Volunteers needed to test my Low Mileage, High Quality training plan!

Eurodonkey,

Since you said you might try the base in this plan next time, I want to explain what I did. Since I never do steady state runs and the 60 minute run is actually a 60 minute run/walk at a 9:00/1:00 ratio, I added cruise intervals of 9:00 at the end of the run with 1:00 walk recovery. The progression went like this for my 60 minute runs:

Wk 1: 1 X 9:00 cruise interval

Wk 2: 2 X 9:00 cruise intervals

Wk 3: 1 X 9:00 cruise interval

Wk 4: 2 X 9:00 cruise intervals

Wk 5: 3 X 9:00 cruise intervals

Wk 6: 1 X 9:00 cruise interval

Basically, two weeks of building, followed by a third week of active "rest". For the rest of the cycle I plan to do 2 X 9:00 cruise intervals at the end of my 60:00 run. I actually did that this morning.

Since my HR during my last 5k was 171-172 bpm, I do my cruise intervals between 158-164 bpm.

After this cycle, during the "base" phase of the next cyle, I plan to do the following progression:

Wk 1: 2 X 9:00 cruise intervals

Wk 2: 3 X 9:00 cruise intervals

Wk 3: 2 X 9:00 cruise intervals

Wk 4: 3 X 9:00 cruise intervals

Wk 5: 4 X 9:00 cruise intervals

Wk 6: 2 X 9:00 cruise intervals

I don't know if I'll ever do more than 4 X 9:00 cruise intervals in a 60 minute run though. 36 total minutes at tempo pace seems like it should be more than enough to get the desired results. Such a workout seems somewhat similar to Coe's 20:00 hard, 5:00 easy, 15:00 hard.

I did the 3 X 1 M in the first week of period 2 this past week. It was only 9 seconds/mile faster than last time I did it. I had expected the gains to be more since I took 55 sec/mile off of my time for the 60:00 workout. I guess that there is not a perfect correlation between the two workouts. The good thing is that I still improved. Now I enter the period where I focus on the 3 X 1M type of workout and I expect to at least take off another 9 seconds/mile by the end of the period. I won't know for about 7-8 more weeks, but I'll be sure to post then.

Eurodonkey, what times do you think you'll hit this year in track?

That's cool you're running 70 mpw. I just read that Seb coe ran 70 mpw in the winter before his world record streak. That was the winter he ran 10 miles in 45 minutes on a training run. Blistering.

It was said that I would not improve beyond 8 weeks because this plan is "all intensity." I waged that I would. Here's a related update...

Between weeks 7 and 10, I took 2 seconds/mile off of my mile pace for the 3 X 1M workout. Between weeks 10 and 14, I plateaued in the 3 X 1M workout. I had expected to take 9 seconds/mile off of my time as posted above, but only took 2 sec/mile off of it in this period.

However, between weeks 10 and 13, I took at least 10 sec/mile off of my 60-minute run pace, even though my primary focus was the 3 X 1M workout. It seems that in spite of the plateau, I have more endurance that just hasn't yet shown up in overall performance. It feels almost like the calm before the storm. I don't know when my next drop in the 3 X 1M workout will come and that's the exciting part. Live and learn.

I'm in the period that emphasizes 3200m speed so my next update will be about the 4 X 800m workout; results to be seen.

I've decided to peak for the USATF West Region Championships in the 1500m and also to compete in the USATF Southern California Association Chamionships before the peak. If any posters are Masters and local to me, come on and race me. Next year I plan to race Open if no injuries; I'll be 40 then.

Correction: The Championships I plan to run are Masters Champs.

I'm in the 4th week of the third period now. I took 5 sec/mile off in the 4 X 800m workout. My improvements are not as drastic as they were at the beginning of this cycle, but I'm still excited to be getting faster. Even if I only get 4 sec/mile faster in each 6-wk period, that comes to taking about 1:30 off of my 5k time each year. I'll take it, although I am feeling terribly impatient. I usually can't control my impulsivity at this point and either go out for 3 hour runs or do an interval workout with tons of rest so that I can go all out. I'm dedicated to this plan so I'm going to have to control myself and be patient. I'm trying to be somewhat scientific with this plan so I have to stick to it.

so go run a race. improving your training times doesn't really say anything other than you're running your training faster.

you've got to put up against some comp, ya dig?

I have been using a low mileage with key workouts for years now.

Many people think you have to progress with more miles and your training developes. This is what gets most runners injured.

The progression comes from the increase in pace for the workouts. My key workout done at least every 10 days is 5-6 X 800 meters on soft trail with hill section. I always cut down the time.

Early season 2:45 down to 2:30 peak season 2:35 to 2:15

My plan is hard easy. One day hard next very easy. Easy is 3 miles and gym work

I'm over 45 with 800 time of 2:04 and 17:00 flat 5K

training heros r just training wrote:

so go run a race. improving your training times doesn't really say anything other than you're running your training faster.

you've got to put up against some comp, ya dig?

Sounds like a Jack Daniels quote. No "upping" the VDOT without racing faster. I race the same 5k every year and that will be one of my measures in Oct/Nov.

