Anyone have success training slow runners?

Strides are a great way to trick them into speedwork. And hills. Take it easy, but add that stuff.

When they're running 28+, then yeah, running in general is hard. Have them do more hikes. It's harder to vary the running, so vary things to a whole other activity.

You'd tell any runner to stay within himself. You have to do the same with older people. If every run is hard, then they can't run every day.

Thanks, I agree.

I started them out with 3 runs a week and now they're at 4. I've added one day of 20-second strides after the run.

Thanks for the idea regarding hikes - I'll try that.

I want to start mixing in some light fartlek work, like 30-seconds on/1-minute off for a few sets and try to progress from there.

what you are dealing with is the fact that their paces are all jumbled together because there isnt the usual physical differences in their physiology. Somone like that is probably running at LT pace while jogging their warmup, they are probably at VO2 max at LT pace.

If they are running slow because they have a special need, handicap or overweight.....you arent gonna see a hube improvement.

If they are normal and should be faster, my suggestion is that they need the long mileage and lots of it. LSD running changes the physiology at the cellular level, increases capillary density, increases mitochondrial formation and strengthens the energy cycles.

I would spend 4-6 weeks of building mileage, you will know when to start speed and LT work when their times are dropping just by mileage.

I have coached people who have just started running and who have lowered their marathon PRs from the 4:40's to the 3:30's.

The main thing I emphasize is not any kind of intensive speed work but just getting out of bed and out the door, explaining the physiological process behind the improve, the importance of "just getting your butt down the road" without worrying about pace.

Lloyd Christmas wrote:

I coached at the high school level for about seven years.

During my years of coaching HS, I found it relatively simple to lay out training plans for my HS athletes.

However, I've started helping a few adults who are getting into running...slow runners. 28+ 5k runners that really want to improve. I'm finding it difficult to determine how to structure their training. It's like the paces get all mixed together; almost as if they can't distinguish between easy or hard because it's all hard.

Has anyone on here had success training slower runners and if so, how did you approach laying out one's training?

I have a easy training program, what is your e-mail?

Define success, and have your athletes do the same. Their goals may not be what you have in mind for them.

I'd say you need to adress their overall health. Adults (especially 28+ 5k adults) have usually serious issues, like heart or liver problems. For them, running alone wouln't do the trick.

every individual is different and requires a different training plan.

tomtom wrote:

I'd say you need to adress their overall health. Adults (especially 28+ 5k adults) have usually serious issues, like heart or liver problems. For them, running alone wouln't do the trick.

No, they don't. They just haven't ever run in their lives. I'm assuming he's not training diabetic fatasses, of course.

I know plenty of guys in college who are out of shape and haven't ever seriously run. There's nothing wrong with their hearts/livers, but they'd probably struggle to finish 5k.

My first 5K was something like 29 min with little mileage. I then spent maybe 6 years building to a higher mileage for a recreational runner--maxed at 50-70 mpw but always regularly put in 40 mpw (which is a lot of time figuring mostly 10 min miles). At my best I was only able to run 22:58--and this was at the end of 6 months on a Pfitzinger marathon plan (50-70 mpw including speedwork at the end). I'm a very healthy female, no health problems at all, very fit I think, slim, was 36 at the time of my PR (now 41). I think the mileage helps but honestly slow is slow...some women (people) are just faster and that's that. My serum ferritin was probably very low but still, some ppl just aren't fast. I would say gradually build in the miles then speedwork...but don't expect miracles. Without higher mileage they don't have a chance IMHO. They will get to the point where the runs are easy, just takes time.

There's zero need for a 28 minute 5ker to do anything resembling a workout.

Just get out there and run every day until they are in decent shape.

So basically get them to run as much as possible and try not to let them fall into the 20 mile long run during a 35 mile week trap.

el oh el wrote:

tomtom wrote:

I'd say you need to adress their overall health. Adults (especially 28+ 5k adults) have usually serious issues, like heart or liver problems. For them, running alone wouln't do the trick.

No, they don't. They just haven't ever run in their lives. I'm assuming he's not training diabetic fatasses, of course.

I know plenty of guys in college who are out of shape and haven't ever seriously run. There's nothing wrong with their hearts/livers, but they'd probably struggle to finish 5k.

Well, it's very easy to check. Just compare their 200m times with 5k results, using i.e. the McMillan calculator (after few months of training, of course). You can run 200m anaerobically, while 5k is almost pure aero work. If there's very big difference, like their 200m times point out possibility of 19' 5k, while they can do no more than 27', there's probably blood flow compromised somewhere or problem with glycogen release, lactic acid metabolism etc.

tomtom wrote:

Well, it's very easy to check. Just compare their 200m times with 5k results, using i.e. the McMillan calculator (after few months of training, of course). You can run 200m anaerobically, while 5k is almost pure aero work. If there's very big difference, like their 200m times point out possibility of 19' 5k, while they can do no more than 27', there's probably blood flow compromised somewhere or problem with glycogen release, lactic acid metabolism etc.

This is so bizarre. Clearly comparison tables are not going to be even remotely useful to someone who is out of aerobic shape. Maybe they are in decent sprinting shape and can run a 30 second 200m but can only manage a 28 minute 5k.

This scenario would not make me think of glycogen release, it would make me think they aren't in good aerobic shape...quite normal actually.

I have had great success training slow runners. Actually all my runners are slow. The staple of my program is many days off and very little running. Add in a couple buffetts during the week and I can guarantee your runners will stay slow.

Just how slow do you want them to be?