sub 2:20 and sub 4:50 - will it work?

yes, i think you can run a 2:20 marathon, but it won't be easy.

thank you.

Anyone else?

you do 5 workouts/week? 3 of them on consecutive days?

my, oh my.

you're going to get hurt.

injuries wrote:

you do 5 workouts/week? 3 of them on consecutive days?

my, oh my.

you're going to get hurt.

My first thought exactly. And really, you're also doing strides during the 'easy' days... so 7 days with some form of quality or another. Too much, even for a 15 year old.

Ok, thanks for the warning. I'm not actually doing all this yet, but i'm working up to it and will attempt it when I'm about 15 and a half. I thought the tempo would keep me fresh as it's only 20 mins, but if that's wrong i could replace it with an easier run. Cheers!

A 4:50 1500m is somewhat inferior to a 2:20 800m. If you're equally well-trained and well-suited for both, your 1500m time should only be a few seconds more than twice your 800m time. It's possible that you may be more of a natural 400m/800m type. Have you raced a 400m?

Since you're young, however, and haven't had the chance to fully develop your endurance, you could be a true natural distance type and still end up with a ratio commensurate with your goals.

I would say that one day of the week should be an easy 8 mile run. That's it: 8 miles at maybe 7:30 pace. And one day a week maybe an easy 5 miler. You've got some sort of speed work every singly day in this plan--that's crazy. You'll burn out mentally if not physically. Probably both.

chish wrote:

Ok, thanks for the warning. I'm not actually doing all this yet, but i'm working up to it and will attempt it when I'm about 15 and a half. I thought the tempo would keep me fresh as it's only 20 mins, but if that's wrong i could replace it with an easier run. Cheers!

No. Don't do this plan at all. Two, maybe three hard workouts per week is plenty. Doing that much hard work is probably going to get you hurt. I suggest higher mileage with much of it at a more relaxed pace (but build into it gradually).

Probably some on this board will disagree with me, but I think a really sensible thing to do would be to pick up a copy of Daniels Running Formula and try to follow some of his training plans and general philosophy.

Just run 10k easy every day you don't run with your club. The club runs are enough fast pace until you get much faster than 4:50 for 1500m.

You are aiming for 2013? That gives you plenty of time. You should have no problem making improvements if you train well.

I think you really want to periodize your training. It would probably serve you best to spend the next 3 months focusing on endurance by increasing mileage. Lots of steady miles with one long run per week. Do some 100m sprints or some short hill sprints once a week during this phase. Hills are great, actually.

The first phase should hopefully leave you with the strength and physical resilience to do some real race specific training. I'd hit the track twice a week. Maybe one session for improving V02max (long intervals with short rest) and another for speed (shorter reps with more rest).

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

after a week off(on holiday) I did a 20 min easy run, then 4* (800m,200m) off a 90 sec jog, and a long rest between set 2 and 3. Did them in 2:47, 37, 2:51, 36, 2:49 (first 100m in about 25 as i was boxed in), 36, missed next 800, 34. These times were weird coz there was a group of 30 on 1 track and i kept getting cut off. Thanks everyone, this thread is really helpful.

If you're doing 3-mile tempo runs at 6:20 per mile, you could probably go outside and run a 4:50 1500 right now.

chish wrote:

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

after a week off(on holiday) I did a 20 min easy run, then 4* (800m,200m) off a 90 sec jog, and a long rest between set 2 and 3. Did them in 2:47, 37, 2:51, 36, 2:49 (first 100m in about 25 as i was boxed in), 36, missed next 800, 34. These times were weird coz there was a group of 30 on 1 track and i kept getting cut off. Thanks everyone, this thread is really helpful.

And based on that workout, you're probably already capable of a 2:20 800 too.

"And based on that workout, you're probably already capable of a 2:20 800 too."

If people think that then maybe i'd best get myself down to a meet! thanks everyone.

Are you a guy or a girl cause those would be great times if you're a girl

im a boy

i'm thinking of doing:

1 mile in 6 mins

100,150,200,250,300,350,400 off a jog to the start (so the recoveries decrease)at 5 min 1500m pace (80 sec laps)

1 mile in 6 mins

What does everyone think (too hard, too easy?)

I'd do the miles in 7 and I'm working on running faster than 2:10.