Breaking a 9:00 Two Mile

malmo wrote:

disinterested observer wrote: The mile paced stuff should be saved for the end of the season, both as a way to fend off injury and because you want to focus on longer stuff anyway.

Very poor advice.

Really? I'll defer to you on this but I always felt the supra-VO2MAX efforts were unnecessary and sometimes even deleterious during base building phases. Of course, I had a bad habit of injuring myself with these workouts so maybe that's influencing me.

I can promise you I'm not a troll. I just put a little thought into some of my posts unlike most younger people here. :)

sub 6 wrote:

1:56 is not a requirement for 9 flat, especially if you have less speed like you say

This is the truth. Scott Fry's best 800 is 1:57, and he ran 8:48 in high school.

"Many states do it still (including mine), and for the rest you can just convert."

Yes? I was under the impression that many/most had changed to metric. I'm outta the loop ...

no one wrote:

"Many states do it still (including mine), and for the rest you can just convert."

Yes? I was under the impression that many/most had changed to metric. I'm outta the loop ...

Yeah, I'd say there's a pretty good number of states that do each of the 1500/3000, 1600/3200, and 1 mile/2 mile combos. And as I said, getting a two mile time is just a minute with milesplit.us' time converter away.

I also figured I'd use this as a bump too, although I've already received so many great posts. Thanks!

Flagpole-

"Anything slower than 10:00 is loserdom of course" may apply only to the particular distance at that stage of one's career, as Brian Sell indicated and eventually manifested, see his 2006 RW interview:

"I'll never forget that I was a 10:06 guy for 3200 meters in high school. That's maybe 10:15 for two miles. I was nothing. And now I get to run with the best guys in the world in the best races in the world. It's a privilege and an honor to do what I do."

pfft wrote:

Sounds like it is about time to hang them up, you get hurt too much to ever be a baller.

The biggest ballers get hurt the most

loserdom wrote:

Flagpole-

"Anything slower than 10:00 is loserdom of course" may apply only to the particular distance at that stage of one's career, as Brian Sell indicated and eventually manifested, see his 2006 RW interview:

"I'll never forget that I was a 10:06 guy for 3200 meters in high school. That's maybe 10:15 for two miles. I was nothing. And now I get to run with the best guys in the world in the best races in the world. It's a privilege and an honor to do what I do."

Pretty sure Flagpole was being sarcastic -- almost as sure as I am that Brian Sell was undertrained (relatively speaking) in high school and was NOT a 10:06 guy. With proper training, he may actually have been a 9:06 guy. Who knows? Was Pat Porter REALLY just a 9:50ish guy in high school or was that merely a combination of an undertrained, altitude-skewed resume? Shawn Found never broke 10 for the deuce in high school and went on to run a 28:33, become an All-American, and finish fourth in the Olympic trials 10,000. Pretty sure he didn't run much in high school.

lookingfoward,

I'm just going to focus on the injury aspect of your training because this will be far more important than most anything else.

I ran 4:41 in HS and was injured A LOT like you (which led to slow times) but then dropped to 4:06 in college.

Your key is going to be staying UNINJURED. Do this AT ALL COSTS.

If it means taking a day off and missing your weekly mileage then take the day off. It took me a couple of years and two stress fractures to learn this the hard way. I specifically remember freshmen year of college running with a stress reaction in order to make sure I hit my weekly mileage goal, i figured running a grass would be fine. I was a dumb ass. SO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, IT IS BETTER TO TAKE ONE DAY OFF THAN TO BE SIDELINED FOR MONTHS.

Don't be afraid to run lower millage when the guys around you are all running higher millage. I lived with a couple 5k 10k guys and it took me a bit to learn that 1) I can't handle that kind of mileage and 2) I did not need that kind of mileage anyway. You have the talent, some guys don't have the talent and will have to run more than you. You have to do what is right for you not what is right for your teammate.

GRASS, GRASS, GRASS. There is nothing more beneficial to staying injury free than soft surfaces. Whatever it takes, stay off the concrete every day. Every now and then is fine but you need to find routes where you can run and stay on soft surfaces, dirt roads, trails, grass fields, whatever. Not only will this lessen the impact of each stride it will also strengthen your muscles.

