Low mileage is fine. As long as everyone is healthy and running well, I wouldn't tweak the program too much. For those heading off to college next year, I might start upping the "long" 30 minute run to get used to racing the longer distances, but if your team is healthy and having fun, that's 99% of the game.
Alsoa coach wrote:
Low mileage is fine. As long as everyone is healthy and running well, I wouldn't tweak the program too much. For those heading off to college next year, I might start upping the "long" 30 minute run to get used to racing the longer distances, but if your team is healthy and having fun, that's 99% of the game.
Come on. The name of the game is for people to reach their potential. Distance running is a conditioning sport and 20mph isn’t nearly enough. Going from that level to competing in college will be next to impossible.
yes. you can break 17 on 20 mpw.
what you are doing is a very safe training schedule. Of course, your best workout every week is your 3 mile race on Saturday--hugely important. If you are happy with the trajectory, that is great. IF you want to find out how good you can be, you need to eventually do more.
A solid, but not wild high school training schedule might include something like this, every week:
A longer run of 8 to 10 miles
One race, or workout that works on race pace, or a pace above or below it +
One more workout that works on a pace above or below race pace. (These two workouts might total in the range of 7 to 10 miles, depending on the pace you are working)
A day with sprints (flying 30s, 8 to 10 second hills)
Add in some easy days to get in the 40 to 50 mile range.
you have to start somewhere. I think what you are doing is great for a runner who is fairly new to the sport, but you will not improve forever with it.
Breaking 5 or bust wrote:
I am a junior in HS and I run about a 17:05 in the 5k. Our coach has us run a pretty low amount of mileage. Our week generally consists of this:
Mon: 3x800s simulating 5k pace
Tue: 30 min run
Wen: 2 to 3 mile run followed by 100m strides
Thu: 30 min run followed 100m strides
Fri: 2 to 3 mile run
Sat: 5k race
I know this is pretty low mileage for a lot of people here. But our team is doing pretty good. Our fastest guy runs about a 16:30, I'm our second fastest runner at a 17:03, our third guy runs a 17:15 and basically all of our varsity squad is under 18.
Why not? Heck, you improved 2 seconds while just typing your post.
Obviously yes. But I would add a 60 minutes run on Sundays and build up to 90 minutes. Then I'd ask your coach if it would be OK if you ran longer on Tuesdays and Thursdays, say 45 minutes building to 60 minutes.
The OP is looking to for an affirmation of his talent...
A moderately talented runner will break 17 min (depending on the course) off of very low mileage.
And while that probably puts you in the 90%+ of runners, the difference between tiers is logarithmic.
You are going to need to run probably twice as much mileage to catch your 16:30 teammate.
Be Parker Valby.
Yes.
Whatever your program, a lot of the 20 miles should be faster than race pace.
It helps if you are relatively young, and relatively fast.