I don't think this workout is that crazy. I am a 3:44/4:02 1500/miler, and I feel like I could do this workout no issues. 2:00.00 800's should be comfortable for a 3:45 guy. 2:04 and 2:05 is barely faster than 3k pace.
BUT what is impressive is WHEN he is doing it in the season - barely any speed work so far. He'll be at his peak around June, so a good three months under his belt and I think he will be able to run something really quick. I hope he hits his goal of 3:37 but I am just going to go out and predict a 3:38.5 by the end of the season, which would be a nice improvement after not even breaking 3:45 last year. But who knows what will happen when he starts ripping 200's, hope I am wrong!
Exactly, it's an easy workout for a guy that has run 3:39, 1:49 and 49low (his 400 time is from high school). It's two easy 800s and then a decent 800.
I think the slow-twitch mafia is obsessed with the 1:55.9. It's not impressive for a 1:49 runner with 49-48 second 400 speed. His two previous 800s would not really tire him out for this fast rep. I understand that most of you can't even get close to 1:55 fresh, but still it's not impressive at all.
Spencer does all his workouts in carbon fiber shoes and carbon fiber spikes, which makes this significantly easier.
Running just 5ish seconds away from 800m Pr Pace is never going to be “easy”. I ran a 1:58 in a workout as a 1:53 guy and it was one of the most difficult workout reps I’ve ever ran.
Im also having a hard time understanding the logic as to why carbon plated spikes make 1:55 easier if Spencer’s fastest 800m in carbon plated shoes is 1:49.
The speed factor also doesn’t have a whole lot to do with this workout. I’d argue his supposed 48-49 speed is pretty irrelevant to an 800m repeat workout at 3k-Mile pace.
Mr fast twitch man, I invite you to go run 3x800m off of 3 minutes rest with the first 2 15 seconds off of your 800m PB and the last one only 6 so you can get a good feel for how truly unimpressive this workout is.
I just really think he needs more time spent UNDER mile pace before he will break 4.
He's fit, but I can't imagine he has the innate speed/speed endurance to just ignore that entire side of training for months at a time.
I'd personally like to see some 400 reps in 56-58 from him. I feel like that gives a better idea of his ability than this 3x800 workout. The man has done enough 800 and 1k reps.
I think it's fairly obvious that he's building up to this & hasn't introduced a ton of speed work yet. Everybody criticizing is missing the bigger picture. This wasn't really 3 x 800 @ best effort before his biggest race of the season. He spent several months working @ 8k-10k pace & then a month or so of 3k work. It's all about context. He doesn't need to hit a home run every time out. This workout looks perfect for transitioning to the faster stuff. Shows that he has good strength. He's not in college anymore & shouldn't be on the track in spikes running 400s every week. It's March. He wants to run his best by June. I would expect his workouts to get a lot faster. It seems like he's right where he's supposed to be.
Exactly, it's an easy workout for a guy that has run 3:39, 1:49 and 49low (his 400 time is from high school). It's two easy 800s and then a decent 800.
I think the slow-twitch mafia is obsessed with the 1:55.9. It's not impressive for a 1:49 runner with 49-48 second 400 speed. His two previous 800s would not really tire him out for this fast rep. I understand that most of you can't even get close to 1:55 fresh, but still it's not impressive at all.
Spencer does all his workouts in carbon fiber shoes and carbon fiber spikes, which makes this significantly easier.
I think it may be better to say it's an easy workout for a guy in 1:49/3:39 shape. Spencer hasn't touched those times in like 3 years. He also hasn't done any speedwork, so while he may have run 1:49 in the past, his 1:55 was probably done more on strength.
The workout really just shows he is back near 4:00 shape with better strength than he's ever had + it's only March and he's focusing on June. Regardless of whether or not it impresses you, it shows he's putting himself in a good spot to run this summer.
Exactly, it's an easy workout for a guy that has run 3:39, 1:49 and 49low (his 400 time is from high school). It's two easy 800s and then a decent 800.
I think the slow-twitch mafia is obsessed with the 1:55.9. It's not impressive for a 1:49 runner with 49-48 second 400 speed. His two previous 800s would not really tire him out for this fast rep. I understand that most of you can't even get close to 1:55 fresh, but still it's not impressive at all.
Spencer does all his workouts in carbon fiber shoes and carbon fiber spikes, which makes this significantly easier.
I think it may be better to say it's an easy workout for a guy in 1:49/3:39 shape. Spencer hasn't touched those times in like 3 years. He also hasn't done any speedwork, so while he may have run 1:49 in the past, his 1:55 was probably done more on strength.
The workout really just shows he is back near 4:00 shape with better strength than he's ever had + it's only March and he's focusing on June. Regardless of whether or not it impresses you, it shows he's putting himself in a good spot to run this summer.
I'm not as confident as you are that this is the most endurance he's ever had. He ran a 30:11 10k in XC to qualify for nationals. He's also run a 23:58 for 8k over XC.
His first ever college race was a 2:23 1k where he came through 800m faster than 1:55.8. It's a 1:55 for heavens sake, not a 1:49. No speed work is required to run 57.9-57.9.
I just really think he needs more time spent UNDER mile pace before he will break 4.
He's fit, but I can't imagine he has the innate speed/speed endurance to just ignore that entire side of training for months at a time.
I'd personally like to see some 400 reps in 56-58 from him. I feel like that gives a better idea of his ability than this 3x800 workout. The man has done enough 800 and 1k reps.
I think it's fairly obvious that he's building up to this & hasn't introduced a ton of speed work yet. Everybody criticizing is missing the bigger picture. This wasn't really 3 x 800 @ best effort before his biggest race of the season. He spent several months working @ 8k-10k pace & then a month or so of 3k work. It's all about context. He doesn't need to hit a home run every time out. This workout looks perfect for transitioning to the faster stuff. Shows that he has good strength. He's not in college anymore & shouldn't be on the track in spikes running 400s every week. It's March. He wants to run his best by June. I would expect his workouts to get a lot faster. It seems like he's right where he's supposed to be.
He races a 1500 on April 13th. If he isn't even addressing speedwork before then, a poor result (over 3:42?) becomes very difficult to analyze.
It's competition season. Speed/SE can start. Doubly so for a mid-d guy who doesn't lift (not criticising this) and has no underdistance races, time trials, or prediction workouts.
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