So next season I want to focus on the 1500m.
I was looking for some training advice to help me in my goal of sub 3:50.
So to those that have managed this feat, what were your PRs in other distances at the time, what kind of mileage did you do, did you race XC and what workouts you did that leading up to your sub 3:50 race?
Thanks
Pb: 3.48.7, 1.52, 49, 8.12, 25.02xc
Key workouts:
5x8@ 2.04 with 3 mts rest
5x6@ 1.32 with 2 mts rest
10x4@ 61 with 90 sec rest
3 x (4,6,4,2) with 90 sec rest between intervals, and 7 mts between sets
20x2@28 with jog diagonal across infield rest
1200 TT @2.58
Typical 100 miles a week over summer.
80 mpw during xc season with typical repeat k\'s and miles and tempos.
Concentrated on 800/1000 during indoor.
Solid 50 mpw during outdoor.
Weight room was also a key for me. Started that in summer.
4.42 hs miler. Took me 4 years to hit what is basically 4.07.
60 mpw (at min)
do 1 strength w.o. per week
do 1 w.o. at 60sec pace per week.
example: 4 x 400m @ 60 sec w/90 sec recovery + 2x 300m @ 44 sec 60 sec recov
Something lie the above for at least 8 weeks prior to your target race. Have a good strength base behind you. If you have the talent you will do it.
3:44 / 4:42 mile hs
Thanks guys, anyone else out there who can offer their two cents?
Also XY what was your 800 and 5k pr?
30mpw. No cross country, no tempo runs, no runs longer than 35min. Also didn't run faster than 7:30-8min/mile pace on any of my normal runs. However, during normal runs I did 10+ 10-20sec accelerations in the middle of the runs. Weight training 3x a week in the off-season. Not during track season. Max 1 hard workout a week if racing.
Prs: 1:53 - 3:48 - 15:12 (only ran this one once, probably 14:45 at best).
Week:
Monday: 60min bike + track workout: 3x5x400 in 68-72sec. 100 jog recovery
Tuesday: 25min run at 8:00, with accelerations.
Wednesday: 60min bike + 10x200 25-28sec, 150w 50jog
Thursday: same as Tuesday
Friday: off
Saturday: race
Sunday same as Tuesday and Thursday.
Once every 2 weeks if the weather was good I would do something really hard, such as:
3x1000 in 2:33-2:35, 8min recovery
1000-800-400 in 2:30-1:57-52, 8min rec.
3x(600-100jog-100): in 1:27-1:29 with last 100 in 12high with jogging start.
However, I never ran a good race the weekend of that really hard workout. Might've still been beneficial in the long run though.
Lesson: train the way that works best for you, not the way that others have trained to reach sub 3:50
as the poster above me stated, train to your strengths, and work a little on your weaknesses, not the other way around (don't focus on "correcting" your weaknesses, and only dabble with your strengths).
so so so SO many workouts, obviously no magic bullet. Joe Rubio's middle distance guide is a must to peruse (
http://img.runningwarehouse.com/pdf/middle_distance_guide.pdf
) but here's my takeaway from that one: race pace work, consistently, getting closer and closer to race pace AND distance.
so the progression would be 3x5x200m, on grass or dirt, at close to race pace or effort (as grass/dirt may be slower). equal+ recoveries (i.e., 30-45s between the 200's) and 2-3min between sets (but at a decent jog, like 8min pace, no slower). a week or two later, 2x8x200m, same concept. a week or two later, 3x4x300m. a week or two later, 20x200m. week or two later, 3x3x400m. week or two later, 12-14x300m. week or two later, 10x400m. week or two later, 5x 500m-200jog-300m. week or two later, 8x 500m. week or two later, 4x 600m-200jog-300m. week or two later, 4-5x800m.
really don't go past 800m on mile pace work, so taht's what I got out of the handbook, it's a good read, will take several days to really sink everything in, but a great resource to get you started in the right track. I followed a very similar training plan many years ago and made it into the sub4 range, 1500 wise, but it was a 5-6 month build to that point. had about 4-6 weeks of good racing in my legs, then that was it, was time to start over. perhaps I could have extended that time if i had a great strength/base behind me, but I was on low mileage from that coach. good luck
Great link, Real Name. Much appreciated. To pick your brain a bit, were you using those progression/callousing sessions as your main workout each week? Were you doing any tempos? What were your other hard track workouts like during this progression period?
I second the advice to follow Joe Rubio's guide. In my youth, far too long ago, when the UK was "quite good" at middle distance, we did sessions and followed a progression a lot like he describes.