For those who ran uh 9:20/4:20… what was your training like?
I’m hoping to do both this spring on a steady diet of 45-50 a week, lots of threshold and tempo 1000s, 1200s and miles (5:20-45 pace) on short rest and strides early season followed by more race pace work later in the season (and races). Keeping the vo2max work to mostly race days and training above and below a lot of the rest of the time.
Your training looks fine for sub 9:20. If you can comfortably increase mileage by ~3-5% each week until it's time to reduce volume leading into championship racing that always helps.
Your threshold sessions look fine. Stuff like 6-8x1k or 4xMile each with a 1 minute or so rest are great. If you're doing that at like 5:15 pace you're definitely in shape to break 9:20. For quicker stuff sessions like 10-12 by 30-45 second hills is sustainable for most of the year.
Now that you're in season doing race pace workouts by hitting something like 10-12x400m in 70 seconds with equal rest is always good to get you ready for the 3200m. You can progress that to 4-6x800m by the end of the season. For a sub 4:20 mile (which is pretty equal to a 9:20 2 mile imo) you can do the same thing with 12-16x200s in 31/32 with a 60 second recovery and build to 8x400m(64/65) with a 2 minute recovery. You'll get your faster than race pace stuff in on your 4x4s and invite 800m races.
Ran 9:00 back when that was a somewhat competitive time and used those progressions throughout track most years. Albeit my easy runs were too fast and weekly volume a little too high (70-80mpw). Take your easy days easy (slower than 6:30 pace and preferably slower than 7:00 pace) and don't push your long run too far. 10 miles is a fine long run for a distance runner in track. Best of luck and keep us all updated on your season!
Wondering senior wrote:
For those who ran uh 9:20/4:20… what was your training like?
I’m hoping to do both this spring on a steady diet of 45-50 a week, lots of threshold and tempo 1000s, 1200s and miles (5:20-45 pace) on short rest and strides early season followed by more race pace work later in the season (and races). Keeping the vo2max work to mostly race days and training above and below a lot of the rest of the time.
Ran 4:17/9:13 senior year of HS. Ran 40-50 miles a week but worked out almost every day (one easy run about every two weeks). Workouts were low volume consisting of lots of hill workouts, one big fartlek long run, track workouts with an emphasis on gear changing (30/40 alternating 200s, 70/90 alternating 400s, etc).
Obviously wouldn’t advise this training for anyone really, I went through five stress injuries in high school before running those times. Went to college and switched to more standard training. Just seems like there’s a lot of ways to get better. Best of luck to ya!
I just read through that log. A couple things that stand out to me:
1) You never too days off. I just don't understand that. I typically do 1 day off every other week and feel mentally fried from that. Ideally I would take a day off a week.
2) Doubles every day? I would not get nearly enough sleep if I did that. Waking up at 5:30 before school I think is counterproductive for me personally.
3) You would frequently do something fast 3 or 4 days in a row. I feel like I would fry myself and not be able to recover.
When I think about the above, what I realize is your ability to recover seems vastly better than my ability to recover. Why do you think that is?
Your plan looks good generally but your legs need more fast turnover work. I ran at/under your goal times but was more 800/1600 based. Don't ignore speed-work and jump into a few 800s when the racing starts. The 3200 will thank you when it matters.
In high school I ran 4:24 and 9:19 did it off of 15 miles a week. My goal was always to break 9:00 ironically the first time I ever did it was during a 10,000m in which I split 8:57 through 3200m. I also eventually did a 2-mile time trial in 8:48. I would say you are doing everything that should lead to that you might want to increase your volume and run a few more miles a week.
I didn't give the full training plan but here it is from next week taking into considering what you all said. Every week we at least twice a week do 3x200 and 3x100 or 8x100 after runs. We also do speed drills and lift (once a week)
4/7: A) easy with 3:00 pickups, B) 3 sets of 4x200-300m hills, C) race (3200)
4/14: A) 5x1k (3:00 rec), 4x200, B) 12x200 60 sec rest (stole from above) C) 4sets of 1200/400 (400 rest) stole from Malmo... what rest between 1200 and 400?
4/21: A) 4X800, 4x400, 400 rest- stole from Malmo, B) 1000, 2x(4x400 at goal 3200 eq rest), 1000, C) race (1600). Feel like maybe instead of one of these workouts I do something more threshold rather than v02 max?
4/28: A) 2x(800/1000/1200), 4x400 B) Race (3200 if race on 4/11 doesn't go to plan) C) Race (1600)
5/5: A) 6X500 at goal Mile, 6x150 all out, B) Race (3200 if qualify) C) Race (1600/4X800)
5/12: 4 days of races... likely Tue: 800, Wed: 1600/4x800, Fri: 3200, Sat: 1600/4x800
5/19: A) 600, 2x400, 4x150 all hard, B) 8x350 with 50 meter recovery + 4x800 at 6:00 pace
5/26: A) Race, B) 8x200 meter hills are 8x200
6/2: 2 days of racing (3200/1600/4X800)
Always open to suggestions.
I've been at this awhile.
