spring sub 18 5k training

Same goal here. Your training looks close - if I could hit those mile repeats I think I would be sub 18.

Last workout for me was 6x1000 in 3:45 with :90 rest. Also 10x400 in :81 with :80 rest. Current PR is 18:58 from last summer, and I'd guess these workouts put me around 18:30.

For ur itband foam roll it before and after you run it will go away over time.

I mean the other part of it is doing the same workout every week just gets boring over time. Your body can get flat. You'll improve more each week with changing things up. To be competitive you need to be able to switch gears and the best way to teach your body to do that is in practice. If you throw something hard and fast in the middle of a workout your increasing the amount of stress on the system and lactate in the body then when you go back to another rep at 5k pace your now running it with a higher level of lactate in your legs just like you'll feel later in races. And i don't consider staying around for 3min short rest. I am telling you if you do active recoveries between your intervals you will notice the different over time. There is a time and place for just standing around but not during your hard quality training phase.

Saturday Feb 9 - Long run, 11 miles at 7:30 pace of planned 16. Stopped to get a drink and ITband locked up.

Sunday Feb 10 - stupid, angry, tried another go at it. 12 miles at 7:10 pace (planned 16) before having to stop because i ran into a pack of dogs in the country, ITband locked up again.

Monday Feb 11- work -class knockout - off

Tuesday Feb 12 - 5 x 1200 with 2:00 standing recovery in 4:31, 4:29, 4:28, 4:28, 4:27 with 1 mile warmup/1mile cooldown

Wednesday Feb 13 - off, slacker

Thursday - 7 miles tempo at 6:33 pace. really, more of a cutdown run as the splits were 6:53, 6:45, 6:45, 6:37, 6:37, 6:25, 6:10 (splits are estimates except 1, 6,&7) total time was 48:51. 1 mile warmup + 2 mile cooldown.

Friday - easy 4 miles (anticipating long run)

Saturday - made it 8 miles before I just called it quits due to nagging pain.

**I've been reading about chronic inflammation and the development of scar tissue as a result, so that scared me into taking resting seriously and IB proffin.

The pills immediately made the pain go away.

Hopped in the pool for 1 hour splitting the mile in 49 minutes. (i drown more than swim).

Took Sunday and Monday off, and I've been doing every hip exercise in the book. I actually feel stronger in my hips, but I returned to the track tonight for

Tuesday Feb 19 - 8 x 800 with 400 jog in 2:58s for the first 7 and and 2:46 for the last 800 with splits of 1:25, 1:21. The ITband was in significant pain by the 6th 800, but I pushed through and did my cooldown and everything. Total of 11 miles on the day.

*Came home, did more hip exercises, popped another IB proffin, and I feel fine now. Will let everyone know tomorrow if I decide to do an easy run. Tempo thursday may get pushed back to Tempo Friday as I will have access to less busy roads on Friday in a smaller town (I think I'm going to have to step away from the track for a while).

You might actually get pretty fast if you ever stop standing around in between your interval sets.

Where you got the idea of doing standing recovery seems a mystery.

You should be jogging 300-400m in that 2 mins.

I jogged the recoveries in the 8 x 800 session :)

bump.

How is the training coming?

training has been derailed since coming down with ITBs on approximately January 28th. I felt good enough to do a 5k time trial in 18:58 on monday night. I think I'm good for an 18:50 with competition.

The original plan was to run a 5k this sunday and go for sub 18, but it's not going to happen.

I'll throw in my comments about your workouts. First of all regarding long runs & recovery runs .... don't worry about pace. They should just be comfortable and relaxed. Some people run their easy runs at a pace closer to tempo pace, and some much slower. I've found this to be one of the biggest variables in training. Generally, if you hit a small or medium hill and you're suddenly gasping for breath, then your pace is too fast. You should have enough reserve on your easy runs that a hill doesn't put you into oxygen debt.

For track workouts, I think your volume is too low and your pace is generally too slow for an 18 5k on 50 mpw, and your rest is sometimes not appropriate for the pace/distance.

Here are some general guidelines that are derived from Daniels (but maybe not verbatim) regarding speedwork with appropriate paces for 18:00 and 50 mpw ...

1. Tempo miles: 1 per 10 mpw, so 5 for you. Pace is 6:12, rest is 60s no jog.

2. Short fast (R-pace): 200s or 400s. Pace is 39/78, rest is equal distance jog with no time constraint. 10x 400 or 20x 200 or some combination that adds up to 4000m.

3. V02 max (I-pace): 800-1200m. Pace is 5:43 (85 per 400), rest is strict equal time jog. So if you run 800 in 2:50, then jog 2:50 for rest. 7-8x 800m, 6x 1000m, 5x 1200m or some combination that adds up to ~6000m.

There are times when I shorten the rest for both R and I paces, but generally these are good guidelines to use as starting points for workouts.

HOWEVER, if you are not in 18:00 shape right now, then these will be too fast. Google vdot calculator and use a current race result to get appropriate pace for your fitness level. You can often bump it up a level, but try it at the recommended paces first.

too much track fast stuff + too much long slow stuff = INJURY for most

Bangalangadanga - how bout a prediction:

Last 3 workouts:

10x400 in :80 equal rest

3xmile: 5:59, 5:57, 5:54 - 2:30 rest (400 jog)

5x1000: 3:46, 3:40, 3:39, 3:40, 3:39 (:90 rest)

Weekly 4 mile tempo @6:40 in addition to above. 45 miles per week, 40yo male.

bangalangadanga, I don't think you need to run that many miles to break 18 at your age. I think you can go under 17 with that training program. I think with 5K training, it is best to take easy days very easy but have 2 top notch speed sessions per week. You will lots of 200 & 400 repeats to get your legs to turn quicker. Maybe 800s later to build "strengh."

bangalangadanga, what is your physique like? Your Feb 9,10,14 runs seem very intense. I think you're way too focused on the pace during distance runs. Leave GPS at home and just go out for nice easy runs. Not all runs have to be measured and exacted into a plan. 5K is all speed. You need to focus on 2 speed days per week. Rest of the time, recover with easy runs which will add to your base.

I'd say something around 18:50 +/- 5 seconds. Be careful not to go out too fast.

training has been very sporadic, but I did go to my track and run a 5k in 18:48 tonight with splits of 6:06, 6:04, 5:54, :44. It felt really hard, but I gutted it out. It band was 'sorta' tight the whole way with some sharp pain during the last 20 meters as I let my form break down.

Did the lateral and forward leg swings, cariocas, glute, and hip stretches after the run, and the pain is gone. I'm definitely making progress on the injury. I haven't run more than 3 miles in 2 weeks as that seems to be the limit before the itband starts to hurt. I'm just gonna stay here and take some off days here and there and gradually experiment with going a little longer.

How has the training been going?