Is a 5 to 6 minute interval rest for runs lasting between 3 to 5 minutes an effective workout for in season training, and I do mean for a whole track season...specifically for 1 mile, 2 mile, and 5k runners? Let me know if more info is needed. Thanks.
Cut it down to 1-3 minutes, no longer than 3.
What if this interval rest is being forced by a stubborn coach?
bruhbruh wrote:
What if this interval rest is being forced by a stubborn coach?
how often do you do this workout? if once a week id suggest running at a fairly hard effort, like around 5k pace.
Intervals are like this all season long, and I typically do them slightly faster than 5k pace... he doesn't rest us shorter. It's always usually 5 or 6 minutes rest for all the male runners in the team.
...also only one interval workout per week
It’s on the longer side but for Vo2max workouts faster than 5k pace it’s okay. 1:1 or 1:2 work to rest ratio is normal for intervals of 3-5 minutes @3k pace or slightly faster. That kind of training has its place. If that’s the only workout you do throughout the week though, you’re really not doing enough work. That’s only one component of fitness and you should be doing some kind of threshold or tempo work with shorter rests.
Good thing is, if that’s the only workout you do during the week, you can do a tempo in your own time and fill in the other pieces of the puzzle.
E.g. of my week
M: ez 5 + 4-6 strides
T: an interval workout with 5 to 6 minutes rest (Rest for us is always like this)
W: ez 4 or 5 miles hilly w strides
Th: 5 or 6 miles ez + strides
F: 5 ez miles in the morning
S: 5k race
Sun: 9 miles long run
I do a tempo every 14 days usually a Monday morning or Wednesday morning... I want to do a real interval workout e.g. like a 5x1 k with 3 minutes rest or even 2:30 rest...where would I fit that in or can I even fit that in this schedule?
I'm a freshman btw and the fastest on my team only because I actually ran 30 to 40 miles a week... before official practice started 4 weeks ago. I'm really serious about this because I want to attend a good d1 college. Thanks :)
Does rest for your coach mean "do nothing/walk" or "jog"? If you find the period too long, then push your "rest" pace up a tiny bit.
Do nothing. I once tried to do an active jog rest because I remember reading that it speeds up recovery, but he didn't let me or anyone on the team do that just stand and wait no walking or nothing like that...well walking but only close around him. Like I said our coach always rests us for 5 to 6 minute pace.
He use to weighlift that's all I know about him. He kicked out 2 other distance assistant coaches btw only because he wanted to be the head coach for all boys and girls track events except pole vaulter and long jump coaching.
*3 distance assistant coaches
The race counts as a workout in your weekly schedule. If you run 1 workout and race 1 time, that’s 2x hard/week and that’s fine.
I can tell you’re itching to do the hard interval training with short rest, but it really is overrated. It has its place, but it’s not repeatable week after week. The races substite for those hard sessions you want to do anyways — they’re just as good or better than the workouts you’re talking about. Don’t do hard workouts just for the sake of doing hard workouts, especially if you’re racing every other week. Every run has its purpose.
I would stick to the 2 hard days/week. Maybe you run a light tempo the day of your interval workout as well. If you don’t have a race that week, do some tempo or threshold. That’s really what’s going to drive your long term development.
Those are the type of workouts you do when getting close to your peak / goal race
That seems really long especially if you're just standing around.
Yup