I started posting on a thread on 3.40 & 1.47 1500 & 800 training, but I beleive the plan that I followed, along with many others, was geared towards the pure 1500 athlete with the aim of a 3.36 ish clocking, and one whom could also run sub 8.00 and 13.45 for the 3000m & 5000m. I think it would be great if the milers amongst us, particualry after such a great weekend for US and British milers (Tom Farrell ENG and Matt Gillespie SCO went 3.58).
So, here it is. Discuss.
This is the standard schedule I used to follow when running 8's, 15's, 3's and 5's. Im British, so the seasons may be out of sync.
After the end of the outdoor season a 2 week break ensues. From the middle of September the athlete undergoes a simple mileage phase of something along the lines of;
Monday; am. 5 miles easy, Drills pm. 8 miles steady, Weights
Tuesday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 5 miles progression run, running from 6.00 pace down to sub 5.00 within the last mile, 3 miles w/d
Wednesday; am. 12 miles easy, down to steady for the last 5 miles pm. 3 miles jogging, Circuits
Thursday; am. 5 miles easy, Drills pm. 8 miles steady
Friday; Rest or easy jogging
Saturday; am. 3 miles w/u, 8-11 miles fartlek on soft terrain, 3 miles w/d pm. 5 miles easy
Sunday; am. 15 miles easy, down to steady for the last 8 miles
= 90-100 miles +/-
Easy pace for a 1.47/3.40 runner should be around 6.30-6.45 pace, while Steady pace 5.30-6.10. Jogging is jogging, you could go jogging with your girlfriend etc. A road race could be ran on the Saturday. In Britain we have Regional and National 6 stage road relays during this period, thus the fartlek replaced the tempo on Tuesday and the relay (about 3.75 miles) replaced the tempo on the Saturday.
The middle of october is when the 10k paced training begins, which lasts for 10 weeks, until around Christmas Day. The week would look something like this;
Monday; am. 5 miles easy, Drills pm. 8 miles steady, Weights
Tuesday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, Session, 3 miles w/d
Wednesday; am. 12 miles easy, down to steady for the last 5 miles pm. 3 miles jogging, Circuits
Thursday; am. 5 miles easy, Drills pm. 3 miles w/u, 6-10 mile progression, starting at 5.45 and moving down to 4.55-5.05 pace by the end, 10-15 minutes recovery, 3-5 x 150m in 18-19 with a 250m jog recovery, 3 miles w/d
Friday; Rest or easy jogging
Saturday; am. 3 miles w/u, 4-6 x 5 minute hill reps with a steady run down recovery. No stopping here, this is a classic Kenyan Hill session. Thus you should be getting 35-55 minutes worth of effort depending on the reps ran. Take a 10-15 minute recovery, 10 x 10 second uphill sprints ("Alactic Sprints"), 3 miles w/d pm. 5 miles easy
Sunday; am. 15 miles easy, down to steady for the last 8 miles
The sessions in this block of training are as follows;
Week 1: 6 x 1600m with 1 minute recovery, starting at 4.59, dropping down to high 4.50's in the last two reps, 10-15 minutes recovery, 4 x 200m in 27-28 with 200m jog recovery
Week 2: 3 mile tempo (15.00-15.30 depending on fitness), 8 minutes recovery, 6 x 800m with 200m jog recovery, 2.15-2.20, 4 minutes recovery, 1 1/2 mile tempo (7.30), 10-15 minutes recovery, 4 x 200m in 27-28 with 200m jog recovery
Week 3: 6 x 1600m with 1 minute recovery, starting at 4.50's, dropping down to low 4.40's in the last two reps, 10-15 minutes recovery, 4 x 200m in 27-28 with 200m jog recovery
Week 4: 3 mile tempo (15.00-15.30), 8 minutes recovery, 20 minutes of 200m in 31-33, 200m in 45-48, 10-15 minutes recovery, 8 x 100m in 13-14 with 100m jog recovery
Week 5: 4 x 1600m with 2 minutes recovery in sub 4.40's, 10-15 minutes recovery, 4 x 200m in 27-28 with 200m jog recovery
Week 6: 3 mile tempo (15.00), 8 minutes recovery, 6 x 800m with 200m jog recovery, 2.12-2.15, 4 minutes recovery, 1 1/2 mile tempo (7.30), 10-15 minutes recovery, 4 x 200m in 27-28 with 200m jog recovery
Week 7: 6 x 1600m with 1 minute recovery in low 4.40's, trying to drop down to 4.35's in the last 2 reps, 10-15 minutes recovery, 4 x 200m in 27-28 with 200m jog recovery
Week 8: 3 mile tempo (15.00-15.30), 8 minutes recovery, 20 minutes of 200m in 30-32, 200m in 40-45, 10-15 minutes recovery, 8 x 100m in 13-14 with 100m jog recovery
