Coaches Please Help Me

what you need, is longer repetitions at race pace. for instance, for you this would be an example:

4x1000 at 3:10 with 3 min rest

or

6x1000 at 3:18 with 2 min rest

shorter more specific workouts for a mile/mid-d:

10x600 at 1:55 with 2 min rest

or

10x300 in 1:00 quick 100 jog start again

these types of workouts are when you are near your peak (with your talent you should be able to handle 1 a week easily).

Also, a longer tempo and a shorter tempo each week, with another moderate workout, and two easy days and an off day. You don't need to do all of this, but a workout from the first 4 would suit you. Most europeans and africans do workouts and training schedules like these which is why they are better than you and most american girls.

for the first four workouts I'm assuming you can run at least a 30-32 for a 200. If you can't do that you need to reassess what you're doing trying to run a mile under 5:20 through speed work.

This type of question is always hard to respond to. How long have you been running? What have your consistent workouts been like for last few months. Whats your pr so far, in the 200, 400 and 800? If the 1600 is a interesting event for you then I would first remember progression. Are you hitting your splits or where are you falling OFF your pace in the 1600? What workout and miles are you putting in. Really need more information on you as far as your running.

More Info! wrote:

This type of question is always hard to respond to. How long have you been running? What have your consistent workouts been like for last few months. Whats your pr so far, in the 200, 400 and 800? If the 1600 is a interesting event for you then I would first remember progression. Are you hitting your splits or where are you falling OFF your pace in the 1600? What workout and miles are you putting in. Really need more information on you as far as your running.

My PRs for the 400 and 800 are 67 low and 2:29 low. I've only run tghe 400 in a relay. Not very good either. When I run the 1600 I usually split between 2:37-2:38. Last week i split at 2:37 something and then fell off a little. When I ran the 32 PR I split at 5:36. I do a little better pacing the longer race.

I have been running since 7th grade and now I'm in 10th grade.

Thanks for the other poster with the workout suggestions.

Oh, and I probably am running 35 miles per week right now. Thanks.

I am now a post-collegiate runner/college coach and can fully relate to your frustration. In high school I couldn't break 5:20 for the life of me, but had no problem running just under 11:20 on less than 30 miles a week as well.

5 years of having a coach truly develop me through increased mileage, longer intervals, and hill work I was able to break 5:00 for the mile and 10 for 3k and 17 for 5k.

Be patient...I know that's not exactly advice on training, but you are obviously much more of a longer distance girl. The workout advice that the previous poster is great as well, as long as you are doing it the right time of year. Stay focused on the 3200, stay healthy and work on gradually increasing your workload.....the fast mile times will come simply by being strong as hell.

some people just dont do well in the mile.

when I was in highschool I was all-state in CC and the 3200

but in the 1600 I was no where near, I never got under 4:30; I was 3rd on my own team!

in college, this didn't matter. I ran the 5 and the 10k and did well. I never ran the mile again.

you can work at it, and I'd suggest you do, but what worked was making your strength (endurance) so strong that it makes your weakness invisible.

Smart Letsrunner Type, are you out of your mind...

"what you need, is longer repetitions at race pace. for instance, for you this would be an example:

4x1000 at 3:10 with 3 min rest

or

6x1000 at 3:18 with 2 min rest "

Last year my high school team had 4 guys that could all run between 4:30 and 4:40, we could barely do 6x1000 at 3:20 with equal recovery. Your're telling a girl, who has never broken 5:20, to attempt 6x1000 at 3:18? Thats nuts. 6x1000 with 2min recovery is a 5k session. That workout corresponds to a 16:30 5k. 4x1000 at 3:10 would be for a 10:20 3200 type, not an 11:20. I hope that the girl who originally posted doesn't try these workouts for her sake.

The girls who beat you in the 1600 have superior 400/800m speed. You have several ways to catch them, aside from purchasing a scooter.

The basics approaches are:

1. stick w/ your strengths. train for 17' 3mi.

2. go for speed w/ either fast relaxed running ~90% full speed/w full recovery

or

many more 100m reps at 5:10-5:20 pace. (try starting every 1')

3. increase your leg strength and muscle power.

yeah the poster above is right. Youre probably best suited for longer races, and even with ordinary coaching, you'll end up around 5' for the mile. Top end w/ 60 speed is ~4:20

1500m.

right now it is worth training towards a faster 400m relay split. if you can do that, your mile split in the 32

can be 5:20. Dont let anyone talk you into much more than 40mile/week until you make some big gains on the speed side.

Welcome to the 10k. Get what you can out of the high school experience, but be ready to move up in college.

Just another Distance Coach wrote:

Welcome to the 10k. Get what you can out of the high school experience, but be ready to move up in college.

HaHa! That's sort of what my HS coach says, but not in a mean way. Not that your's was in a mean way. There is a girl in my district, also a sophmore, who just ran 5:01 for 1600 and 10:53 for 3200. She is really good. But, I beat her in cross country at the district meet and my Cross Country pr was 5 seconds fatser than her's last fall (mine was 18:39). I can sort of hang with her for a while in the 3200, but she destroys me in the 1600. What is weird though is she is splitting the 32 in about 5:25 (24 seconds slower than her 1600) while I am only splitting my 3200 about 15 seconds slower than my 1600. It seems like I should be able to run about a 5:15 1600, but no luck so far.

Thanks for all the great advice and encouragement!

From all the information you provided, PR's, training age, mpw, I would have you do this if you were my athlete...

early season (now): 1600, 1200, 800, 600, 400 @ ~5k pace (2min rest between each - then progress to 1min rest as the weeks go on as well as increasing the pace)

mid-season: 8 x 400m @ 5:20 mile pace (start at 2min rest, progress to 1min rest)

late-season: 4 x 500m @ 5:20 mile pace (first 300 off pace, surge last 200) with 2min rest

The most important thing is that you won't run a faster mile working on 3200 specifics. For faster mile you have to be able to run faster 800m and 400m.

These workouts have helped 2 girls to 5:12 and 5:14 from 5:29 and 5:34 earlier in the year. And for a boy from 5:08 to 4:31.

And no, you're not destined to stink at the 1600.

The best advise I can give you is get off this message board regarding getting training advise/input besides talking with your coach(My coach is good) and reading a couple of books.

I maybe going out on a limb but I predict your going to run faster then 5:21 for the mile in the near future.

Cheers!

The real Coach Caboose wrote:

The best advise I can give you is get off this message board regarding getting training advise/input besides talking with your coach(My coach is good) and reading a couple of books.

I maybe going out on a limb but I predict your going to run faster then 5:21 for the mile in the near future.

Cheers!

WELL SAID. END OF THREAD.

4x400 @ goal pace with 2min rest b/w 4's

do this workout every 2wks

every 2wks take off 30 seconds of your rest.

the key to this workout:

1) get use to the pace

2) running under control

3) by cutting the rest it will help you adjust

by the time you get to 3o seconds..it should feel control...not to easy and not to hard.

good luck!