Dont Strain wrote:
Based on your workouts it looks like you may be starting out too hard. If you can't hold pace during a tempo you started out too hard. Why not start at 5:34 and then work down? For the 1000s why not start at roughly 3:12 and work down? It usually takes a mile or so in a tempo or the first repeat in a workout to get the system to adjust. I did 8x1000 with 200 jog rest this week and started at 3:18 and worked down to 3:08. The 3:08 felt just as hard as the 3:18. You should finish workouts feeling fast, strong, with good form, and have the feeling you could go a few more reps.
Well, maybe on another day he wouldn't have slowed down, so it was reasonable to start as fast as he did. No way for me to know but just a hypothesis. Personally, I know on the first part of any workout whether it's going to end poorly or not (almost always) so I can adjust the paces early.
Anyway, I'd like to get some opinions from you guys. Sub-15 is not in the cards for me in 2015, but 2016 could be another story.
little background about me:
I ran 15:46 2 years ago, and last year I was in about 15:35 shape but mentally something was up so I only ran 15:53. Ran a 15:43 road 5k last thanksgiving.
So far this season I ran 15:55 opener, then 15:31, then 15:28. I'm probably in 15:20-15:25 shape on a perfect day. But my question is about next year.
How should I go about training in the next 10 months to prep for a 15:00ish 5k next march?
I don't have particularly good speed nor endurance. My PRs don't tell the story at all but I'd guess I can run about 4:10 in a 1500, and no faster than 55 in a 400. I'm probably in 32:20s 10k shape, and again, 15:20s 5k shape.
My current training focuses on mileage throughout the year without any really ball-busting workouts at any point in the year (a la "train, don't strain" or "train smarter, not harder". I averaged 65 mpw in both 2013 and 2014, and so far in 2015 I'm averaging about 70 and I plan to get that up to 75 by the end of the year.
Options:
1. Just base train in the summer, few structured workouts but decent pace most days (6:40-7:00 easy runs, 80-90 mpw). In the fall train for a full xc season from October til December. Then build up again for spring track focusing on the 5000m in March.
2. Work on my speed in the summer while still hitting 80+ mpw. Do things like hill sprints, hard strides or 200s regularly. Then run full xc season, then move onto track season and focus on 1500/5000 but primarily on 5000.
3. Work on endurance this summer, 80+ mpw and hard long runs, 10-12mi tempos, etc. Do a few races in the summer, maybe a half marathon. Then do a shorter xc season before switching gears towards a December marathon, attempting to run 2:30-2:34. take a break, then train for track and hope my endurance can carry me in the 5000.
4. other
thanks. hopefully some of you have been in a similar situation and can tell me what worked/didn't work.