Will I be faster if I increase my easy pace?

old dude from way back wrote:

And actually, looking at your race time profile (and considering your weekly mileage), it does look very much that you are underdeveloped aerobically. I'd suggest if anything, rather than rushing to increase your easy pace, if you want to improve your times, then increase your volume, add some solid long runs, and add some tempo and/or long interval work.

If not a troll, I second this.

Those race times fall of a cliff as the distance increases, and indicate a huge relative lack of aerobic fitness.

0/10

So, an increase in mileage is the best option? Then my easy pace will adjust?

The teammates I mentioned don't run more miles than I do...

someone who runs 15:30 would jog faster than 8/mile in their workouts if they had their hands tied behind their backs. Either the OP is trolling or he wrote up the scenario incorrectly.

If you are in your late teens or early 20s and have been running lots of 8:00 pace over the last 4 years and hard workouts, your max heart rate may have gone up.

To test your max heart rate you need to warm up then run 2 x 400m in just under 75 sec with one lap jogs between and after. Then run 800m hard in say 2:10 or 2:12. Then run 400m all out. You should get higher than you do in a longer 5k+ race.

Easy is too slow? wrote:So, an increase in mileage is the best option? Then my easy pace will adjust?

The teammates I mentioned don't run more miles than I do...

I guess you are selectively reading the bits you want to read?

Prior recommendations:

- increase mileage

- add some strong long runs

- add strong tempo and long interval work

With respect to what your teammates run, how is that pertinent? Do you want honest input about your training or are you looking for free idle speculation about your teammates?

Easy is too slow? wrote:I run track workouts, but they are not hard. 6x1000 at 10k pace for example.

A (much) better session given your profile would be 8-10 x 1000 with 200m slow jog rests, and you can build up to longer, harder sessions at that pace. Consider working along this set of sessions at ~ 10k pace:

- 2 x 8 x 400 with 100j and 400j between sets

- 8 x 1000 w/400j

- 2 x 10 x 400 with 100j and 400j between sets

- 4 x 2000 w/400j

- 2 x 12 x 400 w/100/400j

- 8 x 1000 w/200j

- 25 x 400 w/100j

- 10 x 1000 w/200j

- 5 x 2000 w/400j

- 3 x 3000 w/800j

Ok, I will do more mileage and a "fast" long run.

I can't add tempo. I run two track workouts each week. If I do the long run fast I have 3 hard days. I will do one double a day each week to bump mileage.

I guess my aerobic system will develop to a new level if I do this?

No you need to replace one of your current track workouts with long repeats or tempo.

Not every weekly long run should be "fast." I'd start by just making it long, not fast (up to 10-12 miles weekly), then when it feels comfortable make up to half of it comfortably strong.

Doubling is definitely a good idea but usually not needed until you're at least past 50 miles.

I can't really tell how serious your interest is in improving, or if you are locked into an existing training program. If you are already following a coach's program, ignore me and do what you are told. If you are making it up on your own and you actually want to improve, then you really need much more emphasis on work at 10k-HM-M pace, and much less of the shorter faster stuff.

So which is it, no real hard runs (OP) or two track workouts or maybe 3 hard days?

At the moment 2 track workouts. Not very hard, but not easy. I should have written "hard" instead of hard.

And If I will do a "fast" long run, I will have 3 "hard" days a week. Which is enough I think? Especially when I add a strentgh session (weights).

Nothing about this post adds up.

Your not fast but your also not pedestrian by any means, if this is in fact legit, throw your heart rate monitor away and run with your teammates who have similar PR's.

It seems your performances deteriorate as the distance grows. Like your 1500m time is far faster then your other two PR's. And your 10km time is what your threshold pace should be based on your 1500m. This could have to do with your lack of mileage /knowing what the hell you are doing.

I'm calling troll but for arguments sake I'll play along for a moment and suggest you should be running your easy runs at 6:30-7:00 pace. 8 minute miles for a 4:00 1500m is like a run you should do with your girlfriend or something....

I agree with this post. Learn how to use the long run in your training plan, slowly bring down recovery paces (easy runs). I think you will see solid improvement.

At 6:30 my heart rate would be 85%. That is by no means easy. I will update this thread in a few weeks, I will increase mileage by adding a run and do a longer long run. 90 minutes is long enough I guess?

Thanks for your help, I'm not a troll.

What are you real race times? You made these up. If you want help...we need the facts.

I changed the times a little bit to be anonymous. But these numbers are very close. Within 0.5%

OK..thanks...

Looks like you've just got to develop your aerobic system a bit. Do more miles at 75%...based on heart rate...if you have the opportunity to do so. Your pace at that effort should speed up.

Also, probably best not to compare yourself to others too much as we are all different.

You've got lots of potentional.

Good luck...

How far is your longest long run? Maybe increase that by 10% each Sat. or Sunday/whenever your long run day is.

Although training theory may change over time, the human body's basic physiology does not. With all these new (and old) training theories out there always go back to basic solid principles. ...your body will adapt specifically to the demands placed upon it (said principle...specific adaptations to imposed demands). Once adaptatIon is achieved a greater stimulus is needed to achieve another adaptation. Stimulus could come in the form of a single bout of training, a greater density of volume, or a greater density of intensity.

Look at your prs for your answer. Run more. Run more faster. An easy run day is nothing more than regeneration and maintenance. You are running to maintain a low bodyweight. You are running also to either increase, decrease, or maintain an overall volume (stimulus).

You need stamina and endurance. One week run more miles. More than you are doing. Run slow. Next week maintain same miles but run faster on the days you feel like you can....everyday if need be. Repeat this process for 4 weeks. On the 5th week drop the miles runslow and recover. Repeat as desired.

Alan