Training on 3 days a week

I broke 20:00 as a 37 year old guy with no high school/college running background, very little talent and two young kids/a busy job. Here's the basic template I followed.

Intervals - Usually 10-12 x 400m in :90-:95 with 400 jog recovery, also mixed in 5-6 x 1k in 4:00-4:10

Tempos - Usually 3 miles around 7:00 pace, also mixed in 4-5 mile tempos at slightly slower pace (e.g. 7:15-7:30)

Long Run - 10-13 miles, progression if I was feeling good

Weekly mileage was around 25-30, including warmups and cooldowns. I also stayed active on non-running days with family hikes, strength training, sports; not sure how feasible this is for you given your commitments.

While you'll catch a lot of crap on this site, this is a topic I'm interested in. I know I'm never going to maximize my potential with this approach, but I'm realistic about my abilities and priorities in life (and inability to stay healthy at 40-50 miles per week), and this works for me.

Good luck!

SUPERIOR COACH JS wrote:

Orcas wrote:

Friendly advice, don't call your athletes "hobbyjoggers".

Why shound`t I? I have coached runners of all levels from hobby joggers to world class elite! :)

-Magic Man -

Because it's disrespectful, you stupid fraud!

You get up at 5:30am and get home at 8pm? Unless you are in the top 1% of earners that job doesn't sound worth it.

ImpaIa31 wrote:

SUPERIOR COACH JS wrote:

Why shound`t I? I have coached runners of all levels from hobby joggers to world class elite! :)

-Magic Man -

Because it's disrespectful, you stupid fraud!

How can that be disrespectful? I think "hobbyjogger" is a very nice term of a runner training as a hobby and way to stay in good health and fit on about 1-4 sessions per week and not so ambitious due to lack of training time or doesn`t want to train more to run his/her optimum possible performance. I coach hobbyjoggers with the same respect and optimized results as my world class runners.If they want to optimize their results they are as welcome as elite runners to the magic DANCAN system. :)

- Magic autumn is here! - :)

5kTime wrote:

I'd like to try a break 20 minutes for 5k. I'm probably in 21:30 shape at the moment. Due to family, job and my priorities I'm realistically going to run 3 days a week. How would you suggest scheduling my week?

Easy run, long run, workout? Should I keep long run easy or try and throw some threshold pace in it and have the workout be quicker like 6 x 800 or 4 x mile?

I broke 19:00 at age 45 running 3 days a week.

Tuesday recovery run 4 miles

Thursday tempo run, gradually increasing up to 8 miles.

Sunday long run up to 20 miles. If you're only interested in breaking 20 for 5K you don't need to run more than 10 miles on Sunday.

Work 3-4 days a week, it's rewarding to me but not in the top 1% by any means.

colourwheel wrote:

You get up at 5:30am and get home at 8pm? Unless you are in the top 1% of earners that job doesn't sound worth it.

Can you run during your lunch break?

With 46y and only 3 training units per week i doubt you can break 20 min for 5k.

What is your BMI? Weight has a huge influence on running performance.

SUPERIOR COACH JS wrote:

I give you your best advice! :)

3 sessions in the week will be ;

1 easy run at 60-80 min

1 LT-interval at a total of 6-8 miles and pace about half marathon race pace.

1 maxVO2-interval to a total of 5 miles at 5 k race pace.

This way I have coached a couple of USA hobbyjoggers before with fast improvement. Good luck!

- Magic! He is really just magic! )) -

This sounds like a recipe for injury. From experience, the volume of fast stuff is way too much for someone on low mileage.

I managed 17:20 and 35:30 on about 6 months of:

- 3-5 min intervals for a total of 25mins fast in a session. This was done really hard.

- 20min tempo, 'comfortably hard'

- 7-10 miles at the weekend with 1500'+ ascent

I'm exactly the same age and have the same goal.

Not sure of your background, but personal experience leads me to be wary of the 'all quality' advice - I just cant recover from quality like I used to (in a previous life I ran low 14's for 5k and used a lot of high intensity training)

I'm currently following something like van Aakens 'fun runner' schedule, and going out and running easy for anything between 45 and 75 minutes on alternate days, finishing the last couple of minutes at race 'effort' when I feel up to it

Probably not the most efficient way of training, but its sustainable and doesn't leave me too beat up to do the other things I need to do

good luck

25

lexel wrote:

With 46y and only 3 training units per week i doubt you can break 20 min for 5k.

What is your BMI? Weight has a huge influence on running performance.

Theoretically yes. I have a strict 45 minutes but I sweat heavily and I am working close to patients in the hospital so to cool down and not be sweating/smelling wouldn't leave time for much of a run. Could maybe sneak in 15-20 minute run.

jazzytherunner wrote:

Can you run during your lunch break?

Every little bit helps. Even just running 2 miles would be a nice break benefitting your physical and mental health while helping your training. If you are afraid of sticking and sweating, be sure to wear deodorant and wipe yourself off with a towel when you are done. Also many of nurses in the hospital smell extremely bad from smoking cigarettes on their break. If they are allowed to smoke, you should be able to exercise on your break.

jazzytherunner wrote:

Every little bit helps. Even just running 2 miles would be a nice break benefitting your physical and mental health while helping your training. If you are afraid of sticking and sweating, be sure to wear deodorant and wipe yourself off with a towel when you are done. Also many of nurses in the hospital smell extremely bad from smoking cigarettes on their break. If they are allowed to smoke, you should be able to exercise on your break.

And both you and the nurses should be allowed to conceal carry.

Time5k wrote:

25

lexel wrote:

With 46y and only 3 training units per week i doubt you can break 20 min for 5k.

What is your BMI? Weight has a huge influence on running performance.

Well, this is what you should be working on. You should start to work on dropping from overweight into normal weight range. Make some sensible changes in your diet, and your 5K time will drop a lot, plus running and a lot of other things will be a lot more fun and you'll be a lot less likely to get injured.

Time5k wrote:

BMi 25

Ok, i see hope here, 2 tips:

1) reduce weight (eat less and/or burn more)

2) to have more training modulation, you have to train not every week the same. See it like 6 different/similar training units per 2 weeks or even 9 training units over 3 weeks. That creates a better training as the same 3 units every week

Thanks for advice. BMI isn't perfect indicator but I'm working on it, down about 7lb in last month and hoping for 8 more over next 1.5-2 months.

lexel wrote:

Time5k wrote:

BMi 25

Ok, i see hope here, 2 tips:

1) reduce weight (eat less and/or burn more)

2) to have more training modulation, you have to train not every week the same. See it like 6 different/similar training units per 2 weeks or even 9 training units over 3 weeks. That creates a better training as the same 3 units every week

Short repeats at a faster than goal pace.

Longer intervals (3+ minutes each) at your goal pace.

An easy long run, far slower than your goal pace.

That's probably 95% of what you need each week right there.