Did the Michigan--is this the correct version?

also to clarify, those paces are based on the honest times per lap/block, rather than the optimistic GPS times, which show much faster on Garmin. (i.e. the 400m was a true 76 and 5:05 pace, rather than the GPS lying and showing 4:41 pace).

I just used my Garmin like an old Timex in terms of clicking off lap splits every block and pretended the GPS didn't work...

Google is your friend. Lots of articles on the Michigan.

You did something like a Michigan, but that's not really a Michigan. We'll call it Michigan-ish. 1600-2k tempo distance is fine, but they don't decrease in distance. 2 minutes standing rest is a lot, but I understand that Warhurst wasn't a taskmaster on the exact amount of trot time to start the tempo (not on track). More like 60-90 secs of trotting.

It's supposed to be a 10k race simulator. The fast reps are basically 10k pace for the first 1600 (like fast first mile of race) then cut down from there. Last 400 is pretty much all-out.

Like I said, you did something in the vicinity. I'm guessing you're in high school? Seems like a dumb workout for August. But I'd pretty much say the same if you were in college.

Yeah, in high school kids should still be working on base at this point of the season.

You are working on base 365 days a year. Everything you do builds on what you've done before it.

Also the Michigan, like long runs and double threshold, really isn't for everyone. All of those are meant for highly competitive pro, college and high school runners.

Its fine (and fun) to simulate those workouts but reduce those faster intervals to shorter, much shorter, distances. You arent going to get benefits from slogging through your workouts. You certainly won't benefit mentally from it. OK?

Similar it's usually 1 mile/1 mile (or 2k) tempo/1200/1 mile tempo/800/1 mile tempo/400. Short jogs in between everything. The 1 mile >>> 400 progression gets faster as you go. I usually tack on another tempo mile after the 400. You'll oftentimes see the mile/12/8/4 be done on the track & the tempo on a road loop or trail if available.

I think the modifications you made were good for your level/volume, given the 1 mile warm up + c/d & paces. Looks like a solid workout.

I agree with the above but should have qualified my statement better.

That applies to most “good” high school runners. As you know, many in high school still lack a strong base at this point in the XC season. It’s unfortunate but it is what it is.

The original Michigan workout is a 10km race simulation. The volume is 10km. Start with 1600m at 10km effort and then cut down the pace for the 1200m, 800m and 400m. The 3 2km tempo segments go in between the faster reps. That adds up to 10km total volume. The 1600m represents the start of the race. Then you settle in and run the 2km tempo. The 1200m and 800m represent surges during the race and the 400m represents the finishing kick at the end of the race. Obviously many people make some modifications to fit their needs or just for the heck of it, but that is the way Warhurst designed it.

So he was close but incorrect on nearly the whole thing? I agree just google it with warhurst, Hobbs or Ferlic or Willis' name.

yes, the short jogs are from the track to the 1k loop. Lets be honest its a fairly random workout jus varying paces and distance. I guess anyone could make up their own.

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=10086#post-1

I did this once but can't quite remember. When I did it totaled to 10k with no stopping. I did mine all on the track.

I think this lays it out the theory behind it pretty well, two questions

1) I've always done it without rest between, this explanation suggests without rest but everybody else looks like they have recovery between reps.

2) I've always tried for HM pace for the tempo sections, with varying success. Should it be more like 30k or Marathon pace. Its been a few years but the last time I did a Michigan and then looked back at teammates who have done them I realized they were tempo-ing way slower than HM pace.

Its not unfortunate, its opportunity. When it comes right down to it all high school kids lack a "strong base" but that will change -- constantly. Week by week, month by month, and year by year.

I don't recall the standing rest. We used to do this one like this;

1 mile at 10K pace

1 mile HM tempo pace

1200 at 5K pace

1 mile HM tempo pace

800 at 1 mile pace

1 mile HM tempo pace

400 at 800 pace

The only "recovery" was about 15 feet down/up a set of stairs from the track to the road, but it was otherwise continuous effort for a total of 5.5 miles worth of work.

I just can't respect a coach, or system that calls tempo a specific effort instead of an extended effort

Seems like a modification. The classic Michigan one poster already commented on was 1mile, 2K tempo, 1200m, 2k tempo, 800, 2k tempo, 400m. It is a 10K race simulation/predictor type workout that sort of sits between lactate threshold work and VO2 work (you're getting mix of both). The 2k segments aren't all that bad until the last one when you are getting fatigued, but that's the point. At my small college we'd do the 1600m/1200m segment at about 5K pace or a little faster, then the 800m/400m at about 3k pace or a little faster. The 2K segments were usually about 5sec a mile slower than 8k pace if I recall (in JuCo we didn't race 10K)? Can't remember all details. Been a while. We'd do the 2k segments on a grass loop and the cutdown stuff on the track nearby. With a 3mile warmup/2mile cooldown it was a decent 12mile total type workout.

Meh. That effort is also what some coaches call AT or Sub-T or LT1 or 2.5mmol or Marathon pace or whatever else someone might come up with. Tempo has just become the most-used term because that's the style of workout that effort was traditionally used for. If you're mad people are breaking their tempos up, take it up with Bakken and the Norwegians

The guys I most associate The Michigan with were around years before Google, Hobbs, Ferlic and Willis ... better yet, decades before Jacksons, Monk and Rowe.