Bored X coach, willing to give unwanted advice

Hill city,

You have to ask yourself why are you running a cool down.

As much as I like core work, I do not think it is helping bring oxygenated blood to the muscles you just worked.

Colorado runs a extended long run to make sure they flush out there legs

The problem is people see a cool down as some slogged miles. The first steps maybe, but the whole thing should not look like an 80 year old running. Don't get me wrong it's easy running, but make sure the athlete is using proper form.

For mid-distance runners after a fast session we would do an 800 of "in and outs" on the track between 1500-3000m pace on the in. It my sound hard after a workout, but it isn't the kids are very relaxed. This would start their proper cool down making sure we getting the affected result we wanted form cooling down.

Day 4 advice

Strides take an extra 10 mintues a day, and can be the difference between a getting a medal at the end of the season or watching someone else get one.

Do you have an opinion on the 'Two kinds of runners' (ie slow twitch vs fast; speed vs resistance runners) concept? What kind of emphasis/workouts would you recommend for a slow twitch, 5k-10k runner?

Thanks!

I don't have any specific questions. But if you just enjoy giving out training advice, there's a lot of people that would really appreciate your guidance on reddit. Specifically reddit.com/r/advancedrunning

Everyone would really appreciate your advice, thanks

Hi,

I am training for a half. I am aiming for sub 1:30 in Oct 2012. I started training in November 2011 and there are two races in Sept and Nov 2012 where I aim to achieve the PR.

I am 36. 81Kgs. 5'10. My PB is 1:42 for the half in 2008. In Nov 2011 I ran the half in 1:48 thats when I realized I have to stop jerking around.

Since then, I have run a 10K in 46:48 in Feb and I run the half in my long distance runs - every saturday - at 1:53 (moderate pace). I did some intervals in Feb then realized they were a

bad idea (acidosis screwed my legs - took six days to recover) and have since stuck to doing strides once a week as I build my base. I stopped running hard (fighting each Km) and

now instead focus on mileage and running fast. And My speed has increased.

I am now nearly settled on 75-85K which I would like to maintain for perhaps five weeks as I increase strides then after that, I can start inching toward 90K. After each run, I do lunges,

pushups, heel-toe walks, crunches and then I stretch.

My fastest 1K run is 3:58. How can I run faster at such short distances even as I work on my base? Or is it unimportant?

As I aim at going sub 1:30, it would really make me happy to run 1K at near 3minutes. How can I make this happen?

This has been my progression. Am I on the right track? What do I need to change?:

Jan_____wk1 N/A

________wk2 20+18+20 = 58Kms

________wk3 16+16+18+20 = 70Kms ..................(lower ankle pains)

________wk4 20(1:50)+20(1:53)+20(1:50) = 60Kms ...(fighting each Km - legs screaming)

________wk5 20(1:53)+10+10 = 40Kms......(Revert to moderate 21K @ Sato - no more fighting)

Feb_____wk1 21(2:05)+11+10(47:56:52)+6+10 = 58Kms (tight hamstrings)

________wk2 21(2:06)+14+12+7+10 = 64Kms...........(first sub 4 mins 1K!)

________wk3 21(2:01)+15+12+12+12 = 72Kms (Malaba, crazy intervals)

________wk4 21(2:19)+16+14+10+10=71Kms (recovering from intervals)

March___wk1 21(1:57:51)+18+11+11+11+11=83Kms (Kampala)

________wk2 21(1:56:39)+15+10+10 = 56Kms (PF threatens-recovering from 83K week)

________wk3 21(1:53:39)+19+17+12+11=80K (bad cold, health scare)

________wk4 rest - with a flu

________wk 5 21+15+13+16+13... (here is where we are now)

X.coach wrote:

Day 4 advice

Strides take an extra 10 mintues a day, and can be the difference between a getting a medal at the end of the season or watching someone else get one.

Why? What do strides to?

They seem to be too short and slow to be of any use in any event. They're not really specific for anything, either.

I never understood the fascination with strides. Can you feel me in?

Hi x.coach - I'm a high school coach. This year I have been lucky to have an outstanding freshman girl join the team. She ran close to a 5:00 mile near the end of indoor track (she did not run XC). She was running approx. 30 miles a week during indoor, and my training priorities (in order) throughout those 12 weeks were:

1) consistent mileage (it was low, but she was new, and ran 8:00 min miles, which is pretty decent for a newbie girl)

2) one anaerobic threshold run per week...either 1ks on the track with short rest or longer continuous runs on the roads...she really excelled at both.

3) 200m or 400m repeats at current mile pace with "double recovery" (so if she ran 76s, then she had 2:32 jogging recovery). These workouts started out as 150m hill repeats earlier in the season. We also did one pyramid workout with 2 600m in it (at mile pace) and she absolutely killed that workout...I paced her and the other girls, and she was on my shoulder the whole time coming through 600m at just under 2:00. This was when her mile PR was 5:20 or so.

She took one week off after indoor nationals and is now at the beginning of another 12 week season. My approach is pretty much the same, except now that we have 6 weeks with no Saturday meets, she will be doing more regular long runs of up to 8/9 miles.

I am cautious about introducing harder "speed endurance" type workouts that other coaches have suggested. The big goal is to get her to run XC and not play soccer in the fall...that's also the time to work on increasing mileage. Her PRs match almost exactly what the McMillan calculator says for someone who can run her mile time...which I have found to be rare with high school girls. I am thinking long term with her and I'm also thinking that she could be a big star later in her career.

So my questions are:

1) Am I right in staying away from faster, harder workouts?

2) How would you approach this kid? Especially if you were to think long term?

3) How do I avoid that commonality of the stellar freshman girl whose improvements are tiny or nonexistant between 9th grade and 12th grade?

