I ran 1:24 running 3-4 times a week (other days basketball, some indoor biking and lifting). I was in around 4:50 mile shape, but I doubt I could run 17:45 at the time. 18:30 more realistic. I was probably running 7:30 pace on my runs but not much faster. My longest run was 8 miles a few weeks before. If you rest up you should easily run 1:29, it'll surprise you how easy it is to race that pace when you're fresh.
Some good advice here. Given that you only have a month, you have time for two long runs of >12 miles. On race day, it'll be tempting to go out much faster than you need to. 6:45 pace will feel pedestrian in the beginning, but that's a good aiming point allowing you some cushion at the end. Who knows, maybe you'll feel great at 10 miles and close hard for a 1:25. Oh yeah, and be sure to dial back your training for 4-5 days before the race.
OP, what did you do for your training regimen the month in between your post and your HM?
-cut out vo2/anaerobic work (as a result easy day pace moved to approx 7:30)
-overall mileage 35-40
-3x3200m/800 jog workout as recommended in thread
-15 miles @ low 8min/mi, this was originally planned as a long run with a hard close as recommended in this thread, but was running with a group who decided they didn't wanna do that
-hard 10 miler @ mid 6min/mi (here became blatantly obvious i would be sub 1:30)
I am repurposing this thread into being my general training thread
Current Fitness:
400m - 55.high
5k - 17:20
Mileage still around 35mpw, although I do my long runs significantly faster than I used to now
New Goals:
Mile: Sub 4:40
5K: Sub-17
I'm rather surprised that the gravy train of gains on less than 40 MPW hasn't seemed to end yet. I was probably running closer to 60mpw when I was running similar times over a decade ago. I intend to ride this out as long as possible as the difference between a 6 mile run and a 7 mile run is definitely my threshold of running being fun vs. being a chore.
A sub 4:40 mile would be really nice. There's no record of me online running any faster than 4:41, but I allege that I ran somewhere between 4:36 and 4:39 "easily" at a dual meet when I was in 2:00 800m shape. I think I could do this without being in the best shape of my life, but I wouldn't be surprised if I need more mileage to get there, either.
probably sounds like it should be easy, but i do low mileage, middle distance targeted training, and my "long runs" indicate i'm in no position for a 1:29
current training:
- 30-40mpw
- daily pace is 7:50-8:10/mi, any faster and i'll have some soreness the next day, so i don't really run any faster on a normal day. i have been using at this pace since i was running 18:35 in the 5k. workouts got faster, and mileage increased with no strain, but easy pace did not get faster.
- no straight tempos. 6x1k threshold used as a replacement
- lots of vo2/anaerobic work, frequent racing 5k and below. basically these are my hard sessions, 2x a week
- regularly do slow 10 milers (8:30/mi)
- strongest "long run" was 11 miles at 7:30 pace, found this somewhat difficult and was wrecked the next day.
what's my approach for the next month? some ideas that i had:
- do some 13-15 mile runs, probably would have to be very slow and would also result in less runs per week
- replace vo2/anaerobic stuff with straight tempos
- i can do this already, the weekly vo2/anaerobic workouts and racing is keeping me in a constant state of fatigue, so eliminating that and maintaining/slightly increasing easy mileage should be good enough
- workouts at goal HM pace (would need a suggestion on what a HM workout at pace would look like, honestly have no idea)
note that this HM is in 1 month, and if i break 1:30, i don't intend to run HM ever again, so i'm not looking for any long term fixes, or tips to get me to run low 1:20s. bucket list item.
Hahahhahahaha. Help? That should be an easy run for someone at your level.
i did run another hm without doing anything specific for it and ran 1:23
Upping the mileage for the sub 17 next?
mileage increase is probably the way forward for the 5k. the relatively huge progress in the mile (4:50->4:39) vs (17:20->17:10) actually makes total sense considering how i've been training.
i'm still hovering around 35-40mpw, but over the last few weeks leading up to last weekend's mile i did block of hard training where i've basically been doing up to 2km of work at 800m pace or faster once a week, and making progress by doing the same session but cutting down the rest interval from gradually from 3:00 to 1:30.
i don't have to be a genius to understand that this kind of stuff isn't going to translate up to 5k. i've got another mile race on the schedule, and i want to try and find an 800m since I suspect i'm around 2:00 based on some of my sessions. (10x200 avg 29, 5x300 avg 45)
i will definitely come back to the 5k but not until after a new "base". wouldn't be surprised if i've actually gotten slower since these fast sessions i do have temporarily taken the spot of threshold k's.