Let's just say, I'm not in season yet. I'm early in a comeback and not ready to race. Racing is an injury risk and racing often is not part of this training plan. It is designed to peak for a race.

It would not be a true test of this training plan if I raced often because racing is the most specific kind of training you can do, and I would not know if I got faster from the training plan or the races if I improved. This way, if I race fast, I'll know it was b/c of the plan.

I love hearing these true stories, especially since "many people think you have to progress with more miles" and "this is what gets most runners injured."

I mean, how many 45 year olds are healthy enough or fast enough to run your kinds of times? They are rare. You are training smart for the long haul.

My plan right now is 2 days hard, 3 easy, 2 days off. I won't increase my mileage until I have no aches or pains even though I'm itching to do it. This is the smartest training I've done in my life and it is so difficult to restrain myself from doing more.

I can't hit your times right now (age 39), but I do dream of being competitive in the Masters 1500m in 9 weeks. Next year I might be able to hit your 5k time if all continues to go well, but right now I'm still quite a bit slower.

Update...

Between weeks 14 and 20, I took 4 sec/mile off in the 3 X 1M workout. I only took 4 sec/mile off in the 4 X 800m workout in the last period I completed which targeted that workout. I took 4 sec/300m off in the 8 X 300m workout from the last phase to this one.

I'm preparing to begin the final week of the Economy Development phase (12 X 200m primary workout) and looking forward to beginning the Finishing Kick Development phase (4 X 200m; 8 X 100m; 16 X 50m). I don't think a lot of older athletes do this phase because of the high risk of injury and because of the "why have a kick if you can't even keep up with the leaders?" mentality. I'm doing it partly out of curiosity to see what happens to my training and partly because of a theory I have.

The theory...

I think that I was fast immediately/naturally in 8th grade because I did lots of random sprinting: after baseballs, riding skateboard, just because a big field deserves to sprinted across, playing basketball. Now, I'm old and slow. Why? Because I don't play as much. To make up for it, I think I need a phase exclusively for sprinting power even though I'm training for middle distance. The theory will be tested over an upcoming 6 week phase and then again in a Masters Championship race.

I'm in the 4th week of the Finishing Kick Development period. I took more than 1.5 seconds off of my avg 200m times in the 4 X 200m between the 1st week of this phase and now. My times on other types of workouts are maintaining, but not getting faster (as the weather tends to get hotter). My first race is in four weeks and I'm thinking that I will not be as fast as I wish to be. We'll see.

I actually did get faster in the 6 X 500m workout in the fifth week of the speed development phase. I had to create a new period to include my three races and the peaking for the final one. I begin it next week and I race in two weeks. I've entered the 1500m and the 400m. It will be my first meet this decade. Someone very fast is already entered so I'm not planning on winning and I actually don't have much of an idea of how I'll do. The "workout king" will finally race.

From200mTo8km wrote:

I got injured in the race.

From200mTo8km wrote:

"this is what gets most runners injured."

Ironic.

P.S.- who cares?

From200mTo8km wrote:

I got injured in the race.

This is not true. I don't know how someone logged in using my account, but I did not get injured in a race and I am not injured now.

The Finishing Kick Phase did leave me with a nagging sore hamstring, but no major injuries other than ongoing plantar fasciitis, which may have more to do with my oversized work shoes, than my running.

I'm seriously considering taking out the Finishing Kick Phase from next year's training because this is supposed to be an injury-free plan and that period is too risky.

The results are in. I ran my final track meet/race, the USATF West Region Masters Championship 1500m.

Translating my 1500m time to the mile, I took about 18 seconds off of my time in about 10 months. I am comparing a time trial I did on an out and back loop in September 2011 with my final race in July 2012.

I should state that I added a last Racing/Tapering Phase to the plan, which basically meant I only did one quality workout per week for most weeks and I did 80% Volume the week before the final race and 50% Volume the week of the race.

My next race is an annual 5k in October. I hope to take 2 minutes off of my time from last year. Right now using a race prediction calculator, I would run about 1:45 faster, but I still have a couple of months to train.

I should also state that I got creamed in the 1500m as I had expected. If I can take 18+ seconds off my time again by next year's meet, I should get creamed by less, but it should take two years before I'm competitive with the other Masters. I still think the key is not getting injured at all. I took no time off from running due to injuries in the entire training program.

My average weekly volume was 18.5 miles. I often ran 5 days per week.

I also want to share something about this plan. It is maybe better to race every so often to make sure you don't train too fast. I was training way too fast before my races. My first race was slow compared to the training, then I slowed down my training times and I took 10 seconds off of my next race time, about 5 weeks later (I also had a better race strategy).

'I found it nearly impossible to get injured with this plan '

Garbage

Why do you say that? I missed no training days.

From200mTo8k wrote:

My average weekly volume was 18.5 miles. I often ran 5 days per week.

Reason enough to not read another post you make.

18.5 miles per week. And on 5 days! Wow, Mr. Consistency, here. Your plan is a beacon for all those aspiring for greatness.

I literally can't fathom how fast you'll run with another year of consistent 5 day, 18.5 mile weeks under your belt.

Watch out, world!