MatthewXCountry wrote:
Sham 69 wrote:
The best guy on our team (15:30 5k) does not go slower than 6:30, usually low 6s. Reading this is fascinating.
If he can barely break 5min per mile for 3.1 miles, how is low 6s easy for him? He can talk in full sentences on a 8 mile run at 6min/mile? If you can't have a conversation while running at the pace for a full hour, it isn't easy pace. Sure you can call it easy, but it ain't. There are guys who do 6min pace on easy runs, but their 5ks are well under 14 min. No way 6 min pace is easy for a 15:30 guy.
I think some folks are workhorses, and more diesel than speed. I know that personally, I have zero leg speed. There was a time in college when I was training as a triathlete and was time limited (relative to the sport), as well as injury limited on the run. I was in 17:15-17:30 5K shape. My run training was basically 3-4 progression runs on the same 5 mile route, where every run started out at 7 flat pace, and progressing down to high 5s or low 6s on every run, averaging 6:20-6:30 pace overall. Once per week I would do an 8-10mi steady run. Really never more than 30mpw. These runs felt comfortably tough by the end, but repeatable. I just didn't have the leg speed to run any faster at my top end, but my aerobic strength was through the roof with 4x75-90min swims and 4x75-90min hard bikes in there too.
Definitely not saying it's the smart way to train, but it was simple, repeatable, and I ran fast (for me) frequently while staying healthy for the first time.