Please help me finally break 5 for the mile by August (question about workouts)

Also, would it be a good idea to do a full mile for time to see where I am at?

1. It's not really important. The key is to do 1 workout each week at race pace.

2. Depends on 1

3. Yes, but that can be an other workout. You can do 1 workout at race pace and a workout in which you do 3x1000 at 10k pace + 5x200 at 800m pace. Take enough rest.

4. Instead of the second track workout you can do a something like 20 min tempo (not too fast) and then 5x 60 hill sprint (all out) with enough recovery.

Good workouts for milers are 3x4x300 at race pace with 1 minute and 4 minutes between sets. Or 2x4x400 with 1 minute and 5 minutes hard one). You can also do 5x600 at mile pace with 5 minutes recovery.

And yes, it would be a good idea to do an all out mile to know your level.

But, if you can run a 400 in 60-63 and you have trained for 5ks and half marathons, you should be really close to a 5 minute mile. So, what are your PB's at 5k/10k/half?

If you like I can make an outline of your training to the mile.

my recent pbs are 1805, 1:26. Thanks so much!!!

400/800s?

my recent pbs are 1805, 1:26. Thanks so much!!!

You're a ways off, gotta get 5k downto 17:10-17:20, 10k high 35s, low 36. Half should be under 1:20. This according to VDOT predictor. McMillan predictor is maybe 5-10 secs more generous on 5k/10k/half. And that's cutting it close, ideally you want more room, or you can cheat by focussing on shorter repeats.

It's also similar to my experience: I recall in early days running quarter mile (not 400m, yes, long time ago) in 60secs flat in regular trainers and running 5:03 mile a week before that. The quarter mile was about 5-10 mins after a 3000m race, so maybe not totally fresh, though my legs felt amazingly loose!

That was after my first 1-2 yrs of running at age 30, so not super experienced. I ran 10k in low 36s at the time. Mind you i had no idea what i was doing, rarely ran intervals and that was my first and only mile race since high school gym torture, same for 400m. Light spikes on a good track would possibly have put me under and will help you too. I had played decades of sports and was "quick" partly due to short ish legs with fast turnover. In fact guy who easily beat me in 3000m and who had 10k 1min faster was long legged roger bannister type, but it was easy for me to pass him in final straight of quarter mile, so...you may have to consider your body type in your training.

I'm only a high schooler, so take what any advice of mine with a grain of youthful salt.

I ran 4:54 last year as a freshman (4:42 to close out sophomore year a couple weeks back) after about 11 races where I couldn't go sub 5, so I understand where you're coming from.

My favorite workout that I always thought gave me a confidence boost before a big mile race where I was trying to hit a PR is a 2x400-400-800. 400's around 66-68 and the 800s a touch over race pace (2:25-2:28). Solid rest between sets.

Come race day, just hit your splits and keep your focus and you'll be breaking that 5:00 barrier before you know it.

Thanks! I was down under 505 last few years without ever breaking 18 for 5k. In fact my times were generally around 1830 while I was running close to 5 flat the last few years. I didn't think I'd need to slash a minute off my 5k to take 5 seconds off of my mile.

AT wrote:

I'm only a high schooler, so take what any advice of mine with a grain of youthful salt.

I ran 4:54 last year as a freshman (4:42 to close out sophomore year a couple weeks back) after about 11 races where I couldn't go sub 5, so I understand where you're coming from.

My favorite workout that I always thought gave me a confidence boost before a big mile race where I was trying to hit a PR is a 2x400-400-800. 400's around 66-68 and the 800s a touch over race pace (2:25-2:28). Solid rest between sets.

Come race day, just hit your splits and keep your focus and you'll be breaking that 5:00 barrier before you know it.

Thanks!

Mark E wrote:

AT wrote:

I'm only a high schooler, so take what any advice of mine with a grain of youthful salt.

I ran 4:54 last year as a freshman (4:42 to close out sophomore year a couple weeks back) after about 11 races where I couldn't go sub 5, so I understand where you're coming from.

My favorite workout that I always thought gave me a confidence boost before a big mile race where I was trying to hit a PR is a 2x400-400-800. 400's around 66-68 and the 800s a touch over race pace (2:25-2:28). Solid rest between sets.

Come race day, just hit your splits and keep your focus and you'll be breaking that 5:00 barrier before you know it.

Thanks!

So 400s/800s for maybe a total volume of 2 miles at goal pace sounds about right.