Bored X coach, willing to give unwanted advice

Day 2 advice.

Have a goal and a plan. When you don't have that you are not better then a lost soul. Remember why you are taining, this sport isn't easy, and when things get tough you will need the goal to remind you it's worth it.

I have a road 10k coming up that starts of with ~1/2 mile downhill (with rolling hills most of the race) Do you have any recommendations on race tactics/strategy ?

Most of my runs are on rolling hills. I've done several progressions/tempo runs on hilly terrain, in addition to some hill work outs (which have included downhill reps). There are a handful of people that are slightly faster than me so I was considering going out fast on the first downhill, and trying to really work the rest of them throughout the course.

Thanks

The one thing I can say is 5k-10k the runner in the best shape usually wins.

However your training has set you up, is how you should run.

Arkansas use to always go out and take the lead, because they set there training up to push the pace early and hang on in XC races.

Colorado does the opposite in XC races, they are set up to try and pass people through the race.

If you have been training to throw a surge in at mile 2 do that.

You take 12 weeks pushing a race plan, not 2 weeks

I have been wondering sometimes I should go for this Friday and don’t know where I’m at, but I feel faster/fitter than ever. I’m 18 yrs old 150-55 pounds 5'10" and a 400-800 runner. I’ll probably run the 4x800 400 and 4x400 so i could anyone help me see how fast I can go, or shoot for. My OPEN prs are 2:04 and 53, relay PRs are 2:01 and 51.4.

A recent workout was been 16x200 went like 28,29,30,30,30,30,29 till last one then 26. I ran most pretty conservatively. I have also been doing workouts like 10-12 by 500-600 broken up like first 200 sub 30 stride 100 jog 100 then hard 100, or hard 100 and stride 100(600)with 90ish sec rest till half way point then 2:00 rest. My hard 100's are 12hi to 13 high; sometimes I run 14s to be lazy...

My endurance has never been that good but lately I’ve been doing 5.5-6.5 mile runs at 6:30-40 pace and did 4.25 at 6:15 the other day. I know everyone says they run conservatively but I really did on the 200's, I trained hard in the summer and had a great fall and winter period so I can build a memorable last year running.

We did 300 and 600 meter trials I got 37 and 1:27 but the 600 I ran just to win not really bust out. My 600 pr is 1:26 from last year, 4 days before state where I ran 2:01 relay split. What times does anyone who knows what they are talking about say I am at?

Read more:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=4507419#ixzz1qHzVF5fG

How you set your week up is more important then the miles you do when it comes to injury. Give your body time to rest. Bellow are very subtle changes I would make to stay healthy.

joalturn

Week one: Trying to get back into the rhythm of running after track ends (I plan on taking a week off)

Sunday: Cross train

Monday: 10 miles, pick it up the last 3 miles/ strides

Tuesday: 5 miles w/ strides

Wednesday: 7 miles with strides and core ( not abs core)

Thursday: 5 miles w/ strides

Friday: 7 miles

Saturday: 2 wu, 3 miles at 10k pace, 2 cd

After the adjustment week, I'd follow this schedule:

Sunday: XT

Mon: 90 minute run w/ strides

Tues: 45 minute run easy/ with strides

Wed: 15 wu, 6x100m hill sprint, 25 min cd

Thurs: 75 minute run easy, core work and strides

Fri: 45 mins easy/strides

Saturday: 10 wu, 1min on 1min jog,x16, 10 cd

I plan on doing a "down" week once every three weeks, and after about 6 weeks adding 2-3 30 minute runs to add volume.

FYI I've found that if I don't take one day off a week my body breaks down and injuries eventually come along. I'd love to run everyday if I could.

x.Coach wrote:

Age?

Years running?

Mileage?

Normal long run?

How many workouts in a week?

Cross train?

Speed or distance runner?

For an 800 meter runner trying to break 2:00, what types of workouts would you suggest? I know this is vague, but what are some general "bread and butter" workouts you'd suggest if they're currently at 2:02 and want to get under 2?

