For example: Monday 800s or 1,200, or 600. Total volume, 3-4 miles at 5k effort. Thursday: 16x200 or 12 at 2 mile effort working down to mile effort, with a 30 -45 second recovery. The second workout is the shorter one of the week. Being a master runner the 200s help me with my turnover. Is this a good plan as a staple?
It depends on your event, and how much recovery you need. If you're training for anything longer than 3k, I'd wonder how often you do work at tempo pace or a long run.
my 2c wrote:
It depends on your event, and how much recovery you need. If you're training for anything longer than 3k, I'd wonder how often you do work at tempo pace or a long run.
Long run weekly. 3/4 or 12x800 or 6x1ks or 600s at 10k effort. That is a total volume of between 3-5 miles, run at threshold pace or 5k pace some weeks. The 200s are a second shorter session each week. I have one long session of longer stuff at 5k to 10k pace and one shorter session a week at mile effort. I find it help me with my turnover. My races are 10k and 5k. Again one long workout a week, most of the time it's about 4 to 5 miles total volume, but sometimes it's 3miles at 5k to 10k effort, or about threshold pace, the other workout is fast stuff at mile or 5k pace, but half the volume.
I get a lot out of doing 200s. Between cutting breaks and lowering times, I can get at least 4 months of progression out of them.
I don't typically work them 1x per week though. Every other week does well enough.
high school xc coach wrote:
I get a lot out of doing 200s. Between cutting breaks and lowering times, I can get at least 4 months of progression out of them.
I don't typically work them 1x per week though. Every other week does well enough.
40s runner here and came to say something similar. I love doing 200/200 workouts. They feel like long strides so I can settle in a bit more and think about relaxing at the quicker paces. But they are short enough that they aren't too taxing. I keep the off 200 somewhat steady and it's usually a pretty decent high end aerobic workout, too. Especially when I am up near 20 reps.
But yeah, I don't do them every week. I tend to rotate all the following: 200s, longer intervals, 3-4 mile tempo, and longer progression runs.
I don't make sure to hit them all in a 2 week pattern or anything like that. Sometimes I even do the same workout as I did last time. Basically I run a bunch of easy days and when I feel ready to workout, I pick whichever one sounds the most appealing and go for it. Rinse and repeat. I have found far more success with this than I ever did on a structured, weekly plan. But obviously, YMMV.
200 repetitions is IMO valuable for master runners to keep the speed. I would consider 10s Hill sprints on some easy days to keep the absolute speed without risking injuries. 1-2 days a week of 5-8x10s in a fairly steep hill.
I do 250m repetitions w/30s jog which is approx at 3k/5k pace and quite aerobic, still nice and quick.