Stretch. Everyday. After Warm ups, after cool downs. I did not stretch today after my run and I will regret it tomorrow, Im a dumb ass, but Im also done with high level competition. YOU NEED TO STRETCH EVERY DAY, especially since you are going to be running on soft surfaces.

Don't try to ramp up your mileage to quick. the 10% rule is a good rule, especially for HS students. I know some will disagree with this, probably malmo, but with your history I think it is going to be best to do this slow and safe. In addition I would not add more than 15mpw to my weekly average over the period of a year. So lets say you hit 40 mpw on average last year, IMO you should not go above 55 this year. Its going to seem slow and tedious to build millage like this but it works, it keeps you from getting over trained and injured.

Double. When increasing your mileage double. When holding your mileage double.

Lastly, do not wear spikes for that many workouts. It was cool back in HS to wear spikes for all your track workouts. Save the spikes for the races, except maybe one work out every other week.

Hope this helps. As a last piece of advice on a different subject and repeating what a few others have said, shooting for 9 from where you are at now is an absolutely terrible idea. You need goals in between. Ultimately you may want to run sub 9 but you need to have check points, otherwise you are going to get frustrated and probably not make it.

I don't give you much of a chance to make it to sub 9, you have no chance at all if you continue to get injured. But working hard and being careful you have a good chance at 920s or so and that is a very solid HS career, and if you train like you should in HS (never over 60 mpw for you) you will have a very solid college career ahead of you. Good luck.

Hey runnerVA,

I know this is out of context but i was reading another thread, about the ischial tub., the bone you fractured a couple years back...I have the same injury since last December, and was wondering did the fracture affect your running speed in any way? And how long did you have to wait to run/exercise again?

what happened to this nigga?

High Schoolers focus too much on specifics. Forget about the long long term. Work on improving your pr.s in every thing from the 400 on up. If you are a long distance guy like myself the first best thing you can do is run a little longer daily each season. Run year-round. A long run of 12-14 miles is extremely beneficial but it takes months of regularity.

Also, equally important. Race Race Race. Have fun. Cross Country, Indoors, relays, shorter distances, and longer road races in the summer. Except for specific workout for a few weeks in the fall and the spring racing is better for the mind and more fun than specific workouts.

Tempo runs, blah. When you feel good, build into it and run hard. Throw in a hard mile in the middle and the end. Mix it up.

I ran 5:04 and 10:45 as a freshman on 25 miles a week. Went to 50-60 as a sophomore and 70-90 as a jr and sr. Broke 9:00 for the first time Indoors before my senior year. 90 percent of my training was consistent comfortable miles the rest was split with races and workouts of 400-600-800-1200 repeats somewhere in between mile race pace and 2 mile race pace. Year round running, no one needs more than 2 weeks of rest every 6 months unless they need to heal an injury.

4:15 mile speed is crucial. I know 4:05 guys that couldn't run 9:05 but I never heard of 4:20 milers running 8:59 for 2 miles. Thats 8:55 for a 3200. I did know of one 4:17 1600 guy that did it once early in the season, ok, so maybe its possible, but I would keep working on that mile.

Bump. How did you end up going?

You want a real advice, twit or facebook Edward Cheserek. He is a high schooler like you and he is is doing really great!

'It SOUNDS like you've got some talent as you're really improved quickly with little training, BUT there is this thing called the Law of Diminishing Returns. More training will likely help you, BUT there is no formula that can be followed that gives success to everyone. Maybe 50-60 MPW will do it for you...maybe your body needs 90 MPW, or maybe it's 40 with a lot of speed work in there. No one formula is right for every person.

Good for you for having a goal, but don't be fooled by some of the others here, 9:00 in high school is SERIOUSLY STOUT brother! And, you can't just plug in certain workouts and have a guaranteed positive result. Just train and race and eat well and get enough sleep and do all the things you SHOULD do, and then see where it gets you. Maybe you'll run 8:43. Maybe you'll run 9:53. Do the training. Run the races.[/quote]'

Agree with Flagpole

Plus if you start a race and concentrate on the last hurdle you fall at the first

Look at bringing you times down with realistic interim goals

'

Agree with Flagpole

Plus if you start a race and concentrate on the last hurdle you fall at the first

Look at bringing you times down with realistic interim goals[/quote]

Well, it would be interesting to hear from lookingforward now lookingbackward.