I don't think there are only two types. It isn't just about muscle groups. Its about lungs, Vo2 max, thresholds, recovery time, how your body handles miles, mindset, attitude, motivation.

2 kids with the same speed 51.5,

Kid A runs sub 14,

Kid B runs 3:50 1500

difference kid B couldn't handle mileage and had a shit attitude.

I'm gonna bite on this. I dont think its a troll and I'm curious for some advice.

Background: Ran a PR in 5k in 15:0x on 50-70mpw. Interval training consisted of nothing more than a total of 4000-5000m for any workouts. Large amounts of rest (5+ minutes) between intervals that never surpassed 1200m.

What would be best for future training? Looking to break 15 on my own training after college. Shorten the rest between intervals or increase the interval distance?

What do you think about taking easy/down weeks every 3-4 weeks or so? Would you have someone schedule them throughout or take them as needed?

Both, longer work and a lot shorter rest

bored.x.runner wrote:

I'm gonna bite on this. I dont think its a troll and I'm curious for some advice.

Background: Ran a PR in 5k in 15:0x on 50-70mpw. Interval training consisted of nothing more than a total of 4000-5000m for any workouts. Large amounts of rest (5+ minutes) between intervals that never surpassed 1200m.

What would be best for future training? Looking to break 15 on my own training after college. Shorten the rest between intervals or increase the interval distance?

1) No, you aren't right, but you also are being smart. I like coaches who are cautious with athletes. Slowly cut the rest on the interval training. When she adapts to that, then you can start to add other elements of training. 2) I help coach a young lady who was a little slower as a freshman. We have increased weekly mileage by 7-10 miles a year. I do test her in workouts, I think they take a little too much out of her now, but will benefit her down the road with the college workload. More then anything keep it fun, when they start worrying about setting a PR every race things will go south quick. 3) You can't. If she meets boys, grows hips, wants to party, or finally grows you can't change those things. That's not to say any of those will happen, but if they do, there was nothing you could have done. Just keep it fun and challenging.

Coached of kiddos wrote:

1) Am I right in staying away from faster, harder workouts?

2) How would you approach this kid? Especially if you were to think long term?

3) How do I avoid that commonality of the stellar freshman girl whose improvements are tiny or nonexistant between 9th grade and 12th grade?

Thank you, much appreciated.

I really need help building my base, I'm trying to make a return to running and run for my school next year (collegiate level, D2)

My last week of training looked like this

Monday- 42 minutes

Tuesday- 48 minutes a.m.

1 hour swim p.m.

Wednesday- 40 minutes

Thursday- 46 minutes a.m.

1 hour swim p.m.

Friday- 40 minutes

Saturday- 63 minute "long run"

Sunday- planned day off

How fast should I be doing these training runs? Also, how can I increase my mileage to get between 60-70 mpw comfortably? Any advice would really help. Right now I run my runs based on feel (usually between 7-7:20 per mile)

Need a lot more info

Hopelessly trying wrote:

I really need help building my base, I'm trying to make a return to running and run for my school next year (collegiate level, D2)

My last week of training looked like this

Monday- 42 minutes

Tuesday- 48 minutes a.m.

1 hour swim p.m.

Wednesday- 40 minutes

Thursday- 46 minutes a.m.

1 hour swim p.m.

Friday- 40 minutes

Saturday- 63 minute "long run"

Sunday- planned day off

How fast should I be doing these training runs? Also, how can I increase my mileage to get between 60-70 mpw comfortably? Any advice would really help. Right now I run my runs based on feel (usually between 7-7:20 per mile)

Too short? How long are your strides? Sprinters do 10 and 20m sprints and it helps them a ton.

It isn't a fascination, it is about keeping your speed all year along, so when speed work comes you didn't take steps back. Strides and short sprints should be in any competitive runners arsenal weekly.

Day 5 advise

Mid week long run.

It doesn't have to be hard, just get the miles in. Take your long run and cut it 10-15%. This is what your mid week long run should be. Do this the day after a workout, but not the day before a workout.

Hi X Coach. I posted some days ago. No advise for me?

Worry less about your 1k speed and focus more on tempos, long runs, and mid week long runs. During your long run, run the last half hard. Teach your body to how it's gonna feel during your half.

jaliet wrote:

My fastest 1K run is 3:58. How can I run faster at such short distances even as I work on my base? Or is it unimportant?

As I aim at going sub 1:30, it would really make me happy to run 1K at near 3minutes. How can I make this happen?

This has been my progression. Am I on the right track? What do I need to change?:

Jan_____wk1 N/A

________wk2 20+18+20 = 58Kms

________wk3 16+16+18+20 = 70Kms ..................(lower ankle pains)

________wk4 20(1:50)+20(1:53)+20(1:50) = 60Kms ...(fighting each Km - legs screaming)

________wk5 20(1:53)+10+10 = 40Kms......(Revert to moderate 21K @ Sato - no more fighting)

Feb_____wk1 21(2:05)+11+10(47:56:52)+6+10 = 58Kms (tight hamstrings)

________wk2 21(2:06)+14+12+7+10 = 64Kms...........(first sub 4 mins 1K!)

________wk3 21(2:01)+15+12+12+12 = 72Kms (Malaba, crazy intervals)

________wk4 21(2:19)+16+14+10+10=71Kms (recovering from intervals)

March___wk1 21(1:57:51)+18+11+11+11+11=83Kms (Kampala)

________wk2 21(1:56:39)+15+10+10 = 56Kms (PF threatens-recovering from 83K week)

________wk3 21(1:53:39)+19+17+12+11=80K (bad cold, health scare)

________wk4 rest - with a flu

________wk 5 21+15+13+16+13... (here is where we are now)