Correct paces for "the Michigan"

Logically, as fast as you can go and still hold tempo speed for the slow parts.

Ability should do the adjustment all by itself shouldn't it?

Try to have your runners do the hard segments at 5k or 10k pace and the tempo segments at threshold pace.

According to Chris Lear's Sub 4 book about Alan Webb, the michigan is actually:

Mile

1.5 mile tempo

400

1.5 mile tempo

800

1.5 mile tempo

1200

That is if you wanna do it exactly the way they do it at U Of M.

This workout always struck me as being retarded. Unless you are in a position where you can't find enough races and thus need/want to do a race simulation workout, what is the point? And what college team is ever short on races?

it can be used as race simulation, and while races are not hard to find, coaches may not want their runners to go through the travelling and general mental and emotional stress of a race, so doing the workout on an off weekend, while a similiar physical stimulation, is easier an often more practical than going to a race.

also, there are different forms of "the michigan"- it can be adjusted based on when it is in the season/ what exactly the goal is. the standard workout is 1600-1200-800-400 on teh trac kwith a 1 mile tempo, but intervals can be taken out or altered as needed.

Question about the Michigan workout. How fast is the tempo portion of it? Is the 1 mile tempo at Lactate Threshold pace? Thanks in advance.

The workout is often changed each time it is performed.

1. Early on in season, the tempo portion is around 2000m, while later in the season, the tempo portion will be 1200-1600 meters.

2. The first Item is almost always a 1600, between 4:20 or 4:45 depending on the athlete and time of season.

3. Again, depending on the athlete, the tempo portion is run at 5:15-5:35 pace.

4. 200 meters is taken as \'rest\'; run at ~7 min pace directly after the track intervals, and about 100 meters \'rest\' after the tempo parts (before the trackwork). However, stopping altogether is prohibited.

4. Finally, the 400 is typically the 2nd or 3rd interval- Its usually more torturous to make the last interval an 8 or 12 instead, but hey, maybe you want to end the workout with a kick rather than a strength building interval.

5. Cooling down after may be substituted with puking in a trashcan.

6. Performing in face-melting heat is usually more entertaining for the coach.

hope this helps! Good luck!

I heard somewhere that Vin Lannana used to do a more contolled version of this at Stanford that went something like this:

1600m @ 10k race pace

2k tempo at LT

1200m @ 5k race pace

2k tempo @ LT

800m @ 3k race pace

2k tempo

400m @ 1500m race pace

Then sometimes they would do it reverse: 400-800-1200-1600 at those same paces.

I have done both with our teams in the past. The reverse one is tough to stay controlled on because the 400 and 800 are so easy at that pace early in the workout. But, if they run the 2K at LT honest, the 1200 and 1600 at the end can be fairly tough.

Either way, you're running 10k worth of volume at LT and faster.

Big Time knows how Ronny likes it.

john black

Since we did a version of this session this morning, I thought I would revive this old post.

We did it as

1600@ a little slower than 5k

1000m steady/45 sec rec (campus loop)

1200@ closer about 5K,

1000m steady

800 @ about date 3200 pace

1000m steady

400@ fast

It was the first time we have done this in several years and none of the current crop have ever tried it. They really liked it. Especially since most of everything quality has been tempo stuff. We did't try to crank the track parts and they were able to keep the "recovery" k's pretty high end aerobic. With a good cool down, it was a good session. I just thought I would share.

Big tiimmeee wrote:

The workout is often changed each time it is performed.

1. Early on in season, the tempo portion is around 2000m, while later in the season, the tempo portion will be 1200-1600 meters.

Can someone explain how Warhurst changes the loop to make the tempo portion shorter? I did this workout at Michigan with a post-collegiate group a few years ago. The loop went around Michigan Stadium, past the football practice field, down State Street, and back to the track. The short loop must be completely different.

In college we did a version of this during xc season.

-Mile on xc course a little faster than 5k pace

-3 miles tempo/steady state (whatever you want to call it)

-1200 on track ~3000m/2mi pace

-3 miles tempo

-800 over the final half mile of xc course as fast as you could make it.

It was brutal.

Unholy Cumulus wrote:

This workout always struck me as being retarded. Unless you are in a position where you can't find enough races and thus need/want to do a race simulation workout, what is the point? And what college team is ever short on races?

You're really asking what is the point of doing a race simulation workout? The name of the type of workout tells you the point - to simulate a race.

The 2k loop goes state street, right into soccer field across the tracks to crysler parking lot, straight up slight hill (towards main st) to football stadium then around the football stadium , right onto Keach (?) then right on to Hoover and into the track.

The 1500 loop you still go state street, right into soccer field to chrysler parking lot, but you make right into that lot instead of going up to main street, so you don't go around the stadium, you just run through that lot to Hoover.

I don't know if this makes sense to you, I also don't know if the loop is even the same anymore since they built the new football practice facility.

Is this the same workout that has led Forys to such greatness in college?

Maybe your "boy" just isn't that good.

Dellinger had numerous race simulation drills like this e.g.

1200 @ 60-65-70; 8 miles tempo 70-65-60

another where you ran 70-70-70 in the middle of the run as well?

Its all built around the same idea

I remember reading Rondell Ruff couldn't finish a full Michigan until his Jr year? (could be wrong). But a lot of good athletes cannot do it.