Appropriate Training 6 weeks prior to Footlocker

I don't know, maybe somethin like this.

Run easy and do strides on all the non-hard days.

6 weeks out:

70 miles

1 longer tempo over hilly terrain(maybe 7-8 miles at 5:45 pace)

1 shorter tempo (4 miles at 5:25 pace)

1 long run of 13-15 miles

5 weeks out

70 miles

1 longer tempo over hilly terrain (7-8 miles at 5:45)

1 interval session (6 x 1200 at 5k pace with 3 minute jog rests)

1 long run of 13-15 miles

4 weeks out

60 miles

1 shorter tempo (4 miles at 5:25 pace)

1 interval session (2k at 5k pace, 1 mile at 5k pace, 1200 at 3k pace, 800 at mile pace, 400 hard with 3-4 minute jogs inbetween; maybe some 50-100 meter hill sprints afterwards)

1 race or time trial effort

3 weeks out

70 miles

1 longer tempo over hilly terrain (7-8 miles at 5:45)

1 interval session (2 x 1 mile at 5k pace with 3-4 minute jogs, 6 x 400 at mile pace with 60 second rests, some hill sprint afterwards)

1 long run of 13-15 miles

2 weeks out

55 miles

1 shorter tempo (4 miles at 5:25)

1 interval session (4 x 1000 at 3k pace with 2 minute jogs, long break, 4 x 400 at 800-mile pace with 1 minute rests, some hill sprints afterwards)

1 long run of 11-12 miles

Week of the race

Mon - 3 x 1-mile in 5:25 with 90 second jogs, 4 x 200 in 30 with 200 jog

Wed - 1.5 miles at 5:25 pace, 4 x 200 in 30 with 200 jog

Sat - Race

talk with your coach and work something out.

talking with my coach really isn't an option. He couldnt help me at the point im at now.

If she could run 5:25 for 4 mile tempos, then just making Footlocker probably wouldn't be much of a concern. Making room for the trophy on her mantel would probably be more of a worry.

I think a kind of 5.5-6 week miniseason is the route to take between your state meet and Footlocker regionals: 2.5-3 weeks strength focused (this is essential, I think, because you've probably gotten away from this for the two weeks before your state meet when you're peaking), 2 weeks interval/surge focused, and one week of tapering/sharpening.

A first period week could look something like this:

M-20-30 min tempo run @ 45-55s/mile slower than 5k race pace. 4 x 200. (9 miles total)

Tu-8 easy, strides.

W-4-5 x mile @ 25-35s/mile slower than 5k race pace w/ 60-90s recovery. (9 miles total)

Th-6 easy, strides.

F-5 x 1000 @ 5k pace w/ 3:00-equal time recovery. (8 miles total)

Sa-12 easy, strides.

Su-6 easy.

Note: Add 2-3 runs of 3-4 miles in the AM to get your mileage back up a bit above 60-I think going all the way back up to your peak wit three hard workouts is a bad idea, but getting near it will be essential to maintaining (or perhaps regaining) your strength.

A second period week could look something like this:

M-6 x 1000 @ 5k pace w/ 2:30-3:30 recovery. (8 miles total)

Tu-6 easy, strides.

W-The first week:

6 x 1000 @ 25s/mile slower than 5k pace w/ 60s recovery. 4 x 200. (9 miles total).

The second week: 25 min tempo run w/ 30s 3k-effort level surges @ 10, 15, and 20 mins. (9 miles total)

Th-6 easy, strides.

F-6 x 800 @ 3k pace w/ equal time recovery. 4 x 200 (7 miles total).

Sa-12 easy, strides.

Su-6 easy.

Note: You can keep 1-2 of the AM runs if you're not feeling any aches and pains and want to keep your mileage up.

A taper is pretty personal, and hopefully you know what works for you, but I always liked one workout w/ a bit of strength stuff and some stuff quicker than race pace w/ long recovery. So a period three week could look something like this:

M-6 easy, strides.

Tu-Either 2 x mile (1200 @ Tempo/400 @ 3k pace) w/ 3-4 mins recovery or 2 x 1k tempo w/ 60s recovery, 2 x 800 @ just under 3k pace w/ 4-5 mins recovery. (7 miles total)

W-8 easy, strides.

Th-Off or 4 easy.

F-2-4 easy, strides.

Sa-Regionals!

Su-Whatever lenth run you want and celebrate qualifying for nationals!!

obviously im a guy... So ya. If i could run those workouts as a girl i'd be winning FLN

lilsoss wrote:

obviously im a guy...

Sorry...I missed that part too, since you didn't say that anywhere.

you're doing a lot of interval/hill workouts, but none of those are in the v02 max range, if I understand that properly to be roughly repeats of close to 4 minutes or longer at 5k pace and you don't mention any tempos or the speed of your long runs, which aren't long enough anyway. so, definitely add the repeat miles and tempos mentioned above, and consider making that long run at least an hour and a half. I don't know how fast you are, but you're probably going to want to run your non-workout runs at 6:45 pace or better, including the long run, or you could do the long run as a progression, going down to 6:20 from 7:20, depending on how easy that is for you.

my long run this week was 12 miles at. 6:40 pace. It was hilly and slightly rocky so it was a slow trail. I run doubles just about every day. My longest DAY was 16 miles. But I do agree that I need to implement more tempo runs.

One of my favorite tempo workouts is one from Steve magness. ~15 min tempo pace (I try to be around 5:40) then a rest jog for 7 min and then go lower and lower like 9 min tempo 5 min rest.

What do you guys think about pickups? Such as, say, 8 miles and every mile have a .25 mile pickup.

Thanks for the help! Im getting a better idea of what my plan will be. Keep up the (helpful) comments.

I'd say that surges during tempo workouts would be helpful for you, but not so much during easy days; you're going to be racing for place, and so you're going to need to be able to surge (and react to others' surges) while already somewhat fatigued. Thus, 30-60s surges of VO2-paced running during longer tempo runs, or kicking it in at the end of threshold miles (or surging for 200-400 meters during the middle of them) will likely be your best use of surges.

Oh, and sorry for assuming you were a girl. I have no idea why I did that (maybe because--and don't take this the wrong way--most FL-quality guys do a bit more than 70 mpw, and even though that's a bit high for a HS girl, some FL-caliber HS girls do that much.) Regardless, all of the stuff I posted earlier is still relevant--it deals with relative pace, not absolutes. Good luck.

so this last week was my first serious week back for training for footlocker. I did;

Sunday 14 easier

Monday- 12 min tempo, 5 rest,8 min tempo, 3:30 rest, 6 tempo, 2 rest, 4 tempo,1 rest, 2 min tempo, strides. About 8 miles total

Tue- 7 easy I didn't feel all so hot

Wed: 20 min at tempo pace + 7 sec:mile

Had long warm up and cool down, 6 that night

Thu-12 easy felt really tired

Friday: 8 easy

Saturday: 10x(2 min surge/fast tempo pace, 1 min jog)

Got about 75 miles in this week and i felt pretty taxed which i think is good ao i can get all this hard work in so i can taper well.

So after this week what would you guys suggest? Possibly one interval session with longer ints? Also, i didnt do strides as after most of these workouts it felt as though theyd hurt more than help. Would you guys suggest doing the strides even if my legs feel really taxed and tired?

Thanks!