My goal of sub 4:00 1500-I will not stop until I reach my goal.

Liff -

That's a pretty solid workout you did on thursday. Very short recovery for 8's - dunno if I've ever done them with less than 1:30. The 4's are probably a good deal weaker indicator of fitness..but you're primarily aiming for a good 5k, if I remember correctly, so it's not a huge deal-breaker if you're not the king of the 400 rep.

Today we (attempted) 6x600 at mile pace with 2 mins rest. Not my best day. I have had recurring problems with pain on the top of my feet, usually after wearing spikes. Naturally, my foot was throbbing after Saturday's triple. I don't think it's a stress fracture because it only hurts after I spike up.

I had to bag it after number 5 because of the pain..ended up going: 1:34, 1:38, 1:38, 1:38, 1:39, 66(400m). Workout was rough enough without that.

Any conjectures on my foot woes? Pain is somewhere between second and fourth metatarsal. I'm going to see a doc on Weds. - hopefully with better luck than in the past.

Also, something else: what's your stretching / lifting / injury prevention routine like? (addressed to everyone, really) We do a bunch of dynamic stretching (earthworms, eagles, scorpions..if you are familiar with them by those names), injury prevention (ankle bounds, backwards running, ice baths after every workout), more hurdle drills than I care to count, and a decent but not excessive weight routine (bench, clean + jerk, squat, a lengthy-ish core routine, lat pulldowns, sometimes deadlift).

wow, reading all of your guys' workouts makes me feel behind the group.

jonesy: sounds like you are building a monster base

liff: i've never been good at running on hills, so that workout is certainly impressive, especially considering the rest

boingo: i would take your off day any day. good workout. as far as your pain, you might want to look up morton's neuroma. it is usually aggravated by wearing more narrow shoes (i.e. spikes)

oh, and unforseen circumstances forced me to delay my run until tonight, so i wasn't able to workout. did a 10 mile aerobic run instead

Hey everyone. Running is not getting better. I tried running on Friday, and the pain kept coming back. I tried again on Monday, and I could not run for 8 minutes before the pain kicked in. The pain was not painful(sounds weired), but it was rather bothering. I had to consciously be aware of it which screwed up my stride. I am thinking about quitting the team to just run on my own. My goal is still with me. I can try to set a program to peak in late May/early June. Then, I will take 2weeks off and start my summer training. If I start in Feb, I will have 4 months to reach my goal.

I'm hoping to run similar time to you guys, not sure what shape i'm in, I would expect 4.05/10 for 1500m. I managed 5 x 500m / 300m off 100m jog (70 seconds) throughout. My times were 81's and 47.5's. Is sub 4 minute realistic? Good luck all.

Today's workout didn't go very well, but I was very sore from playing ultimate frisbee yesterday, so it actually was less terrible then I thought it would be. I did 2x1600, 4x800m. 3 min rest after the 1600s, 2 min after the 800s. I hit 4:56, 5:00, 2:24, 2:25, 2:26, 2:21. I felt like I might have had too much rest, I might try to do it with 2:30 and 1:30 recovery next time. Again, I think I could have run a few seconds faster each interval if not for the soreness.

eddylee wrote:

My goal is still with me. I can try to set a program to peak in late May/early June. Then, I will take 2weeks off and start my summer training. If I start in Feb, I will have 4 months to reach my goal.

If you start in February AND have four months that would mean that you would be starting in two days. You do realize that today is the 29th right?

What makes you think that your tendon will be healed in two days? And if it was, wouldn't you want to run for your college team?

Also, you are talking about peaking, you seem to not be able to grasp the concept of a base phase. Specifically it takes 8 weeks to "as long as possible" (Lydiard concept) for the base phase, but most people (HS and college and internationalists) take 12-16 weeks for base training.

Again, if you could be instantly healed by February 1st and started training that minute and held to a sane program for four months you would probably have just enough time ... but I don't see how you could heal like that.

I am not trying to be a dick to you (or anyone) but I have a hard time understanding how your coach could be so far off the back in terms of an approach that comes close to following Lydiard principles. The stuff has been popularized (and proven!) for over 40 years!

Even the worst coaches that I have seen or read about only did intervals ONCE a day.

I am sorry you are going through this disappointment. the good news is that you have some talent for running. If you can run 4:38m in practice, you can certainly run 4:20 in a race after some months of sensible training. I just don't see how you will get that from this coach who advised half-mile warmups and 5 miles a day of nearly all intervals.

Don't panic and don't give up. You will lose very little if you take off two weeks but can do some eliptical/biking plus some general fitness. Ice like crazy, then start the eccentric calf stretches.

