OldSub4,
Your Thursday PM session seems to be a mixture of your mile/1500m and 800m race paces, done cut-down style. I recall an earlier post of yours also on base phase where your Thurs PM session is 200-300m cut-down. I assume the paces are similar for these shorter reps too?
So am I right to say that its ok to include some reps at goal race pace for my main event even in the base period, as long as I allow ample recovery between the hard running segments, and keep the volume low? This looks like the phase 2 in Jack Daniel's Running Formula for 800m and 1500/3000m training.
I also recall reading a thread by Jeremy Huffman way back in 2006 where he posted his training after taking up the Pose Method of running.
Week of October 8th thru 14th)
Oct-8th-
A.M. Long Run- 10mi
Time: 62:13
HR: 151bpm average HR
Recovery HR: 42 seconds to reach 120bpm
Course: On road with Rolling hills
*After run Hip/core strengthening exercises
Oct-9th-
A.M. run 6mi
Time: 35:19-(5:55,5:56,5:48,5:45,5:57,5:55)
HR: 150bpm Average HR
Recovery HR: 42 seconds to reach 120bpm
P.M. weights
Squats: 3 x 8reps at 270lbs
Hamstring curls: 3 x 20reps at 35lbs(single leg)
Single leg Box step ups: 3 x 10reps at 90lbs
Jumps with weight: 3 x 30reps at 50lbs bar
Oct-10th-
A.M. Workout (3 x 200m)(3 x 400m)
Splits: (26.9,27.0,26.8) (56.3,57.6,57.6)
(Recovery HR: Reached 120bpm in less 90 seconds on every interval. Roughly took 3 minutes walk rest between each interval and 6 minutes between sets.)
*After workout: Jump Ropes: 10 x 50reps
Oct.-11th-
A.M. workout (5km)
Time: 16:15-(5:12,5:20,5:12,33)
HR: 167bpm Average HR
Recovery HR: 74 seconds to reach 120bpm
*After workout bounding jumps: 6 x 50 meters
Oct-12th-
A.M. workout (5 x 600m)
Splits: (1:35.8,1:36.2,1:34.9,1:35.9,1:34.7)
Rest between intervals was approximately 3 minutes walk rest.
Recovery HR: reached 120bpm in under 70 seconds following each inteval.
*After workout did upper body strength training
Oct-13th-
A.M. Run 10mi
Time: 60:01
HR: 153bpm Average HR
Recovery HR: 43 seconds to reach 120bpm
*After run Ab and back exercises
Oct-14th-
A.M. Workout (2 x 1500m)
Splits: (4:10,4:16)
Rest was 6 minutes between intervals
Recovery HR was reached in less than 90 seconds after each interval-(120bpm=recovery HR)
Week total Mileage: 51 miles
All in all this was a very good week. I did however have some difficulty reaching my workout goal time on the 14th. I was shooting for 4:03 pace for the 1500m intervals. Otherwise the week went according to plan. Enjoy your training!
Jeremy
While not getting into the whole Pose running issue(yet?), I just want to point out his Oct 10th workout of (3x200m)(3x400m), done essentially at his goal race paces for 800m (200m in 26-27 sec) & 1500/mile (400m in 56-57 sec), respectively. Since this is in October, I'm assuming that this is part of his base training. Also, he claimed to be training more for 800/1500m while still ensuring that he is fit enough to compete in races up to 10K. This was the case in 2006.
I think Vebjorn Rodal & Yuriy Borzakovskiy both do something similar.
While I do not believe every runner will need to do the same, this does seem to fly against conventional wisdom on base training.
I have always run a session at either 800m or 1500m race pace during the base on a weekly basis. I'm just curious how this will affect the rest of the traing? Is it essential for a middle distance specialist to include some running at goal race pace throughout the entire year, or is this actually harmful? After all, the abovementioned runners are not building up from slower paces (eg 6x200m in 36-32 sec, like you suggested to me earlier on, which I think is a good idea btw) that early in the pre-season, but already doing the reps AT target race pace for the coming competitions.
What's your former coach's rationale in including this type of Thurs PM session? What is your personal opinion of this type of session in the base period, be it those done by yourself, or by other elite level 800m runners?