He was a Soph and had a nice goal of sub 9 as a Senior. Hopefully he wasn't thrown off by the dumb debate over "extreme talent" and "stoutness" and managed to find his best athlete self.

Otherwise some good advice given here.

2011 Indoor

TWO MILE (8:40.0) [+= converted from 3200]

8:40.70 *Lukas Verzbicas’ (Sandburg, Orland Park, Il’)

8:42.66 **Edward Cheserek’ (St Benedicts Prep, Newark, NJ)

9:02.10+ Jace Lowry (Martinsville, In)

9:03.99+ John Mascari (North Vigo, Terre Haute, In)

9:08.32 James Rosa (West Windsor-Plainsboro North, Plainsboro, NJ)

(5)

9:08.69 John Murray (Shrewsbury, Ma)

9:09.33 Shayne Collins (Mansfield, Ma)

9:11.47 Kikanae Punyua (Glenelg Country School, Ellicott City, Md)

9:11.50+ Chad Noelle (Greene Central, Greene, NY)

9:12.16 *Dustin Wilson (Chestnut Hill Academy, Philadelphia, Pa)

Oversized track:

9:00.62 Ammar Moussa (Arcadia, Ca)

9:02.51 Matt Jablonski (Loyola-Blakefield, Baltimore, Md)

9:04.14 *Thomas Graham (Cary Academy, Cary, NC)

9:04.99 Scott Morgan (Calvary Baptist, Winston-Salem, NC)

9:05.20 *Jacob Smith (Wenatchee, Wa)

2010 Outdoor

2 MILES (8:34.40 German Fernandez ’08)

8:44.06 *Joe Rosa (WW-PN, Plainsboro, NJ)

8:49.14+ *Jeremy Elkaim (Livingston, NJ)

8:51.46 *Jim Rosa (WW-PN, Plainsboro, NJ)

8:52.84+ Jake Hurysz (En Alam, Mebane, NC)

8:52.87 Wade Meddles (Sierra, Minden, Nv)

8:55.86 Tyler Anyan (Brookwood, Snellville, Ga)

8:56.13 Tim Cousins (Coop, The Woodlands, Tx)

8:56.19+ Brian Shrader (Sinagua, Flagstaff)

8:57.16+ *Justin Vilhauer (Redwood, Visalia, Ca)

8:57.42 Colin Mearns (Jamestown, Williamsburg)

(10)

8:58.1+ *Sam Pons (S Pasadena, Ca)

8:58.53+ Brandon Lord (Baylor, Chattanooga)

8:58.58 Ryan Dohner (Klein Oak, Spring, Tx)

8:58.66 **Lukas Verzbicas (Sandburg, O Park, Il)

8:58.85 Maksim Korolev (Harrisonville, Mo)

8:58.86+ Matt Mizereck (Leon, Tallahassee)

8:59.09 Weston Strum (Pioneer, San José)

8:59.17 Clint McKelvey (Marysville, Tn)

8:59.49+ *Elias Gedyon (Loyola, Los Angeles)

8:59.58+ Kirubel Erassa (Grays, Loganville, Ga)

(20)

8:59.80+ Reesey Byers (Santa Rosa, Ca)

8:59.92+ Colin Barker (Kenny, Jacksonville)

8:59.94 Blake Ahrold (Dana H, Dana Point, Ca)

9:00.19+ Erik Olson (Novato, Ca)

9:00.31+ Jake Rainey (Rossview, Clarksville, Tn)

HS should be enjoyable, dont over train and dont make breaking 9:00 a goal. (Unless you are desperate for a scholarship)

Titan wrote:

HS should be enjoyable, dont over train and dont make breaking 9:00 a goal. (Unless you are desperate for a scholarship)

Right, because setting out to achieve a lofty goal is not enjoyable?

Titan, Remember the titans.

The problem with coming to a running forum for training advice is that you are going to get some good advice and some really terrible advice that sounds like good advice from well-meaning people. It's difficult to sort the good from the bad.

Here I'm giving you some of the best training advice Renato Canova has ever posted on these boards. Our wonderful moderators decided to delete this thread, but I was lucky enough to save these snippets in my email.

