summer 5k training

actually I think I will do 2 tempo runs a week, one for 25-30 minutes and 1 for 45-50 minutes

Some re-emphasis of other folks thoughts, as well as a couple additional notes of my own:

1) Take your time building mileage. If you've never gone above 50-something mpw before then there's nothing wrong with taking the whole summer to get to 75 (especially after a break).

2) Your intervals are really aggressive. 8000m at faster than 5k pace is a lot. It only takes 4-8 weeks of consistent interval work to bring you to your peak; you're already doing that in your summer. I think the original interval schedule would leave you stale.

3) However, I wouldn't totally ignore interval (and other faster than tempo) work--just do it in smaller doses and not every week, possibly in the form of hill workouts instead of on the track.

4) Running workouts by effort is more important than running workouts by time during the summer. Sure, check on times so you have an idea of progression, but if when you check splits you're running 5::20-:15 pace instead of 5:10-:05 pace on your intervals, if it still feels like 5k effort there's no need to pick it up.

5) I wouldn't worry about pace on easy runs. Run the pace that comes naturally to you--some days it might be 6:40/mile, some days it might be 7:45/mile. Also, on double days, make sure at least one of the runs is 7:15 or slower.

6) As for your thoughts about core, yes, do it! Doing a body weight circuit including crunches, planks, push-ups, dips, calf raises, and squats 3-5 times/week will go a long way toward preventing injury and also help you maintain your form (and thus run faster) in the last quarter of races. Do it throughout the summer and continue doing it in-season.

7) Do 4-6 x 100m strides @ 400 effort or slightly faster after 2 or 3 easy runs (including the long run!) every week.

Based on those principals (and your desire to peak at 70+ mpw), here's a training schedule that I think makes sense:

Week 1: 20 miles, 3 runs, all easy

Week 2: 45 miles, 6 runs, 1 fartlek (10x2 minutes @ tempo effort, 1 minute recovery), 1 8x100m @ mile effort w/ walk back recovery, 1 11-mile long run

Week 3: 55 miles, 7 runs, 1 20-minute tempo, 1 day 2x(4x200) @ mile-to-800 pace w/ 200 jog recovery and 400 set break, 1 12-mile long run

Week 4: 60 miles, 8 runs, 1 25-minute tempo, 1 long hill workout (90s-3 minute hills @ 5k-to-3k effort, jog down recovery, 10-12 minutes total of hard uphill efforts), 1 13-mile long run

Week 5: 45 miles, 6 runs, 1 30-minute tempo, 1 day 2x(6x200) @ mile-to-800 pace w/ 200 jog recovery and 400 set break, 1 11-mile long run

Week 6: 65 miles, 9 runs, 1 day 5 x mile @ tempo effort w/ 75-90s recovery, 1 short hill workout (45-75s hills @ mile effort, jog down recovery, 7-8 minutes total of hard uphill efforts), 1 14-mile long run

Week 7: 70 miles, 10 runs, 1 30-minute tempo, 1 day 5x1000m @ 5k-to-3k effort w/ 2:30 recovery, 1 14-mile long run

Week 8: 75 miles, 10 runs, 1 day 4 x mile @ 10k effort effort w/ 2:30-3 mins recovery, 1 short hill workout (45-75s minute hills @ mile effort, jog down recovery, 8-9 minutes total of hard uphill efforts), 1 14-mile long run

Week 9: 60 miles, 8 runs, 1 30-minute tempo, 1 day 6x1000m @ 5k-to-3k effort w/ 2:30 recovery, 1 12-mile long run.

Week 10: Show up to XC pre-season in great shape. Keep your mileage up in the 65-75 range through September (still taking a down week every 3 or 4 weeks), before dropping to 60-65 in early October and a bit more from there (whatever works for you--tapering is personal) for your championship races.

thanks so much for your input/training schedule, there are a lot of aspects that I like about it and I agree and have backed off from my original interval training schedule, which would have certainly made me stale for the season. I am still interesting in doing two tempo runs a week and I am also a believer to a certain extent that easy pace still matters. I also agree with going lighter every third week, but I am not sure I am going to back off by 15 miles every third week, even though I will only be running 6 days that week. I will definitely include core a few times a week, I like the ideas for the hill workouts and I already was considering doing strides after a few of my easy runs, although I'm still not sure about doing it after my long run. Thanks again for your thoughts and I'm sure my plan will look fairly similar to what you have detailed here.