In 2-3 weeks when you can run-no spikes- 1 workout a day, start with 5x1000 in 3:20 and work back down to 3:00.

NOthing faster than 70 for two more weeks. 6-8 mi easy on the other days. That should get you to early April in decent aerobic shape, with all outdoor ahead of you.

Just noticed your workout. That is a nice workout and does suggest that you can run 4:00. Assuming you have a decent base, keep going at 64 pace. Maybe try 1000m -2:40; 800m-2:08 600m 1:36 and 400m64, with 4 min rest for the first two and then 90 secs before the 400.

Good luck

Well I am back in action, kind of. I took a few days "off" - stationary biking sucks - and got x-rays for my foot (will be delivered on monday i think). Had a pretty good workout today without a TON of foot pain - but still some. I'm pretty sure it's a neuroma (I have the mulder's sign thing where when i squeeze my foot, it clicks like a mofo. My other foot had the same sort of pain last year and..it clicks as well, though the pain has long since ceased)

Did a nice workout today too.

8x300, broken into two sets, 3 mins between each 3 and 7 between sets. (in trainers)

43, 43, 42.5, 42

42, 43, 44, 45

wheels fell OFF the last two. but it felt pretty good. i'm probably (all x-rays pending) running the DMR at the new balance meet next week, so i feel..surprisingly ready.

How did all you boys make out this weekend?

81 for the week after 101:

(mile high, Albuquerque)

monday: 12

tuesday 12 3x200, 2x1200,2x800,2x400. all slow, outdoors, solo, very cold and windy, on an uneven, not well-measured gravel circuit in partial darkness. in fact, embarrassing to say the times.

40,34,35 (100 rest); 4:17,4:26 (400 rest); 2:48,2:43 (200 rest); 73,77; form drills (high knees, butt kicks, skipping).

wednesday 12 slow

thursday 12 2M w/u, 8.3M tempo-52:17, 2M c/d (ran mostly around 6:18-20.

friday 7 w/baby stroller. very slow except last 2M at 14 flat.

saturday 9 in Sandia Mtns, lots of good hills but very slow.

17 sunday w/2x.83M enroute and back in 4:29/4:51 (5:25 and 5:50 pace), strides near end: 2:14 total. felt better.

felt sluggish and sore too many times this week, so I'm going back to stretching more seriously and icing after workouts. also going to probably kick the mileage back up again to 90 or more this week.

Two questions. How old are you? and whats your running history? ie have you been running for years or are you building up from ground zero.

If you are, say, in college and ramping up, then the poster that recommended start with your 400/800 time and the 1500 will come is right. Remember Seb Coe "work on your strengths, not your weaknesses...".

If you're an experienced over 25 and decided sub-4 would be cool, - you have no chance. No more age-bonuses for you!

I had a rough week. The workout that I posted was the only one I was able to do. I have a bruise on the back of my heel that I am trying to diagnose. Hoping to workout tomorrow and be able to race on friday, we shall see.

here's my past 4 days

12x400m

67-68 with 200m rest for the first 8,

67-68 with 400m rest for the last 4.

5 miles easy

10.5 miles easy

10.5 miles medium

heyo, nice 12x400 w/o, esp with the short rest on first 8.

solo joe, maybe this rest will get you a mini-peak and a nice race. i didn't realize before that you had done that 5x1k workout just a few days before your race-I thought that was about 10 days before. for the heel, when you start running again, try dirt trails and wear three socks on that foot. it's helped me with recent foot soreness.

much better start to the week for me:

(mile high)

monday: 12.5. first 6M @7:03 pace out into headwind, second 6M @6:16 pace back w/occasional tailwind, closing in 5:45 w/strong tailwind. a little overdressed with sweats/jacket.

thanks for the advice jonesy. 5:45 is pretty tough to do in sweats, good job.

yesterday i did 10x600m with 90 sec. recovery. times were 1:46, 43, 46, 48, 50, 49, 48, 49, 48, 47

X-rays are back. I do not have a stress fracture - the orthopedist I saw thinks it's just tendinitis in the tendons near the edge of my toes - and hopefully he's correct.

So, with that news in hand, I got to do a workout! Hooray!

Today was: 21 mins, 3 mi warmup

1x1000 time trial: 2:41 10 mins rest.

7x200 with 3 mins rest, averaging 28

5 mins cooldown

The 1k felt really good. We went through 8 in 2:10 and kicked from there, and I had a lot left - so I think I'm due for a fast time this weekend.

Plus I picked up a speed suit to run my mile leg of our DMR in. I look absolutely ridiculous, considering I weigh all of 145 pounds (at 6'1).

i ran 4:39 tonight and i felt like crap the whole time. i think i am sick again. hopefully i bounce back soon