I'm a DII runner who has gone from 16:06 XC 5k in high school to 31:30 XC 10k in college, and most of that improvement is thanks to this advice.

From Renato:

You pose interesting question about training. My friend, the philosophy I always follow has been to give my athletes a plan for progress. Sometimes you see, people ask me about what my great athletes do for training. This question is not bad. But better question in my opinion is "how did your athletes make progress to what they train now"? "How many steps did they take to achieve this result where they can handle my training plan". You see, great training programs, they always have progress plan. Many people wish to have advice that makes them better in just few weeks. You want some magic workouts that will make you run faster results in just few weeks. No my friend, training does not work like that.

Training should be general first at the beginnning and then you make progress to more specific runs. Tell me my friend, how can you achieve great result when your aerobic capacity is weak and your endurance is not so good. Your gas tank will be empty very soon during a race. You must run many kilometers that are below lactate tolerance pace before you can try specific runs. I think running economy, yes this is important. You will want to have some hill workouts mixed in for strength purposes my friend.

I believe you can build more kilometers faster my friend if you are experienced distance runner with many years of work. If you are young and new to running then you will need to slowly build your kilometers. To answer your question, yes, it is ok to increase your kilometers very much per week if you have experience and you are not new to running. But if you are child or if your aerobic system is weak, you need to run less kilometers and do them the proper way. I always include two days every week of some rythmeh or what you call strides. 8-10x 100 meter sprints after long runs will help very much.

I must go now. World Cup draw is coming in one hour. I must see if my team will be in Group of Death or will they have easy draw.

I am sorry Rochester Rick if my English is not so good. This is not my first language. I will try to do better in the future. Here is some of my philosophy.

I want to explain again the base of my phylosophy.

a) We have 2 different engines : mechanical (muscles) and bioenergetic. Our mechanical engine is the structure of the car, bioenergetic, that regards the internal systems (cardiovascular apparatus, enzymatic system, etc), is the engine of the car. So, like in a formula 1, we have to develop both engine and structure in well balances way. If we have a very strong bioenergetic engine, but our structure is not strong enough, we cannot use PRACTICALLY our metabolic quality, because we are not able running fast enough. At the same time, if we have a very powerful structure (for example, a thrower) not supported by the organic engine, we cannot last at high speed for the total duration of the race.

b) In the GENERAL PERIOD, we must work for increasing our qualities, with separate goals. During this period, we must train both our lacks and our talented qualities, in order to reduce the first one and to enhance the second.

So, we must carry out specific training for increasing strength, general resistance, ability, frequency, cohordination, flexibility, etc, WITHOUT ASSEMBLING THESE QUALITIES in combined way.

We need to increase strength, in order to become faster during the competition season ? We use light weights (if we have), short sprints uphill, exercises for muscle strength.

We need to increase general resistance, in order to build a better base for developing specific endurance ? We go for long run, increasing for 4-5 years both duration and speed, without going in very fast execution.

We need to increase local resistance, in order to build a better base for developing lactic capacity ? We go for circuits with different stations, carried out at high intensity, using gym and not specific exercises.

c) In the FUNDAMENTAL PERIOD, we put in our training some SPECIAL type of training. Special is a training that is not fully connected with the event, but is propaedeutic for the SPECIFIC event. For example, for a runner of 800m, 3 x 600m at 98% of speed (for an athlete having 1:50, we can suppose a passage in 1:22.0 = 13.7 every 100m. So, 98% of this time is (13.7 + 0.3)= 14.0, meaning 1:24.0 in 600m) with 6/8 min recovery, is SPECIFIC, 10 x 600m at 90% = 1:30.0 with 3 min recovery in SPECIAL, 15 x 600m at 75% = 1:42.0 with 1:30 min is FUNDAMENTAL, 12 km at 3:45 pK is GENERAL

d) In the SPECIAL PERIOD, we increase the intensity of everything, preparing our body for SPECIFIC TRAINING, that we have to carry out at intensity of 100-105% related to the speed of the race.