Week 9: 4 x 1600m with 2 minutes recovery in sub 4.35's, 10-15 minutes recovery, 4 x 200m in 27-28 with 200m jog recovery
Week 10: 12 x 800m in 2.10-2.12 with 100m float recovery, 10-15 minutes recovery, 4 x 200m in 27-28 with 200m jog recovery
The above workouts follow a very distinct progression. Thus, these sessions are the core of the 10k paced training bloc, and must be the key focus for the week. In turn, the tempo run on Thursday should be taken lightly, ie if an athlete is tired just getting the miles in would be sufficient. In other words it is not vital to miss 2-4 tempo efforts as long as progression is visible in the Tuesday workouts. The same can be said about the Saturday session, the hill effort being taken at Half Marathon paced effort if very tired. Essentially, the impetus on the week is Sunday-Wednesday, where you are essentially a machine, going about the schedule regardless of fatigue. Thursday-Saturday is when your a human, and can dictate the training program in consideration of how you actually feel!
During the phase perhaps 1 long cross country race (10k-12k), 1 short cross country race (3k-6k) and 1 10k road race can replace the hill session, and an easy mileage run can replace the thursday tempo on the choosen race week. My group would usually race a cross country league race (10k-12k) in late October, a fast 10k race (aiming for 28.59-29.59) in the middle of November, and the following week a short cross race. In Britain we used to have a lot of these races, incorporated within a larger cross country meet, for example the Nike International Cross Country, where Luke Kipkosgei once won the short and long race on the same day (I think 1999?). Lately you have had to head over to Belgium for a CrossCup "Crosse Court" 3k race, but Im not sure they even have this now.
Okay..we digress. You should now be ready for the next phase, 5k paced training. After the 10k paced block take one week of easy mileage. Many of you will want to run an indoor season. You can, but there is not much point, nobody (at least in Britain) cares about indoors. A couple of 3000m races are excusable though, or a 1500m followed by a tempo run and short sprints(no, this was not invented by Alberto Salazar!!!!). In any case, dont start running fast reps to get ready for indoors, it just wrecks the progression of things, increases the risk of injury and definitely impacts the excitement of your outdoor session. A traditional opener for me would be during the easy week between phases, where I would head to Powderhall, Scotland to take part in the New Year Sprint handicap races, over 800m and 1600m. These were great races to run and to win off scratch you had to run about 1.48-1.49 and 4.05-4.09! (I never won!) Great prize money and an awesome day out! They no longer have the 800 and 1600 but rather a much less competitive 4 Furlongs race (about 800m), although this year it was won by a 1.50/3.46 runner, so showing signs of picking up again.
So, the 5k block, which takes 8 weeks, and finishing on around March 1st:
Monday: am. 5 miles easy, Drills pm. 8 miles steady, Weights
Tuesday: am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, Session, 3 miles w/d
Wednesday; am. 12 miles easy, down to steady for the last 5 miles pm. 3 miles jogging, Circuits
Thursday; am. 5 miles easy, Drills pm. 3 miles w/u, the standard 6-10 mile tempo, this time at a more consistent pace (5.10-5.15's), followed by 3 x 150 with 250m jog in 17-18, 3 miles w/d
Friday; Rest or easy jogging
Saturday: am. 3 miles w/u, Grass Session, 3 miles w/d pm. 5 miles easy
Sunday:am. 15 miles easy, down to steady for the last 8 miles
Again, the Tuesday sessions is the most important, and they are as follows;
Week 1; 6 x 3 minute hills with easy/steady run back down (although no stopping) 10-15 minute recovery, 10 x 10 second hill sprints. For the particular hill my group used to run we usually did 2.40-2.50 for a 900m hill. The record for the hill was Seb Coe, in 2.15, giving you an idea how gifted the man was. We were no slouches (all 1.46-1.50 and 3.38-3.43 runners), but Seb was just off the chain. He did a further 2 reps after this as well in about 2.24!