Don't run too much, you'll hurt yourself, friend! :)

I would think my body would be able to hold up injury wise, I just need to figure out the right balance so I reach my goal of 15:30 without overtraining.

Do you have a XC coach?????

Lots of good feedback here but what you really need to do is to make sure your summer training fits with what you are going to do in your XC season.

Yes of course I have a cross country coach. My summer schedule follows what we do close enough. We only practice 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) with 1 interval/repeats (6x1000 or 6x1200), 3 easy runs and then sometimes a tempo, so my schedule is similar in terms of what we are doing. My coaches are pretty flexible, plus they change what we do based on our performance.

I just ran a 1:56.5 (54.8, 61.7 relay split) at my state meet. (I live in Wisconsin and my 4x8 team came 16th in d1 with a time of 8:01 if anyone cares). I am running one last mile on Wednesday and am hoping to run under 4:25 since I just bested my 800pr by 4 seconds. Is my goal of a 15:30 5k now more realistic?

Focus more on mileage.

Carl Hirsch, (you should know him) mentioned in an interview he discovered the benefits of doing mainly high mileage during base season. That's probably the reason for his tremendous time improvements. Go slow and long during the summer with GRADUAL increases in mileage.

It will be Hirsch vs Diffee this year, maybe even Woodford, but 15:30 should put you in contention with those if you truly plan to run that.

Mileage is key.

Do you know where I can read this interview. Like I mentioned I only did 40-45 all this year and only 45-50 before last xc season. But I would love to read this article/interview, thanks.

It was a simple interview. Search "Carl Hirsch" interview. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel just recently ran a story about his 1600M title and he said he ran 70 miles a week in preparation for the track season. I'm not saying that you should jump from 40 miles to 70 miles a week, but his success is explained from his relatively high training load for a high schooler. To improve he'll need to do 70+ miles a week this summer. Preferably 80-85 MPW. Mileage is key. I guarantee success if you gradually increase your mileage.

I think I found the article. I do in fact plan to up my mileage from 40mpw which I did this track season (I was only focusing on the 800 and the 1600) to at least 70mpw for xc which I think will prepare me to run in the mid 15 minute range for xc. How fast should the 70mpw be and how fast do you think Hirsch did his 70mpw or so when he was training for this track season?

During my last race of the track season I ran 4:22 in the 1600. This means that my prs to end the season are 4:22 and 1:56. I ran both these times by running 35-45mpw. My training usually consisted of 2 track workouts a week, 3 6-7 mile runs at about 6:50-7:10 pace and a long run of 12 miles at 7:00 pace (until the last month of the season). Given my recent success with this fairly low mileage, I plan on bumping up my mileage to 70-80mpw. Before anyone says I'm going to get hurt or burn out or anything else, I will slowly progress to it and my body responds extremely well to everything I throw at it. Also keep in mind that I will be doing 7 days a week with maybe 1 track workout a week. Last year in xc I ran 16:30 off of about 45mpw. My track prs from last year were 4:40 1600m, 2:06 800m, but in the summer I ran a 9:27 3k and a 4:16 1500m. If I bump up to 70-80mpw in the summer can I expect to run 15:30?

It should be obvious but Knapp should be checking his running/training shoes for wear.

Yep I go through shoes fast anyway, but you are right with the big increase in mileage I'm planning, I'll have to be extra careful.

Train, don't strain man. Just build up your aerobic base. Don't worry. Do plenty of slow miles and strides to keep up your speed and you'll be golden, kid

I guess you are right. I started running again after a 10 day break last night and then I ran again this morning (I'm going to run in the morning all summer). It seems like I have lost a fair amount of fitness but not too much.

6/16 8 miles 58:51

6/17 8 miles 1:00:51 (only 14 hours between the two runs)

wk 1 total: 16 miles

The last 2-3 miles of each run are rough but compared to the last time I took a break my body is responding fairly well.

Dont really like the whole.. "10 day break, ok BOOM 60+ min runs" thing. Your body is responding well.. for now. EASE INTO IT MAN.

10 days is nothing, relax. Focus on running easy and comfortable and get in good tempos and thresholds (thresholds are a bit faster than tempos, but with shorter rest. For example 6 x mile with 1 min rest, about 10 sec per mile faster than you would have done a 6 mile tempo). Don't worry about intervals at 5k pace, if anything do fartleks that shortly touch on the pace. Do hills, strides, and maybe in August some 200s at 3k-1500 pace with 200 jog to work on speed and form.

And yes, easy means easy. So if it's 7:45, so be it. If it's 6:45, that's great also. Go by feel.