improove you by 5 or 10 seconds. That is just my take on it.

I have tried in vain to build my base, but every time I get up to 40 - 45 mpw I just get injured or burned out, at least now I feel fresh

BTW I am right around 5:00 to 5:05, so sub- 5 should be on the horizon

Consider this: it's likely that over 80% of your energy for a 5 minute race is coming aerobically, the other 20% is coming primarily from your anaerobic capicity.

Anaerobic capacity tends to be trained nearly to the max with about 6 weeks of specific work. Aerobic capacity generally takes about 75-100 times as long to reach maximal potential.

What you want to do is cut the mile repeats out of the equation. You are wasting your time and limited resource of energy doing intervals that have a large anerobic component to them.

Have you ever raced an 8k? If not, how about a 5k or 10k? What is your best times for those distances?

For examples sake, let's say RunnerX can run a 28:00 8k/5mile. If they are going to limit themself to 30 miles a week, I'd recommend doing 5 miles six times a week. Don't count the warmup or cooldown, which should be in the 10 minute range. They'd want to be doing these 5 milers in about 30-33 minutes every day. Day in and day out. That'll fire up their aerobic system to a very high level, but for the most part keep the anerobic system from kicking in and resulting in a buildup of lactic acid, which will have the effect of comprimising the next days workout and therefore overall volume.

So, hit me back with your 5k/8k/10k times and we can roll from there.

XCMiler wrote:

I have tried in vain to build my base, but every time I get up to 40 - 45 mpw I just get injured or burned out, at least now I feel fresh

you feel fresh because you train like a pussy. you dont burn out from running 40 miles a week. you probably get a little tired because your not used to it. it takes a couple weeks to get used too. and yea if you cant break 5 you should just quit running.

I wonder if Tergat thinks that all people on letsrun are pussies just because they can´t break 2,10?

I have a 5k in two weeks, if I break 18 which I am hoping, I should be in the 5 minute range

Gradually increase your mileage 5mpw every few weeks

Slow some of your runs down

Do Strides 3-4 times a week

Do some sort of tempo 10-20 minutes every week

Drop the consistent intensity( some days easy some days hard)

Recover when necessary

How old are you?

here\'s my schedule

Mon: rest

Tues: 2 miles in 11:30-40

Wed: 45 min. with first 20 being recovery pace

Thur:5 mile tempo run on the treadmill with 5 .4 mile hill surges, all at 6:50 pace

Fri: 30 min. recovery

Sat: 3 x 1 mile repeats

Sun: 50 min. \"long\" run

Any more advice on what I could do differently?

why are there some days that you only do 'two miles' or so? even on the days that you arnt trying to work out you should still run 45-60 minutes. running a minimum of an hour a day will help you get a little stronger, and then that speeedwork might start to help.