I have an attitude? You're the one casting doubt on me. Hope is not a strategy is a pretty candid quote, maybe if you apply it to your life you won't be so doom and gloom.
Based on your college PRs and the amount of time you are willing to dedicate to achieve your goal I think it's possible. The way I would structure it.
2-3 months of "base":
M: off, XT, or easy shakeout
T: easy/ moderate + strides progressing from 5k down to 800 pace
W: longer interval session. 10k down to 5k effort with minimal rest to avoid straining on reps. Vary rep lengths to break the monotony. As your body adapts to the volume, throw in some short reps at the end to practice running fast when you're tired. The last month of the block you should convert effort-based fartleks to track work with the intent of hitting certain splits
Th: easy recovery pace.
F: shorter interval session. 5k down to 3k pace. minimal rest. Toward the end of the training block, you can get closer to mile pace.
S: easy + light strides
Su: long run. Work this up to ~20% of weekly mileage. If 70 is the upper limit then get it to 14 or 15 tops. Alternate the long run to be progressive in nature every other week so that you're running the majority of it at marathon pace.
Sprinkle in doubles throughout the week to cushion workouts. If your body is stiff for an AM workout, do an AM shakeout and do a PM workout.
Then,
1-2 months of sharpening
M: off, XT, or easy shakeout
T: easy run + strides that are progressive.
W: shorter reps, anywhere 200-400m in length from mile down to 800 pace. Moderate rest (90 seconds - 2 minutes). The goal is to make mile pace feel easy.
Th: easy run
F: Alternate with longer intervals one week and all out-speed with full rest the next. That way you develop fast twitch muscle fibers however you still touch on the strength aspect that you spent several months building.
S: easy run + light strides.
Su: Continue the long run but reduce it to 15% of weekly mileage as opposed to the 20 you were doing earlier. Drop the long run in the week preceding the race.
Feel free to drop one of the workout sessions to race in an event that stresses a similar system to whatever you would have been working out. Ex: swapping all-out speed for an 800 race or longer intervals for a 3k.
Your PRs are good but too weak to run low/sub 4 in my opinion. I've seen lots of 1:52 guys run 4:0x so it's not impossible. Your 5k is way too weak, but it is much easier to improve your aerobic capacity than it is your base-end speed. It's been a while since you've last raced competitively but with the innovations in spike technology, quality training information made available, and no shortage of good competition with collegiates with the same goal, I believe you can do it. Good luck, OP.
Would love any insight or suggestions... Really not looking for any trolls, I'm really trying to make good use of my time and want to run faster.
Thanks guys.
The mileage isn't an issue and is more than enough.
1. How are we supposed to know if you can make such a big drop if we don't know what type of leg-speed you have - 800 time? 400?
2. More speedwork around your RP is needed. Your training plan looks more like 10K prep and although I've seen it done, it's tough to tempo and moderate pace run your way to a PR in a speed-based event like the mile.
I'm 28, I've ran 1:52, 4:12, and 14:49. I'm not talking to you about my mother or her genetics over the internet.
My bad on missing this ^^. No doubt in my mind you can make a huge drop with a 1:52 PR. More speedwork needed though and lots of racing to get there. My guess is you can run a 50 second 400?
The odds are long but you don't have to get angry with everyone that states that fact. I have coached for several decades and nothing in your college PRs indicates sub-4 potential. Your 800 best indicates a lack of leg speed and your 5000 shows a lack of aerobic development. You may not have trained with the proper methods or focus when you ran those times, but I stand by my assessment of your abilities based on the data provided. I think that you have a better shot at running a high quality 5K considering your work schedule, limited training time, and age. The mile is a young man's game that requires talent, risk, hard work, and luck in equal proportions.
I wish you luck, but your angry replies indicate that you already have serious doubts about your chances. LRC isn't about empty platitudes and pep talks. Go watch some shoetubers or hit up Reddit if you want a bunch of affirmations.
I'm 28, I've ran 1:52, 4:12, and 14:49. I'm not talking to you about my mother or her genetics over the internet.
My bad on missing this ^^. No doubt in my mind you can make a huge drop with a 1:52 PR. More speedwork needed though and lots of racing to get there. My guess is you can run a 50 second 400?
Yeah, I’ve ran 50 flat before twice after college just testing what I can run a 400 in. I really only did hill reps before attempting it.