No progress in last 4 months

From January to June, my milage went from 20-50.

If anybody has any training suggestions, please tell me, I am egar to know.

eager*

Sorry for the spam, but one thing I might try to do is instead of having 2 running thresholds and 1 bike VO2 max, I would do 1 tempo run, 400s at mile pace (VO2), and a bike threshold workout.

runnerwithoutanaerobicbase wrote:

For the last four months, I have been doing 50 miles per week, with two threshold sessions per week, and a hard bike workout. From January to June, I cut my mile down from 530 to 501. I have not improved since. (If it helps, I am a 17 year old male)

Is it common to run into a plateau in training? Do you have any suggestions?

My ideas: increase easy pace from 8:45 to 7:45.

Make my one bike anaerobic session longer and harder.

Do strength training.

Improve my sprint speed as I can’t break 30 in the 200.

Thank you so much!

Here's my hobby-jogger opinion. Keep the easy pace easy. Do not increase it by 1:00/mile faster. Instead of doing the "hard bike ride," make that another easy, aerobic run. If you keep it easy pace, it'll be more a specific benefit to your running, without being likely to increase your chance of injury (much). Continue to do 1 tempo session per week, but instead of doing a second tempo session, replace that with an interval session specific to the race you're trying to improve (which sounds like the mile, based on your post).

Thank you so much for the reply: my reasoning for a bike day is to keep myself injury free, and increase total time training.

My easy pace would still be easy at 7:50, but you are right that I should cut it down slowly if I do.

I will start the one vo2 interval 1 tempo a week and see if that helps.

Thank you!

If you are training to improve your mile time you need to train like a miler. I would only do one threshold session every other week, with a long interval session every other week and a shorter faster interval session each week as your workouts. If you are running 50 miles per week your base should be fine, it's your speed that needs work.

Do you have a recent 400m or 800m time?

Not being able to break 30 in a 200m is not good. I'm surprised you were able to run 5:01 for a mile. Your aerobic base seems fine.

Some max velocity work and strength training may help.

Have you been running xc?

What is your 5k pr?

I would use track season to work on speed 200m-1600m.

See if you can get your 400m under 1:00.

I am a more mile 5k runner. I don't know if this changes your response.

I dont have a recent 400 or 800 time. I can get a 400 time later this week.

I used to run for the school running team but stopped this year. Last year bc of covid they let me train on my own but now said its either high milage or training with the team. I decided to train on my own.

My 5k pr is low 19s.

What I am hearing is that I should work on top end speed. (I have always wondered if mile/5k pace would feel easier if I could sprint faster. I have also wondered what the ratio is between 200 and 1600 meter times of top distance athletes.)

My goal is to run 4:30.

Plan:

50 mpw

1 vo2 max session or vo2 max hill session weekly (with 6 200s at the end)

1 tempo weekly (with 6 200s at the end)

1 threshold bike weekly

1 easy bike endurance day

easy runs in between

3x per week of:

Bulgarian split squats

RDL

Step ups

Upper body and core

Bad plan. You have 2 problems and you aren't addressing either of them.

#1 - You are aerobically very weak. A 5:01 miler should be at least in the 17:30- 18:00 minute range. (19:something is a red flag)

#2 - Your speed isn't very good (not breaking 30 is a red flag)

#1 - My guess is the tempo run is not being run properly --- the heartrate is probably getting too high and causing you to blow past the lactate threshold. --- Fix this by running tempo mile repeats --- 3 x mile @ 6:10ish pace --- jog slow for 2-3 minutes for rest. (tack on 3 x 300 in 55 sec. with 100m slow jog for rest and that is about all the VO2 max you need)

#1 - Get rid of the bike threshold and do a running threshold - 5 x 800 in 2:50 with 200m slow jog for rest (#2 tack on either 3 hard hill runs of 20s, or 3 x 150m fast with 5 minute walking rests) --- if the form breaks down on the 150s, call it quits and cut the rep length down next time to where the breakdown starts

#2 - Work you way up to adding 4-6 striders after your easy runs. Start conservatively and ramp up speed if the legs feel good.

#1 - You should start adding a long run to work increase capillary density and running economy.

Week would be:

Long run

Easy day - 4-6 strides after

Tempo Intervals with small dose of VO2 after (light plyo, light weights)

Easy day - 4-6 strides

Lactate threshold / CV training with speed after (weights after speed)

Easy / Recovery Day

Off / Core / Easy Bike

As you approach your goal race you can lower tempo volume and increase VO2 volume, but I wouldn't try to peak for anything until you can get that 5K time down.

1) The 19:00 5k time is old, I bet I could run 18:45. (Still aerobically weak).

2) I do a long run every week. I always run my easy runs very slowly, so maybe doing them at a slightly faster pace would help.

3) why not make the easy off / core easy bike day a threshold bike session? Biking is far less stressful to the system so I can do much higher volumes.

4) I will definitely add in strides.

5) 5x per week running keeps me from injury

Long run

Tempo intervals in 6:10 + 300s

Easy bike day

Easy run

3 mile tempo (careful not to go too fast)

easy run

bike threshold (mimic 800s)

You can only absorb what you can recover from. You will be able to stay in the appropriate zone easier if you place your workouts after an easy day.

Long runs take more recovery than an easier shorter run.

Long Run

Easy Bike or Easy Run with strides

Tempo Intervals and 300s

Easy Run with 4-6 strides

LT/CV intervals with speedwork after - {Bike cannot mimic this workout - here you are learning form and practicing your top speed afterwards}

Off or another easy bike

Easy Run with Strides

Drop the continuous tempo for a few months - if you start nailing the 3 x 1 mile, progress to 2 x 1.5, and eventually 1 x 3 (this should not be rushed - maybe over 4-6 months)

Drop the threshold on the bike - the return is very little and probably impairing recovery

I don't see how running 50 miles in 6 days is harder than 50 miles in 5 days. Just drop the volume on your easy days and spread it out over an extra day. If you are worried about injury, drop total mileage for a few weeks while adjusting to a different type of training.

You're 17?! Stick with it for a few years & see how far you get. 4 months isn't that much time right after you saw a big jump. People say your best races come after 2-3 good cycles. It's about body of work over time instead of hitting one big workout and expecting immediate gratification.

Out of curiosity, over time, why do you increase length of reps and decrease number of reps instead of keeping reps the same but dropping time a bit.

Is your 5k on the track, I know courses where a 19:00 is worth 17:40

Just be patient.. some of us here haven’t improved our best times in over a decade.. but we still have dreams of it.