My once a week track sessions have usually been 12x400 or 6x800 + 4x400 for half marathon training. My times have gotten better but seem to have plateaued. I'm 45. Started running 5yrs/40lbs ago. I'm slowish (1:33 HM PR). I know I have no natural talent.
I'm wondering if I should just be focusing on mile repeats instead......or should I do all 3?
I don't do mile repeats sow since I do tempo runs when I'm training for a race and that's similar to mile repeats.
Any advice?
I'd say all of the above have a use.
If your mile repeats are at your tempo pace, you're probably running them too slow. Just mix it up as much as you can to keep things fresh.
45HM wrote:
I don't do mile repeats sow since I do tempo runs when I'm training for a race and that's similar to mile repeats.
Any advice?
400s and 800s can be just as similar to tempo runs as mile repeats are.
45HM wrote:
My once a week track sessions have usually been 12x400 or 6x800 + 4x400 for half marathon training. My times have gotten better but seem to have plateaued. I'm 45. Started running 5yrs/40lbs ago. I'm slowish (1:33 HM PR). I know I have no natural talent.
I'm wondering if I should just be focusing on mile repeats instead......or should I do all 3?
I don't do mile repeats sow since I do tempo runs when I'm training for a race and that's similar to mile repeats.
Any advice?
Canova says:
One question : if you want to run a Marathon at 3:19 pace (about 2:20 final time), do you think that running 30k at 4:00 pace can have some connection ? If you want running 10000m in 30:00, do you think that the main workouts are 400m on track, and long run must be only easy regeneration?
Well my tempo runs typically will be something like an 8 miler with 4mi at target HM pace or a little slower with a 2mi warmup/cooldown. Eventually building a a 10K tempo.
So if I do 1 mi repeats at the track with a 400 or 800m recovery, I assume those would be at HM goal pace as well? Or as fast as I can do them consistently for 4-6 reps?
You guys with your "I know I have no natural talent" baffle me. Having run a 1:33 half at 45 without having run before you were 40, I'd argue that your performance is one to be proud of. Your body has had a much later start to adapt to this whole "running" thing than most, and aside from that, you would benefit from having higher self esteem.
All three workouts will be beneficial to you, although perhaps you could determine which one you need most. What's your weakness in running the half? Does 7:00 pace feel fast? Or is it that when you run at your HM pace, you feel great and then suddenly you get really tired really quickly?
Old Man Winter wrote:
You guys with your "I know I have no natural talent" baffle me. Having run a 1:33 half at 45 without having run before you were 40, I'd argue that your performance is one to be proud of. Your body has had a much later start to adapt to this whole "running" thing than most, and aside from that, you would benefit from having higher self esteem.
All three workouts will be beneficial to you, although perhaps you could determine which one you need most. What's your weakness in running the half? Does 7:00 pace feel fast? Or is it that when you run at your HM pace, you feel great and then suddenly you get really tired really quickly?
I am proud of my 1:33. I did it when I was 43. Had a stress fracture and had to take some time off, so haven't raced in a year.
I don't know what my weakness is when running the half exactly. When I ran my PR, I ran around 7min pace every mile and felt good. Other races I would get tired around mile 8 and my pace would slow. But I think mile repeats would help me the most for some reason.
Every masters level runner, or any runner period, has a different optimal training pattern. I get too beat up from every week track workouts as you describe. But I like hitting the track. Perhaps I push too hard. My half PR is similar to you. I like longer pace tempos. And some hard 5k's. Maybe it just gives me the mental courage to know I can push the pace in the race? I do track workouts every 2-4 weeks depending upon my training cycle. I'm no coach
Longer intervals (1k-3k) and longer tempos (up to 7 mi) are what is needed to see improvements in half marathon times. I particularly like doing Canova's workouts where you do things like 5x2k with 1k moderate recovery running in between. I also like doing long runs up to 18 mi with as much pace as I can stand. You are not going to run a fast 13.1 if it is as long as you ever run.
Precious Roy wrote:
Longer intervals (1k-3k) and longer tempos (up to 7 mi) are what is needed to see improvements in half marathon times. I particularly like doing Canova's workouts where you do things like 5x2k with 1k moderate recovery running in between. I also like doing long runs up to 18 mi with as much pace as I can stand. You are not going to run a fast 13.1 if it is as long as you ever run.
+1
I've got very little speed i.e. can't break 20 for 5k. but i was able to get to 1:30 and change on workouts like this.
Now i need to go back to short track stuff to see if i can get more speed.
Hey, This is LRC where 400 repeats are slandered regularly. It's considered old-school and useless training. So you'll get lots of yes answers.
Yet, I set my 10k PR off a 12x400 1:1 rest workout! Tempo runs at race pace did NOT get me there.
deadlegged wrote:
Precious Roy wrote:Longer intervals (1k-3k) and longer tempos (up to 7 mi) are what is needed to see improvements in half marathon times. I particularly like doing Canova's workouts where you do things like 5x2k with 1k moderate recovery running in between. I also like doing long runs up to 18 mi with as much pace as I can stand. You are not going to run a fast 13.1 if it is as long as you ever run.
+1
I've got very little speed i.e. can't break 20 for 5k. but i was able to get to 1:30 and change on workouts like this.
Now i need to go back to short track stuff to see if i can get more speed.
Thanks, I tend to agree. My long runs prior to my PR were 13-17 miles. But I will try the longer intervals and tempos.
'So if I do 1 mi repeats at the track with a 400 or 800m recovery, I assume those would be at HM goal pace as well? Or as fastas I can do them consistently for 4-6 reps?'
You can do 4 mile reps with 90 sec recovery at 5km pace. So I would go with the latter. That's an all out session, maybe 2 mins recovery to do it regularly. If you want to run slow keep training slow. You tempo run should be at 1/2m pace.
The idea of shorter reps is to get speed up for distances like a mile. If you get your mile times down, assuming you keep mileage up, your 5km time comes down, leading to faster 10km and then half marathon time