Week 2; 20 x 400m with a 100m recovery in 30 seconds, progressing from 68's down to 64's (usually after every 5 reps we progressed down a second), 10-15 minute recovery, 6 x 200m with a 200m jog recovery, 26/27's
Week 3; 6 x 3 minute hills with easy/steady run back down, 10-15 minute recovery, 10 x 10 second hill sprints
Week 4; 20 x 400m off 100m recovery in 30 seconds, with 64-65's for the last 10 repetitions, 10-15 minute recovery, 6 x 200m with a 200m jog recovery, 26/27's
Week 5; 6 x 3 minute hills with easy/steady run back down, 10-15 minute recovery, 10 x 10 second hill sprints
Week 6; 20 x 400m off 100m recovery in 30 seconds, with 63-64's for the last 10 repetitions, 10-15 minute recovery, 6 x 200m with a 200m jog recovery, 26/27's
Week 7; 6 x 1000m with a 3 minute recovery, in 2.40-2.45, 10-15 minute jog recovery, 6 x 200m with a 200m jog recovery, 26/27's
Week 8; 16 x 400m with 1 minute recovery, all 63's, 10-15 minute recovery, 6 x 200m with a 200m jog recovery, 26/27's
The Saturday Grass sessions alternate between;
A) 15 minutes @ cross country effort, 5 minute recovery, 5 x 3 minutes @ 5k effort with 90 seconds recovery, 5 minute recovery, 6 x 30 second hills with jog down recovery, 5 minutes recovery, 10 minutes @ cross country effort
B) 5 x (4 minutes @ 5k effort, 1 minute recovery, 2 minutes @ 3k effort, 1 minute recovery, 1 minute @ 1500 effort, 3 minutes recovery)
Typical races during this period would be the AAA Indoor Championships 3000m, the Hyde Park Relays in February, and possibly the British Universities Cross Country Championships also in February. These races usually came within a 3 week span, with the grass sessions obviously being substituted, as well as the thursday tempo. The races were tiring, but the recovery you gained on Thursday, Friday and Sunday (which was only a 12 mile easy recovery run) meant that progression was enhanced. races are often the best things to encourage progression, as they always, whether the race goes good or bad, boost motivation.
We are now in March. After an easy mileage week, a hill phase is introduced up till April, where we then follow a 3k paced regime, usually at altitude, either in Albuquerque or Font Romeu.
March Hill Phase;
Monday; 5 miles easy, Drills pm. 8 miles steady, Weights
Tuesday; 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 4 mile tempo run (5.00-5.10 pace), 8 minutes recovery, 24 x Hills (8 sets of a 45 second hill, a 30 second hill and a 15 second hill, all with jog down recovery), 2 miles steady to the track, 8 minutes recovery, 2 x 800m with 10 minutes recovery, in 1.58-2.02. This was the hardest session of the year by far, its a good job we only ever did it 3 times or less!, 3 miles w/d
Wednesday; 12 miles recovery (you need it after yesterday) pm. 3 miles jogging, Circuits
Thursday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 6-10 mile tempo, again at a more consistant pace. However, due to the severity of the Tuesday session we usually just did a pickup after the initial 5 miles, 3 miles w/d
Friday; rest or easy jogging
Saturday; am. 3 miles w/u, Hill Session, 3 miles w/d pm. 5 miles easy
Sunday; am. 15 miles in the fells (english term for hills). We used to drive to the Peak district and get in 15 miles of climbs and descents of upwards 400m). These were the best runs of the year!
Saturday Hill Session;
Week 1; 16 x 45 second hills with jog down recovery
Week 2; 20 x 30 second hills with jog down recovery
Week 3; 16 x 45 second hills with jog down recovery
Okay, so into April we would head up to altitude. I went to Albuquerque 3 times and Font once. We never really did the adjusting to altitude regime, just cracked on and got on with it, more to make the most of the 4 weeks if anything! I had said in my previous post that the impetus was on 3k pace training, however there are elements of pure 1500m work, as well as considererable "hill phase" work, in there as well.