mileage increase is probably the way forward for the 5k. the relatively huge progress in the mile (4:50->4:39) vs (17:20->17:10) actually makes total sense considering how i've been training.
i'm still hovering around 35-40mpw, but over the last few weeks leading up to last weekend's mile i did block of hard training where i've basically been doing up to 2km of work at 800m pace or faster once a week, and making progress by doing the same session but cutting down the rest interval from gradually from 3:00 to 1:30.
i don't have to be a genius to understand that this kind of stuff isn't going to translate up to 5k. i've got another mile race on the schedule, and i want to try and find an 800m since I suspect i'm around 2:00 based on some of my sessions. (10x200 avg 29, 5x300 avg 45)
i will definitely come back to the 5k but not until after a new "base". wouldn't be surprised if i've actually gotten slower since these fast sessions i do have temporarily taken the spot of threshold k's.
Wasn't sure if 4:39 was a lifetime PR, but 4:31 definitely is. If the clock set up at 200m to go was right, I closed in ~30 seconds. Ecstatic about the race, didn't even consider that below 4:35 would be a possibility this "season".
Recent Training Notes
-"Tapered" from 35mpw down to 30mpw (lol) which really just meant not tacking on additional mileage after workouts.
-Vastly overperforming at 800m and faster type workouts as previously mentioned
-Have been doing a couple mile specific workouts. The predictor type workouts were basically telling me low 4:40s if I try and even split, but mid 4:30s if I cut down each rep instead. Lets say in a 10x400 on short rest I had a rough time doing 70s the whole way, but a week later would do the same workout starting with a few 71-72s and then cut down to 64. Probably reflects my focus on speedwork again.
-Haven't really been doing any strength work since July. 1-2 moderate pace long runs, pretty much cut out tempo/thresh sessions entirely. Ran 4k in 13:42 to help pace a teammate's 5k last week. If I continued it absolutely would've been race effort, so still not totally sure if I'm sub-17 despite taking my mile down 20 seconds since last year.
-If I continued it absolutely would've been race effort, so still not totally sure if I'm sub-17 despite taking my mile down 20 seconds since last year.
I have increased mileage, normal weeks lately have been 40-55mpw. I am doing 13mi+ long runs almost every week now. I could indeed break 1:30 HM hungover as hell on any day of the week at this point.
I am still kinda doggy doodoo at both the 5k and VO2 workouts. Ran 17:00 on a track and a handful of 17:20+ road races. 8x800 at 5:20/mi pace is easy at this point, but 4xMi at 5:20mi pace still hasn't been doable for me. On the same fitness and not mid-D focused training, I ran 2:04 800 and 4:40 mile indoors, which I'm actually pretty pleased with.
The "Adult Outdoor Track Season" starts up soon and have just started to hit some 800 and Mile specific sessions again. I'm already repping 400s in 66 and its not really a big deal. I'll definitely break 17 at some point, but I'm feeling more hopeful that I'm going to be a mid 4:20s miler than become a 16:00 5k guy.
probably sounds like it should be easy, but i do low mileage, middle distance targeted training, and my "long runs" indicate i'm in no position for a 1:29
current training:
- 30-40mpw
- daily pace is 7:50-8:10/mi, any faster and i'll have some soreness the next day, so i don't really run any faster on a normal day. i have been using at this pace since i was running 18:35 in the 5k. workouts got faster, and mileage increased with no strain, but easy pace did not get faster.
- no straight tempos. 6x1k threshold used as a replacement
- lots of vo2/anaerobic work, frequent racing 5k and below. basically these are my hard sessions, 2x a week
- regularly do slow 10 milers (8:30/mi)
- strongest "long run" was 11 miles at 7:30 pace, found this somewhat difficult and was wrecked the next day.
what's my approach for the next month? some ideas that i had:
- do some 13-15 mile runs, probably would have to be very slow and would also result in less runs per week
- replace vo2/anaerobic stuff with straight tempos
- i can do this already, the weekly vo2/anaerobic workouts and racing is keeping me in a constant state of fatigue, so eliminating that and maintaining/slightly increasing easy mileage should be good enough
- workouts at goal HM pace (would need a suggestion on what a HM workout at pace would look like, honestly have no idea)
note that this HM is in 1 month, and if i break 1:30, i don't intend to run HM ever again, so i'm not looking for any long term fixes, or tips to get me to run low 1:20s. bucket list item.
My sophomore year of HS I basically had the Same PR, 4:45 mile & 17:30 5K and ran 1:18 in a half marathon.. was doing a lot of tempo stuff and 13-15 mile long runs.. bump up your mileage and I’m sure you can do it