NotMyRealName -- thanks for the encouragement. I'd say for the 200s I have been doing as stand-alone workouts there has not been a thorough warmup. More just like glorified strides at the end of easy runs. Anytime I do quicker stuff at the end of workouts though, I am fully warmed up with drills, strides etc... It hasn't been a problem so far since the fastest I will run on those is about 30sec/200 (and it has not yet gotten real cold outside), but any faster than that and I will probably start to add a more thorough warmup.
As for the sets of 200s/300s you suggested -- those have been a staple of my training in the past. Usually in the pre-season (early spring) leading into racing, and before I start the REALLY tough interval sessions. Never done them on grass though -- I might try that though. The biggest thing right now is trying to balance higher mileage (relative to what I've done in the past) and quality workouts while still not totally crushing my legs. I think staying on softer ground as much as I can should help with that. Most/all my tempo's and a good amount of my cruise intervals are done on dirt/gravel which helps.
AlabamaSlamma -- That 6x1k workout was meant to be pretty controlled. I took 60sec rest, but wasn't running particularly hard. Just wanted to put some sort of work in without overdoing it, because that race on Staurday was my first race in about 5 months. I wanted to be able to give it a good go.
I don't have a 200 PR, I've run 24.xx in workouts with a flying start - but rarely sprint all out like that. Also don't really have a reliable 400m PR either. I've run 54.xx in a workout before. Split 50-51.xx in unreliable college 4x4's. In terms of getting used to that 60-61/400m pace, the more I think about it the more I think running a mini-indoor season might be beneficial as you and some others have suggested. That might give me a nice jumping off point for outdoors, and also an idea of what is realistic to target and what needs to be worked on.
Partridge -- I think maybe I don't explain my weeks as clearly as I should as I've been keeping this log pretty brief, but I really stick to 2 hard days a week with a long run on the weekend. When I say "moderate" next to that Wednesday run, that really only means that I'm not completely dragging my feet like I typically am on my other easy days. It's not a particularly fast run, I just get moving at a comfortable clip. Also the 200s or strides I add in on some days are no faster than 1500m pace for me, and with full rest. They aren't taxing at all -- more just to give some pop to my legs and feel fresh. If I had to describe it, it would be like:
Mon - very easy running with some strides glorified strides (200s)
Tue - some hard workout
Wed - medium length run at a normal pace (can pick up if i feel good)
Thu - very easy running
Fri - some hard workout
Sat - very easy running
Sun - long run (always start very slow like 8min first mile, if i feel good I cut down naturally. if i feel shitty, i'll stay slow)
I try and run by feel at this point as much as I can. Also :
"You are training more like a planless 70 min half-marathon guy. I understand that it is time for winter training now, if you don't participate in indoor races. But you are not doing any kind of base building either..."
I think this statement is somewhat fair. I'd say I'm essentially doing cross country training at the moment - which isn't dissimilar to HM or 10k training. However, it's October and there's a long way to go. I do feel like I am building a really solid base, however. I took some time off at the beginning of the summer, and built back up really slowly, so I'm just now starting to feel fit. I want to stick to just building general fitness for another month or so until I start to get more specific. For now, I am happy to build mileage and run solid tempos. The BULK of my last 8 weeks has been 75-80m/week with tempo's, hills, fartleks, or cruise intervals as the focus of each week. Could I go up to 90m/week with tons of long tempo's/progressions and strength work to build a bigger bae? Maybe -- but I've never done that much before and I think I'd need to build to that point. But also, I think with just the type of runner/racer I am, I always need to have some sort of hill reps or easy 200s in there just to keep my mind sane and my legs engaged. For me just relative to what I have done in the past, I think I am getting a lot fitter aerobically now than I've been. I'd like to hover in the 80s for another month, then maybe hold 70s during a mini-indoor season. Then maybe 60s during the real racing season.