How to improve

What are your weaknesses? Start there.

Don't think i have a particular weakness... as i only started running on the track for the first time 2 months ago i had a hard time adjusting. I only really run on my toes when full-out sprinting so i am more of a heel striker/mid foot striker but this is improving. Haven't got blistering top end speed - after a tough workout we do some 150m sprints, i usually clock 19-21 seconds in these. regularly do 200m intervals in around 28-30 seconds, however i have a hard time breaking 70 seconds for 400m intervals. Don't really do weights, just some core a few times a week and some strides

You need to start with your coach. What does he think of how your training is progressing? Is your team meeting to do summer training?

Well i haven't been properly track training long, a couple of months, so i guess i should see how i progress in the next few months. Honestly, i think improving my technique will help a lot, as well as speed/speed endurance

So should i stick with what we're currently doing and see how i progress, or should i make any changes? improving my raw speed seems to be a good option

Have you tried a daily vinegar enema? Returned the 'pop' to my legs in no time!

Runningkidd wrote:

So should i stick with what we're currently doing and see how i progress, or should i make any changes? improving my raw speed seems to be a good option

You've made good progress so far! Definitely go talk to your coach, and share your ambitions with him. Be specific. Let him know you want to improve as much as possible, and you're looking for anything extra that he thinks might help you (mileage, more workouts, etc..), and would like his help putting together a summer, and long-term plan. Stress that you're willing to go above and beyond over the summer, so he doesn't just assume you're like many who do the bare minimum. Post back here and let us know what he gives you.

If you are running 200s in 28-30 and 3-mile road races in 16:30, then you have plenty of speed already. Think about it - 28 seconds is around 3:45 mile pace! You don't need to neglect speed, but I would say it is near the bottom of your "weaknesses" list. You will make leaps and bounds if you focus on your aerobic strength, and tempo/threshold runs to eventually make those 6:00-5:00 paces more comfortable. (The burning in your legs in a fast race isn't because your sprint speed isn't fast enough... it's because your comfortable and tempo training paces aren't fast enough yet).

Try to read the book "Healthy Intelligent Training" by Keith Livingstone. Also read the "Hadd's Approach to Distance Training and you'll understand what you can do continue longer-term improvement for years.

(this is a summary of Hadd's posts on a LetsRun thread, so there will be a few sections that seem to be missing parts, but it a worth studying and understanding).

thanks. so more easy aerobic mileage is key? what pace should my daily training runs be at/what distance

The reading assignmients should help you answer those questions. :)

Easy aerobic mileage is one major key (in my opinion). I'd certainly wager that at your relatively low mileage, steadily increasing your mpw will help you tremendously. Easy miles are not the only key though, since the other stuff (tempo runs, threshold runs, intervals) are also very important... at the right time.

Seriously, buy that book. There is a ton of great information in there that will help you understand the "whys", and the "how"/"how much"/"how fast". Between that learning and your coach, you will have some great tools to get much faster.

quite muscular? bullsh!t i bet you bench 4lbs

Slowly increase the mileage on your easy days and just stay consistent. At the point you are at in your running career you should be steadily improving without much trouble. Your workouts should get faster and your volume should increase as you keep putting in that consistent training. Just make sure that your plan is solid and covers all aspects(seems good from what you have said). Increase volume and intensity over time and you will improve.

If you have trouble breaking 70 seconds for a 400, you must really work on that if you consider yourself a mid-distance runner. You seem to have the speed if you can run 200s @ 28, but you really must work on your anaerobic system so that you can dip below 60 in the 400... Your 800 and mile times will greatly improve, as well as your closing speed in any race...

The key to improving in any program is consistency, but the other key is having a program that makes sense. You need to figure out what you racing goals are and train accordingly. Everything else is just generic coaching advice.

lol 1 rep max is 60kg

oh yeah i did a 4 by 400 right after a 1500m and got 62 ish second split, felt i could've gone faster. Did a workout of 8 300m's in 51/2 seconds with 70 seconds rest. then 4 200m with 90 secs rest in 30-32, does this imply anything?