e) In any project of training, we never can lose what already we have. So, staying too long time without training some quality is ALWAYS a mistake. Today, it's not possible to apply Lydiard system, because the athletes have to compete frequently. If in 1960, without indoor activity, Peter Snell or Herb Elliot had a long period only for training without competing (the duration of summer season was very short), and they could use 3 months only for long run building a big aerobic base, now we must modulate our training in different way. An athlete ending the season with 1:45 in September, in December must be able running in 1:47, not in 1:52, and this means that he has to continue to train speed (climbing) and dynamic qualities ALSO when the main goal is to develop AEROBIC RESISTANCE.

d) If an athlete is able to reach a level of 20 mml, during winter ALWAYS must be able to reach 18, not only 12. Remember that too much training in slow run can develop the enzyme SDH, that face the enzymes LDH and CPK. So, we must always to use some training for maintaining at high level our ability in producing LDH and CPH.

e) But, if an athlete has an AnT of 16 km/h, he must use the GENERAL PERIOD for raising to 17 or 18. So, he has in any case to increase volume and speed of his long run.

f) When you go to the competition season, you have to maintain the basic training, changing the percentages of every type of work. You must remember that, if we go for something SPECIFIC, we produce a lot of lactate. Our problem is the ACCUMULATION of lactate in our fibres, not the high level. For example, if you are able to reach a level of 20 mmol running 400m in 48, and also 20mmol running 800m in 1:48, the quantity of lactate in your fibres is not the same. So, for removing the lactate produced in 400m, reaching a level of 6 mmol, you can spend 2 hours, for removing the lactate produced in 800m you need one day (these are examples, don't think that this numbers are the same for everybody).

g) In order to aid a quick removal of lactate, your level of AEROBIC POWER (AnT) is fundamental. Athletes with a high AnT are able to remove their lactate quicker than athletes with low AnT.

h) In order to develop your max. specific quality, you must be FRESH in your mind and your muscles. When you work for increasing your ability in ACCUMULATING you can be tired, but this can happen only in General and Fundamental period. When you qork for increasing your ability in PRODUCING you must be Fresh, this happens during SPECIAL and SPECIFIC PERIOD. Therefore, athletes can have care in recovering before going for a training of high quality. When you go in SPECIFIC season, you use more intensity (and remember that the intensity in middle and long distance is a specifism of EXTENSION AT THE SPEED OF THE RACE), consequently you must use more recover.

COMPETITIONS ARE THE HIGHEST QUALITY TRAINING.

i) When you use max intensity, you empty your nervous tank, so before the next workout in the same direction you need to fill it again. MEDIUM INTENSITY TRAINING is the key for filling your tank after a high intensity training or a competition

Your question DTM is a good one. My reply must be short. I have only 30 minutes that will I use this internet. Your information that Kwalia runs 32k sometimes is correct. But my example to explain these things, there is a reason. Why must we always look at the 12th floor of every building when the 1st and 2nd floor of this building is similar in importance. What I mean is that Kwalia start to exercise and run when he is 3 years old. Remember, his only means for transportation is his legs. Example I give is this. Kwalia is 7 years old and goes to school in next village. In morning he walks and runs 8 kilometers to school. During school he kicks ball and runs maybe another 2 kilometers of running. Kwalia, he comes home from school and walks and runs for this time another 8 kilometers. In his village at home, Kwalia plays sport and runs with his friends for another 6 kilometers during play time before time gets dark. My friend, do you see his aerobic capacity and endurance improving from this? Of course its true.

Now, lets take American child and European child. Same age. American child moves to school in car. American child maybe runs 2k at school with some sort of sport activity. After this, he gets ride home from car again. After school this boy or girl will be on computer or doing some video game activity. His total acitivity for aerobic activity is total of 2k. You see my point. This child has 2 kilometers of activity. Kwalia in normal day will run or walk for 20 kilometers or more. When Kwalia gets to be 16 years old his aerobic capacity is filled to floor number 6. American boy or European boy of same age has aerobic capacity at 2nd floor or maybe 3rd floor. This is big advantage in just normal life acitivity. I must be going but I hope my lesson is one that you can understand

For reaching their best result, all the athletes must exalt their best qualities, not wasting too much time trying to fill in the gaps. I saw great champions having exceptional qualities in some direction, showing great gaps in other direction. If you have a gap at the beginning, NEVER that quality can become a strong quality, only less weak.

