Translating aerobic base into racing speed

Pick up your easy runs. As you start getting fitter and you're not working out yet you can pick up more runs when you feel pretty good. Once in a while dip under 6:00 for a mile or two or a few. Do strides or 10 second hill sprints at the end of easy runs a couple days a week. Incorporate 1 "steady" run a week at 6:00 pace.

Don't listen to the guy above this. The training will transfer. Once you introduce new stimuli to your training regimen (tempos, hills, intervals, repetitions, races) your body will transfer your aerobic power into racing speed. This transition takes time, but the solution is not just to push yourself harder, thats absurd (considering you probably already are pushing yourself as far as you can while staying comfortable right now since 5:45 was such a big jump for you.)

Oddly enough I was in your exact position in late May/early June. I used to be able to hit the same pace (6:00/mile for 9 or 10 miles) and feel great. I had the same problem... once I tried to hit a faster pace than I was used to I would fall apart within a minute or two. I wouldn't worry about it, because the speed will come. Part of the reason was probably because I was doing 10 miles at 6:00 pace. At the advice of my coach, a pretty elite runner back in the day, I slowed my long runs to 7:00 pace and within a couple of weeks I could hit 5:20-30 pace amazingly easy. It was really hard to run that slow at first because I wasn't used to going that easy even when I felt good, but it kept me fresh while still getting the necessary aerobic conditioning I needed.

I think you may be tiring yourself out on the 10 milers, even though they may feel great. A good article to read is Rojo or Wejo's Why I sucked in college article. Its awesome advice.

Just run faster a couple times a week (i.e the old 20-30 min runs at hm pace and strides 2x a week) and in 2-3 weeks you will get pretty comfortable at the faster pace. The moral of the story is you shouldn't do just mileage for 2 months. You don't need (or want) to do anaerobic intervals but you want to do some workouts where you work on running quickly pretty much year round.

Summer base wrote:

I've been doing nothing but mileage, long runs, and 'steady' runs (when I feel good) the past few months. I decided to do a fast and hard (though not all out) run last night and it was kind of depressing. I've done 10 mile runs at 6:00 pace and felt totally comfortable, but last night when I ran 5 miles at 5:45 pace it felt pretty tough. I'm wondering how long and how hard it is to translate my aerobic endurance to aerobic speed. Thoughts? Experiences?

Sounds like you are missing the point

Fast / aerobic is the pace you are running during say a 10k race in miles 2, 3, 4 and 5. Not that first mile that is always too fast, and not that last mile where you are trying to pick it up or kick. So, you should really be ready to rock and roll practically all of the time, with the exception of your first/last mile or last 800m.

Have PATIENCE , set realistic goals and take time to let your mind and body adjust from high volume to speed sessions. It doesn't happen overnight. Stay focused on your goals and stick at it!

Introduce fartlek, track reps, hills into your training schedule to get the legs atarting to move faster!

This will give you the fast sprint finish you need when racing and to win!

What is comfortable pace?

You can run at a comfortable pace right under anaerobic threshold for one hour.

(what would be close to marathon pace or even faster)

It would make sense that you couldn't hold 5'45" pace comfortable then. And it makes even more sense because those seemingly comfortable runs aka not a pace where you die at but not the lose pace for such a long duration 40+ minutes has taken out the reserves out of your muscles as well.

To me that seems the best cause of your problem. You ran to fast.

Back down on the running pace like a full minute per mile for those ten milers and then try a 5 miler at 5'45" pace 2 times a week that will go a lot better. And also feel doable.

are you steve jones (2 h 07 marathon?)

I guess I wasn't clear. I don't run at 6:00 pace every day. I do about two runs a week of 8-12 miles at 6:00-6:15 pace. The rest of my days are easy runs at about 6:50 pace. When I'm running at 6:00 pace or slightly slower, it feels like I'm running a little hard, but it's not strenuous and I always finish the run feeling like I could have kept going at that pace for at least another 4 miles, probably more like 6-8. It's just that once I start running much faster than 6:00 pace, I get tired pretty quickly and it feels hard.

long and hard drains out the speed for the rest of the runs 6'/mile 10 milers are only good if you are in shape to run 15' for 3 miles or faster. If you can listen to steve jones i guess. If you can't right now then wear a heart rate monitor and see i am right.

im in the same boat as you summer base, i think patience is key.

Why would you question someone, I am Ben Franklin.

stoffel wrote:

are you steve jones (2 h 07 marathon?)

stoffel wrote:

are you steve jones (2 h 07 marathon?)

Steve Jones

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Steve or Steven Jones may refer to:

In Music

Steve Jones (musician) (born 1955), English rock and roll guitarist and singer, member of the Sex Pistols

In Sports

Steve Jones (athlete) (born 1955), Welsh athlete

Steve Jones (baseball) (born 1941), MLB pitcher

Steve Jones (basketball) (born 1942), former basketball player, NBA analyst

Steve Jones (English footballer) (born 1970), English former professional footballer

Steve Jones (Northern Irish footballer) (born 1976), Northern Irish footballer

Steve Jones (footballer born 1960), English former professional footballer

Steve Jones (golfer) (born 1958), professional golfer, U.S. Open winner, 1996

Steve Jones (rugby player), Wales international rugby union player of the 1980s

Steve Jones (rugby player born 1977), Wales international rugby union player

Steve Jones (rugby player born 1983), English rugby union player there was

Steve Jones (American football), American football player

Other

Steve Jones (biologist) (born 1944), professor of genetics at University College London

Steve Jones (aviator) (born 1960), British pilot

Steven E. Jones, American physicist and conspiracy theorist/researcher

Steve Jones (presenter), Welsh TV presenter

Steve Jones, founder of Lightspeed Media Corporation