Throughout April, the plan would be something along the lines of this;
Week 1:
Monday; am. 5 miles easy, drills pm. 8 miles easy, light weights
Tuesday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 12 x 1 minute hills @ 3k effort with easy run back down recovery (no stopping), 5 minutes recovery, 6 x 30 second hills @ 1500 effort with easy run back down (you can stop at the top if you want), 10-15 minutes recovery, 10 x 10 second hill sprints, 3 miles w/d
Wednesday; am. 10 miles easy pm. 3 miles jogging, light weights
Thursday; am. 5 miles easy, drills pm. 3 miles w/u, 4-8 mile tempo @ altitude adjusted 5.15 pace, 10-15 minutes recovery, 3 x 150m with 250m jog recovery (17/18's), 3 miles w/d
Friday; rest or easy jogging
Saturday; am. 3 miles w/u, 2000m @ 5.40-5.50, 10 minutes jog to hill, 10 x 35 second hills @ 3k effort with easy run back down (you can stop at the top of the hill for a drink if you want), 15 minutes jog back to track, 2 x 600m with 200m jog recovery in 1.25-1.28 (whatever your 1500m race pace is), 3 miles w/d pm. 5 miles easy
Sunday; am. 13 miles in the mountains, enjoying the scenery but still breathing hard due to inclines etc.
Week 2:
Monday; am. 5 miles easy, drills pm. 8 miles easy, light weights
Tuesday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 2 x (4 x 15 second hill @ 8 pace, 3 x 30 second hill @ 15 pace, 2 x 45 second hill @ 3k pace, 1 x 60 second hill @ 5k pace, 2 x 45 second hill @ 3k pace, 3 x 30 second hill @ 15 pace, 4 x 15 second hill @ 8 pace), 3 miles w/d. Very hard mentally tough session, as you are running 38 reps in all.
Wednesday; am. 10 miles easy pm. 3 miles jogging, light weights
Thursday; 3 miles w/u, 4-8 mile tempo @ altitude adjusted 5.15 pace, 10-15 minutes recovery, 3 x 150m with 250m jog recovery (17/18's), 3 miles w/d
Friday; rest or easy jogging
Saturday; am. 3 miles w/u, 1000m @ 3k pace (63's), 8 minute recovery, 10 x 400m in 59-61 with 1 minute recovery, 3 miles w/d pm. 5 miles easy
Sunday; 13 miles in the mountains again
Week 3:
Monday; am. 5 miles easy, drills pm. 8 miles easy, light weights
Tuesday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 12 x 1 minute hills @ 3k effort with easy run back down recovery (no stopping), 5 minutes recovery, 6 x 30 second hills @ 1500 effort with easy run back down (you can stop at the top if you want), 10-15 minutes recovery, 10 x 10 second hill sprints, 3 miles w/d. Thus, exactly the same as 2 weeks ago.
Wednesday; am. 10 miles easy pm. 3 miles jogging, light weights
Thursday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 4-8 mile tempo @ altitude adjusted 5.15 pace, 10-15 minutes recovery, 3 x 150m with 250m jog recovery (17/18's), 3 miles w/d
Friday; rest or easy jogging
Saturday; am. 3 miles w/u, 1200m @ 3.04, 10 minutes jog to hill, 10 x 20 second hills with walk down recovery, 15 minutes jog to track, 800m @ 1.55-1.57, 3 miles w/d pm. 5 miles easy
Sunday; am. 13 miles in the mountains
Week 4:
Monday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 8 miles easy, light weights
Tuesday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 2 x (4 x 15 second hill @ 8 pace, 3 x 30 second hill @ 15 pace, 2 x 45 second hill @ 3k pace, 1 x 60 second hill @ 5k pace, 2 x 45 second hill @ 3k pace, 3 x 30 second hill @ 15 pace, 4 x 15 second hill @ 8 pace), 3 miles w/d. Again, this b**tard!
Wednesday; am. 10 miles easy pm. 3 miles jogging, light weights
Thursday; am. 5 miles easy pm. 3 miles w/u, 4-8 mile tempo @ altitude adjusted 5.15 pace, 10-15 minutes recovery, 3 x 150m with 250m jog recovery (17/18's), 3 miles w/d
Friday; rest or easy jogging
Saturday; am. 3 miles w/u, 4 x 1000m @ 2.38 with 5 minutes recovery, 3 miles w/d pm. 5 miles easy
Sunday; am. 13 miles in the mountains (we usually left on a Sunday, so on more than 1 occasion the run was done at 1am with headtorches!)
Okay, so this takes you into May, and the race season. If you have carried out the entire schedule your progression should have been;
Base Mileage
10k Paced Ability + 10k Paced Races
Refreshing 1 Week Mileage Break
5 Paced Ability + Progression inducing races
Refreshing 1 Week Mileage Break
Hill Phase
3k Paced Work with fast hill work to get ready for fast track repetition training
Essentially by May you should be chomping at the bit to race. However the hard work is not finished yet!
More to follow once I re-read my old training logs.