For that reason, one training with 10 x 300m for Billy Konchellah (or the top 800m runners coming from 400m) is not only useless, but damageous. On the other side, if one runner is an "aerobic type", and is not so fast, NEVER can run at 110% of his speed (I suppose Cram never able to run 300m in 35"...), and has to develop his "specific speed endurance", using the system of very short recovey.

You must remember that the essence of training is to STIMULATE all the systems of an athlete, and the stimula, for all the activity of endurance (so, 800m too), are in 2 different direction : EXTENSION and INTENSITY.

This means that, for an athlete able running 2 x 300m in 33" with 10' recovery, running 4 x 300min 35" with 6' recovery is a stimula of EXTENSION, while for an athlete able running 20 x 300 in 45" rec. 30", going for 10 x 300 in 39" / 40" rec. 45" is a stimula of INTENSITY.

We cannot think of these 2 words (EXTENSION and INTENSITY) in objective way, but in SUBJECTIVE way. In other words, for every runner, when he runs faster than before he faces a stimulus of intensity, when runs longer (or increases the volume at a pace that normally is able to use) he faces a stimulus of extension.

Another word for propaedeutic can be PREPARATORY. I'm not so good in English, and found this word on the dictionary

The normal rule is : faster is the test, more long and standing is recovery. On the contrary, for marathon runners recovery during their specific workouts is running at moderate pace (4 x 5000m in 15' rec. 1000m in 3'20" for example)

The modern system of preparation is based on specific intensity. So, for example, if you run 14:30 min for 5k (2:54 pace), you can improve similar to world class runners. You must however, train in correct way and make your progress.

You must increase intensity of easy training and make progress. For example, if during the first year you run workout like 5x2000 in 6:10 (3:05 pace=93% of intensity). During the next season, supposing that he can now run 14:10 (2:50 pace), he can use 5x2000 in 5:50 (2:55 pace=97% of intensity), and intervals at 90% of the race intensity have no meaning, except for incresing volume (for example 4x3000 in 9:15 if athlete can move to longer distances.

Easy and steady state runs must also improve in Renato's law of progression. For example, after 2 years of training, an athlete must make progress in all types of training. Easy runs, steady runs, tempo runs, fartlek runs, and repeat runs, they all must improve if athlete wants to make complete progress. If for example, athlete makes progress in repeats and tempo runs, but forgets to get faster on easy runs, steady runs, and fartlek runs, this athlete will make incomplete improvement. What does this mean? Incomplete improvement is based on improvement in one facet of training, but neglecting to improve in other areas of training. All levels of training must move in concert together as one, if an athlete wants complete improvement. With complete improvement comes many supercompensation benefits after a few years of training. Incomplete improvement will allow a runner to improve in small ways, but not much. This my friend is very important part of training

Renato,

Thank you for your contributions, which as usual are illuminating and inspiring.

Here's my problem: I'd love to make improvement in every area of training. When I try to do that, I get tired, then I supercompensate and run well, and then I get injured. Sometimes I get injured first and the good performances never come. Many people here say that we should run our easy days very easy as a way of avoiding injury. Never have I had two good seasons in a row, building one floor of improvement on top of another.

My question is this: what, in your opinion, is the way for that 14:30 runner, or even a 16:30 runner, to avoid injury--while trying to improve in every facet of training? What signs should we look for?

Gimpy, it sounds like you are not following correct training plan for best results. When I hear young athletes talk about training they do, I listen very closely to words. The words I hear from you are "tired", "injured", "confused", and "unhappy". You must listen to my words clearly my friend. The biggest problem that you have is you do things in wrong order. How do I know this? Very simple. The words you use to describe your training give me picture of your training plan. Yes it is true that I don't know exactly what training you do. But trust me Gimpy, you do things wrong way.

Here is my advice. And other people give their advice, and you decide what you want to do. But as for Renato, here is my advice for Gimpy.

