The longest run and longest tempo I should do as a 800m-5K guy?

A dedicated athlete wrote:

If you adjust the pace, then it's no longer a tempo.

You have much to learn, grasshopper. All tempo runs need not be 20-25min at "anaerobic threshold" pace (~92% of 5k). You can do a much longer tempo (an "aerobic threshold" run) of 45min or longer at ~85% of 5k pace. Or a progressive run starting slower and ending faster. Renato Canova often prescribes ~30min runs at 90% of 5k, or runs less than 20min at 95% of race pace.

Also, you can definitely be decent at 800 and 5k at the same time. You can't be your best at both, but as another poster indicated, look at David Torrence, or Alan Webb circa 2007 (or Lagat circa 2009). Or el Guerrouj, or....

..... wrote:

David Torrence.

Lopez Lomong

If you are a sub 2 800 guy, you should be under 16 for 5k. If you are having trouble breaking 17, and you want to run the 5k well, you need much better distance training.

High school runners do just fine at long runs over 2 hours, even girls.

While some people hadn't heard the word tempo until Jack Daniels wrote his book, tempo, does not necessarily mean 92% of VDOT.

You can do 25 minutes at a Daniels "T" pace but you can also run 10 miles at a tempo effort that does not fit Daniels "T" exactly.

You could use more of all of these. The only sub 2 800 runners I've coached who could not run under 16 for a 5k were pure 4/8 specialists who were close to 50 flat for the 400.

Been around 2 laps wrote:

No way can a High School runner go 8 miles at 6 min pace.

At least not a 17 min 5K. For a guy who runs 800s to 5k

This is a joke, right?

DAMMIT. Would a sub-2 800m, 15:50-16:59 5K runner please chime in and tell me what you did for tempos and long runs?

BR wrote:

DAMMIT. Would a sub-2 800m, 15:50-16:59 5K runner please chime in and tell me what you did for tempos and long runs?

Sub 2 and 15:50

10 miles at 5:45-6:00 once every two weeks

3-4 mile tempo runs at 5:20-5:40 once a week

Long runs 2 hours or slightly over.

I have coached a truckload of these kids. Pretty much all my sub 10 3200 runners (16 flat 5k runners)can break or challenge 2 flat.

Chuck Chuck wrote:

BR wrote:

DAMMIT. Would a sub-2 800m, 15:50-16:59 5K runner please chime in and tell me what you did for tempos and long runs?

Sub 2 and 15:50

10 miles at 5:45-6:00 once every two weeks

3-4 mile tempo runs at 5:20-5:40 once a week

Long runs 2 hours or slightly over.

I have coached a truckload of these kids. Pretty much all my sub 10 3200 runners (16 flat 5k runners)can break or challenge 2 flat.

Thanks. Bookmarked.

Azaleas wrote:

..... wrote:

David Torrence.

Lopez Lomong

Said Aouita

Steve Ovett

David Torrence

Lopez Lomong

Said Aouita

Steve Ovett

Alan Webb

Al biCarius wrote:

David Torrence

Lopez Lomong

Said Aouita

Steve Ovett

Alan Webb

Mary Slaney

Young Guy wrote:

12 miles is perfect.

i'd try for 6 miles on the threshold, so whatever that time total comes out for you

those seem very appropriate for sub 17 and sub 2.

I thought the point of "long runs" was to build stronger leg muscles and "burn fat". if he can't crack 17, then it appears his weight is an issue and doesn't have good leg strength for his weight. So the length of long run is irrelevant. The longer he can go, the stronger and more fat burning he achieves.