Haven't been able to break 4:35 running at a DII school

What have your splits looked like in the last several times that you have raced the mile?

No way you run a 9:50 3k and a 26:07 8k. Thats almost the same pace.

Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have put that 3k time in there. Only ran the 3k twice, and both races did not feel good. I can give proof for my 8k time if you would like.

For my mile splits: 1:08. 1:09, 1:11, 1:11. Usually I will take it out at a more conserved pace going with a 1:10, 1:08, 1:08, 1:11.

With 52, 2:03, and 26:15, I'd definitely think you were capable of approaching 4:30, but 4:39 is also within reason, an acceptable time for you to be running. My advice would be to just experiment with the pacing a little bit. I think the conservative strategy might be your best bet though.

Just a tick under 70 for the first lap, hold through 800. Start picking off runners on the 3rd lap. Try to kick it in from 300 out.

Do you have a coach?

Doesn't look like you are training for the mile.

When did you run that 3k

Yea that training looks atrocious. I don't even know if I understand the purpose of that workout?

I would also say you are jumping the gun with this inquiry. If you are a freshman, you have had like 6-8 weeks of real college track season and you are coming back from a substantial amount of time off post XC, so keep working and the time will drop. When I developed in college, I ran 4:13-4:16 for 1500 for 5 straight weeks (throw a couple 2:02-3 800s in there) and then broke out with a 4:04 1500. Why? Because I was patient and kept training.

You need to do 1000m repeats and mile repeats.

Temp runs (like out 25 min, back 20 min)

One good long run in Sundays of at least 60 min.

I do have a coach, and most of my speed training has been consistent with what I put above. I've never really questioned what he's given us for workouts since others seem to be benefitting from them.

My 3k's were also ran three weeks and two weeks ago.

To respond to freshman 15, I don't think I'm jumping the gun on this. I have come off of similar starts in high school from cross country skiing where I don't run for three months(granted I am getting both aerobic and anaerobic training). I've also been able to deliver better results on about the same amount of training time in my junior and senior years of high school. Junior year I was able to pr with a 4:35 and senior year I only ran a 4:36 for a season best. So far, breaking 4:40 for the first time this season just seems wrong for the training I've been doing. Especially considering I have increased my pace and mileage since coming to college.

Are you getting any sleep?

Have you gained weight?

You are jumping the gun. You haven't gotten used to the increases yet.

You have only been doing them for 6 weeks.

You aren't in 26:0X shape again yet.

What does your training look like the week of the race. You may be killing it too much in practice.

1. are these times slow for you? have you ever broken 4:35?

2. its early in your college career. Some people take a long time to adjust to college and a college coach.

3. maybe the coach's training doesn't fit.

4. did you stop running after fall cross country and lost fitness, but the coach's training assumes you are still fit (or just the opposite)

There are a lot of things you can do. Your pacing seems fine really. If all you want to do is break 4:35, I guess ideal pacing would be 68, 69, 69, all-out?

But why limit yourself to 4:34.XX?

I would say that the most productive thing you could do (that you can control) is to run more. Assuming you have some say in your training (they employ a coach after all) I would try to run more.

How much? All I can say is more than 35 mpw. As a 19-yr-old you are capable of more.

Also, your interval WOs seem like too much volume. If I am understanding you right, you run TWO SETS of the stated set? That is 18 laps of reps. Too much for mile training and too much for someone who is a 4:39 miler.

Also, 3:00 is too much rest for a workout that is 2/3 reps of 1:25-:45. It is not WAAYYY too much, but maybe do 2:30 rests for the 600, and 2:00 or 1:30 for all of the rest? Without getting too fancy?

As it is you have 20 minutes of reps and 48 minutes of rest? Again, you may have no control over this, so you may just have to lump it. But I would increase your mileage and try to dial in your intervals to something more geared towards a 4:25-30 miler.

Try these:

10 X 500m in 85 sec w/2:00 rest (once you do this well, reduce the rest to 90 secs) - this is 4:32 pace for 1600. 4:15 for 1500.

10 X 400m in 68 w/90 sec rest (once you do this well, reduce the rest to 70, then to 60)

12 X 400m - 4 in 70, 4 in 68, 4 in 66 w/90 sec rest, 400 jog between sets of 4 (once you do this well, reduce rest to 60 or 70 sec)

ONE set of 2x600, 2x500, 2x400, 2x300 with about 2:00 min rest

Don't know when you ran :52 and 2:03 but you should be able to run 4:25 with speed like that (if you still have it). Also, if you are running many 400s in practice in 64 you should be able to break 4:30.

Good Luck!!

Let us know if any of this worked by the end of indoor.

Thank you all very much for you input!

To answer a few more questions that have you guys have asked:

It was my mistake in saying the sets were two reps of intervals, they are only one when referring to what I mentioned above.

My 8k pr was set on a pancake flat course with no hills, 60 degree temp, and only a slight breeze. I wouldn't think the course was short as it was wheeled out to 8k.

Most of my times this year have all creeps down to my previous pr's except the mile and 400m.

I appreciate all of the help you guys are giving me as well. Just one final question is if you guys think I should keep training for the mile in future season? Just looking at my other events and their pj's, I feel like I am not suited for the mile. Likewise said, I haven't pr'd in the mile in almost three years now. So at this point, I might be looking at moving on and training for different events.

Forgot some extra questions-

I haven't been lacking on sleep, nor have I gained weight. My weight tends to fluctuate between 148-153(5'7 height).

My training the week of meets has consisted of two interval workouts, one on Monday and one in Tuesday. Rest of the week are long runs with pre meet day being about 20min of easy running followed by strides on the indoor track.

After taking my break of no running for my shin splints, I did strength work most of November, with biking. When a began running in December, I started with 12 mile weeks, increasing by about 6 miles each week up to the middle of January where I have hung around 35 miles +/- a couple each week.

Sorry again, workouts are Monday and Wednesday. NO workouts on Tuesdays.

A) you are jumping the gun

B) you should be a very good mile with those 400/800 times and an 8k like that even if it is really flat (where was this 8k? There are a few my coach avoids intentionally because of outrageously fast times) have you ru any track 5ks and if not what was your hs pr?

C) those 3k times indicate that you still have not regained fitness since your break (not surprising based on your training) and or you are a very Inconsistent racer and need to work on the mental along with upping your volume

D) what relevance does running DII have in this case, you should've improving if you were still in hs, Oregon, a mediocre DIII school or anywhere else that has a respectable program.