I promise you that a major (or the major) thing that guys with those times in high school did . . . was pick the right parents.
Ha. My dad was a D1 runner back in the day but kind of a scrub D1 runner. Love him but it's true. Funny thing is, you never would have said I had genetics for it. As a freshman I ran 2:33, 5:51, 13:12. Even sophomore year I only ran 2:20, 4:57 and 10:41. Then I started to train and here I am... wanting to run under 4:20 and 9:20 2y later. Took a little bit for the talent to show through.
Wondering senior. wrote:
I didn't give the full training plan but here it is from next week taking into considering what you all said. Every week we at least twice a week do 3x200 and 3x100 or 8x100 after runs. We also do speed drills and lift (once a week)
4/7: A) easy with 3:00 pickups, B) 3 sets of 4x200-300m hills, C) race (3200)
4/14: A) 5x1k (3:00 rec), 4x200, B) 12x200 60 sec rest (stole from above) C) 4sets of 1200/400 (400 rest) stole from Malmo... what rest between 1200 and 400?
4/21: A) 4X800, 4x400, 400 rest- stole from Malmo, B) 1000, 2x(4x400 at goal 3200 eq rest), 1000, C) race (1600). Feel like maybe instead of one of these workouts I do something more threshold rather than v02 max?
4/28: A) 2x(800/1000/1200), 4x400 B) Race (3200 if race on 4/11 doesn't go to plan) C) Race (1600)
5/5: A) 6X500 at goal Mile, 6x150 all out, B) Race (3200 if qualify) C) Race (1600/4X800)
5/12: 4 days of races... likely Tue: 800, Wed: 1600/4x800, Fri: 3200, Sat: 1600/4x800
5/19: A) 600, 2x400, 4x150 all hard, B) 8x350 with 50 meter recovery + 4x800 at 6:00 pace
5/26: A) Race, B) 8x200 meter hills are 8x200
6/2: 2 days of racing (3200/1600/4X800)
Always open to suggestions.
4/14: C) 4sets of 1200/400 (400 rest)stole from Malmo... what rest between 1200 and 400? 400 ,
400 rest between all reps
4/21: A) 4X800, 4x400, 400 rest- stole from Malmo,
400 rest between all reps
5/5: A) 6X500 at goal Mile, 6x150 all out,
5/19: A) 600, 2x400, 4x150 all hard,
Don't go all-out. Try this. 1st 50m accelerate, 2nd 50m as close to top end as possible, focusing on the mechanics of sprinting, 3rd 50m striding it out
5/19: B) 8x350 with 50 meter recovery + 4x800 at 6:00 pace
Take at least 200m rest
lease wrote:
I've been at this awhile.
I promise you that a major (or the major) thing that guys with those times in high school did . . . was pick the right parents.
Excuses. Has nothing to do with this thread.
Wondering senior. wrote:
I didn't give the full training plan but here it is from next week taking into considering what you all said. Every week we at least twice a week do 3x200 and 3x100 or 8x100 after runs. We also do speed drills and lift (once a week)
Always open to suggestions.
Is there any reason why you insist on planning out specific workouts two months ahead?
Not really. Just planning. I’m very open to changing as the season progresses. Just my personality.
6x500 at goal mile + 6x150 allout?!
id rather race any distance than do that workout haha
Wondering senior wrote:
For those who ran uh 9:20/4:20… what was your training like?
I’m hoping to do both this spring on a steady diet of 45-50 a week, lots of threshold and tempo 1000s, 1200s and miles (5:20-45 pace) on short rest and strides early season followed by more race pace work later in the season (and races). Keeping the vo2max work to mostly race days and training above and below a lot of the rest of the time.
In 1986 ran those times as high school senior. Averaged 40 miles a week and here is what a week looked like:
Monday 45 min run
Tuesday 10x400 w/1 min rest
Wednesday 30 min
Thursday 30 min
Friday 5x3min w/90 sec rest
Saturday 60 min
Sunday 60 min
Fast forwarded to what trains looks like for a few of my athletes that run very well off 40-50 miles per week
Monday OFF
Tuesday 2x1k threshold +6x400 w/30 sec rest+4x300 w/1:15 rest 4x200 w/1min rest
Wednesday 10k easy
Thursday 5x1500 threshold on grass ŵ/1min rest
Friday 8k easy
Saturday 1500m threshold 3x1k w/90 sec rest+ 2x600 w/2min rest +4x200 w/45 sec rest all on grass
Sunday 16k
Good luck!
Wondering senior wrote:
Not really. Just planning. I’m very open to changing as the season progresses. Just my personality.
Good answer. Not exactly what I want to hear, but at least its a real answer and not bullsht. For that reason I like you. Good luck.
lol. Thank you. Had my first real meet today. Won the 3200 (someone led for a mile in 5:04, I chilled on him and took over at a mile. Led for the next 800. Another guy took over for a lap and then I just picked it up, closed in 65-66 and ran 9:58 for. A 7sec win. Felt pretty easy. Came back 2 hours later and ran 4:40 in the 1600. Was happy with this double. 48 and rain.