---The rest of my info:

20 (almost 21) y.o., running since middle school, but training since junior year of H.S. mileage is between 20-30 mpw. I don't have a long run. 2 workouts per week, plus track meet on Saturday (or 3 workouts if no meet). no cross training. more of a speed guy.

Back junior year of H.S. I had a great season and ran 1:57.9...senior year I did 1:58.X without enough strength work. Freshman year college was a total wash (2:06)...this year I think I'm good enough to be 2:05 shape, but I really want to lower my time. I feel like part of it is psychological, but I want to get my body as strong as possible so that I'll be ready to break through

Are you running for a college. For a 1:57 guy as a junior in high school even in your 20lbs over weight your only 12 weeks out of sub 2

I'm sensing this is a very well done troll.

If you are speaking about me you are very wrong. Not trolling. Just been out of the game for a bit and wanted to give some unwanted advice.

Day 3 advice.

Rest in workouts, you are probably taking too much. At the end of the day you are trying to get race ready, and there is no break in the race.

I have to say, your stuff is spot-on. Just about everything I've read from you here has been something I've picked up / adapted / used in my own training (coaching myself for years) and I've gotten much fitter than I ever was in college. Though like the previous poster with declining strength/agility/speed. I wish I'd had someone with your knowledge coaching me when I had those attributes.

But to disagree with one thing you said: it is possible to break 4 with no extras on a limited hobbyjogger schedule with work and family. You just have to have OCD when it comes to your running.

For those who've asked x.coach advice in this thread, I'd suggest you follow what he says.

You really died that last 3k Hydrite, but are you sure that 15:05 wasn't your 3 mile split. I'm not trying to be an ass, just trying to make sure you got your facts straight so you don't get called out in another situation that could actually be awkward.

Okay, some questions for anyone really. (I coach HS, so keep that in mind)

#1 The importance or non-importance of Cool-Down runs.

I'm teetering on the edge of not being a huge fan of these (at times). Right now, i'll use them after a track race with the kids, just to get in reasonable mileage for the day, since they usually just run one event (maybe a 4x4 at the end). So in this case, I wouldn't even call it a "cool-down", because it's probably 30 minutes+.

During a typical week, we have 1 or 2 workout days. Alternately, Instead of a 15-20 min cool-down jog, we have starting doing a short, barefoot cool-down jog on the grass (3 min) followed by hurdle drills, some strength things like med ball throws, maybe some jump rope (if following an aerobic workout, just to get some FT firing) and light rope stretching. Then the kids go home.

Obviously, this cuts out about 4-5 miles a week of running per week and probably 55-60 miles out of the track season.

So, cool-down running...yay or nay?

X.coach wrote:

Are you running for a college. For a 1:57 guy as a junior in high school even in your 20lbs over weight your only 12 weeks out of sub 2

Thank you, that is encouraging.

Do you have any suggestions for good workouts? would 5 x 1000 with 3 min break be good? what pace would you suggest doing them at to be around 1:59/2 flat ?

Hill city, have them do the cooldown in addition to what you normally have them do after. Whats 15-20 minutes extra out of practice?

max219 wrote:

Hill city, have them do the cooldown in addition to what you normally have them do after. Whats 15-20 minutes extra out of practice?

That's kind of my point. I'm just not sure what the 15 extra minutes of slow running at a fatigued state going to accomplish.

Here is a link to 2 time Olympic Marathon runner/Exercise Physiologist Pete Pftizinger’s Running Times column. If it doesn’t convince you that cooling down is valuable, that’s fine.

http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/cooldown.shtml

Isabelle wrote:

Here is a link to 2 time Olympic Marathon runner/Exercise Physiologist Pete Pftizinger’s Running Times column. If it doesn’t convince you that cooling down is valuable, that’s fine.

http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/cooldown.shtml

I didn't state that cooling down was bad, I just stated that I don't think cooling down needs to involve sloppily jogging around for 15 minutes. I think you can accomplish all four of Pfitzinger's cool-down goals without just running.

well, what is your alternative? I guess I missed it.