For this decision, and this decision ONLY, I will follow the will of LetsRun.
For this decision, and this decision ONLY, I will follow the will of LetsRun.
4X2 miles, take 5 minutes recovery jog instead of 2 minutes recovery. The objective of these types workouts is to teach your body how to run relaxed at race pace. I have no idea why would Jack Daniels recommends such a small recovery for these long reps.
adult onset wrote:
For this decision, and this decision ONLY, I will follow the will of LetsRun.
I am saying go with:
3 x 2mi at 103% of HM race pace with 800m at 80% of HM race pace as recovery.
OK, I like what I'm hearing so far. And agree maybe the rest doesn't need to be that short...
Years of coaching wrote:
I have no idea why would Jack Daniels recommends such a small recovery for these long reps.
From D.R.F., 1st ed, p.97: "The great advantage of the brief recoveries is that blood-lactate levels remain fairly constant and the runner experiences threshold effort throughout the entire training session, which can last a fair bit longer than could be accomplished with a steady tempo run. Even though it involves more T-pace running per workout than does a tempo run, a cruise-interval session is usually easier to do because the runner looks forward to the little breaks that come periodically throughout the workout."
I'm not trying to be a jerk, just helpful. I took your statement literally, and remembered Daniels had that brief explanation so I figured I'd share it.
Anyway, that's why he recommends the short rests. It's always possible there are other equally or more effective ways.
As for the OP's question, I'd say it depends what you've done up to this point. If you haven't done many longer intervals, you might be smart to stick with the 4x2mi first (or even 3x2mi depending on your mileage level). 3x3mi is a great workout for somebody that has built up to that level and can handle & digest it. I am currently 70-80 miles, and that workout would be too much for me this cycle. Next cycle I may try something like that.
You might also check out the "Malmo's Favorite half Marathon workouts" thread. Some good stuff there. From memory it's stuff like: 5 min easy, 5 min hard for 70minutes; 10 min easy, 10 min hard for 80 minutes; 3-12 mile tempo runs (mostly 3-8 mile) between Marathon & HM pace; A specific hill wokout (don't remember the details); and during an easy 10 mile run, break into 3 hard surges about 4-6 minutes each.
Good luck in your Half!
Years of coaching wrote:
4X2 miles, take 5 minutes recovery jog instead of 2 minutes recovery. The objective of these types workouts is to teach your body how to run relaxed at race pace. I have no idea why would Jack Daniels recommends such a small recovery for these long reps.
Maybe it's to keep your blood lactate levels from falling all the way back to resting levels. The longer recoveries mean your lactate levels fall more and so it takes longer for your lactate levels to get back up to lactate threshold levels (i.e roughly 4 mml) thus reducing the time you are running at LT levels in your workout. Shorter recoveries don't allow for as big a fall in lactate levels so you get back up to LT quicker.
Even better (IMHO) than these 2 workouts is to run 6 miles continuous at HM pace.
Another good option would be to run a 8 mile run alternating miles between 5-10 second quicker than HM pace and 10-20 seconds slower than HM pace. This will help your body's ability to clear lactate quicker which will improve your ability to hold goal pace for the HM.