Take summer months, June, July, and August. For 8 weeks you do three types of runs. Long easy runs, long steady runs, long medium runs. I make this very simple. You know what these paces are. It is time to be simple. Build your kilometers each week. Start with many long easy runs, then progress to some long steady and long medium runs. In July add 8x100 meters two times per week. In August you add tempo runs one time per week, maybe 8k - 10k runs, also it is important that you add hill fartlek workouts in August one time per week. Everything else is long easy, long steady, and long medium runs. This three month cycle is very simple and easy. Why does Renato write workout plan for me that is not extreme, and complicated, and the same as he writes for his world class athletes? My friend, the reason is that the answer to your problem is to get simple, not complicated. Too many young athletes try to copy Shaheen or Kwalia workout plan. This my friend is very stupid. You need simple plan. You have simple plan. Now do it and stay healthy. This is not science that is molecular, it is common sense training. Gimpy my friend, when you get to 13:00 for 5k then we talk about rocket science training. But for now my friend, this will help you stay healthy.

We call hill fartlek a particular interpretation of long run on hilly courses. I suggest my athletes to "sprint" when they attack a hill going up, and to relax going down.

This for 2 reasons :

a) using high level of effort running uphill is the best way for increasing the strength endurance

b) running many times up and down can enhance the risk of knee injuries, due to the compression developed running down.

Personally, I never had problems with my athletes running uphill, many times I found problems when they run downhill.

We normally use percentage of the pace of 10000m, or of Marathon (depending on the event where you want to compete).

This can be the percentage :

Long slow Long medium Long fast

10000m `` 70% 80 %%`` 85% 90 %%`` 95%

Marathon < 75% 85 %%`` 90% 95 %%`` 100%

These are the distances :

Long slow Long medium Long fast

10000m 20 %%< 20km

In any case, this is not the only type of training. We must run faster than the race pace using intervals of various length, and we must use very short sprint uphill for building up the mechanical system.

The right combination of these elements can create a good training plan.

What is important is NOT TO DO EVERY DAY THE SAME THING.

Adaptation is against stimula, and without stimula there is no training. The difference between TRAINING and RUNNING is very big, not everybody understands this.

You have reason, something happened after I wrote, so I write again in different way.

10000m

Long slow 70/80 % of PB 20 / 30 km

Long medium 85/90 % 15 / 20 km

Long fast 90/95 % 10 / 12 km

Marathon

Long slow 75/85 % of PB 30 / 45 km

Long medium 90/95 % 20 / 35 km

Long fast 95/100 % 15 / 25 km

I hope in this way it's possible to read

Gimpy, my friend, you can use this three month cycle at any time of the year. I just give example with months of June, July, and August because I know in American system, this is the time of year for build up of kilometers. It is ok to use this three month cycle starting in December if you like.

One problem sport of running have is that terminology mean different things to people all over the world. For example, athletes that I coach, I use words like facile (easy), saldo (steady), medio (mdium), and ritmo (tempo). In Russia terms are different, and in English the words are even more different. So please forgive my poor English because this is not first language for Renato.

I try explain again for you. I have woman that runs 15:20 for 5k. During this three month cycle she runs easy long runs with pace of 6:20 per mile, steady runs at 6:00 per mile, and medium runs of 5:40 per mile, and tempo pace for is 5:20 for each mile. This woman spends many kilometers between easy pace and tempo. Sometimes my friends, the best coaches in the world, they don't take good advantage of this pace that is between easy and threshold. When I read article of some coach, and they say that they believe in the method that is hard/easy, I want to cry for them.

So please remember Gimpy, this pace that is between threshold and easy, it is very very important pace for aerobic development. Don't confuse my words. I do not say for you to run long and slow for 3 months. I say use these paces that I tell you, and you will improve very much. But if you run all training long and slow, you will become a long slow runner. And this my friend is no good.

I can give science talk for many hours about this subject but sometimes my English words confuse the person who is reading. So I try to make simple these theories.

I take these three paces that I mention to you, long easy, long steady, and long medium, and this is my way of as you call it "base training". And I do this for three months. My friend, I also mix training that is tempo and hill fartlek. I believe sometimes 8x100 meters that are hills is important. One day I have my athletes run 8x100 meters on grass, next day maybe they run this up hill. But first two months it is important to mix these three paces to get supercompensation base training. If you mix these paces in the right way, you will progress very much during next phase of training. This steady and medium pace that I talk about. This should mix with easy long runs. For instance, one day easy long run, one day steady long run, one day easy long run, one day medium long run. So you see, I always follow a steady long run with run that is easy. Athlete will need some tempo, el medio fartlek, and 8x100 during 3rd month of this training. I hope this theory is clear for you. I must go now.