What is my ceiling?

Thanks, Link!

My story is a little different. I was always a low mileage guy. Quicker intervals and speed work. Freshman - junior year i was stuck from 18:09 - 17:34. My senior year i didnt change much except higher miles on long runs and slow down recovery pace. Ran 16:22 my senior year.

I was doing research and do you want me to do Hadd training? Or just work on the heart rate? I'm still not back to running yet. Just enjoying off time. But it looks like the main premise is low heart rate

Bummer Bob wrote:...I usually go 6:50 ~ 7:10 on recovery days.

Have not seen the rest of the responses, but that is WAY TOO FREAKING FAST for easy running for somebody not cracking 17 for 5k. Sounds to me like that's your problem...

Bummer Bob wrote:

Link wrote:

You're going to build an aerobic base. Lydiard used the metaphor of a building. The taller the building, the deeper the base needs to be. As your lowest hr training improves, so will your performance in the other ranges - including at the top.

Something else is going to happen, too. Because you're not so beat up from your 'recovery' runs, you'll be able to do your quality work faster. Maybe much faster.

Deeper base, faster top end. After a few years of this, you'll have a much better idea of what your ceiling is. My guess? You are nowhere near it.

Cool this is positive news :)

Do you want me running in that heart rate zone even during the first few weeks of base building phase where there are no workouts?

Especially then.

Link wrote:

Bummer Bob wrote:

Cool this is positive news :)

Do you want me running in that heart rate zone even during the first few weeks of base building phase where there are no workouts?

Especially then.

And in rresponse to hmm i think...

I did my training way wrong last year. Because of not having workouts my first month i would run as fast as i could almost. I ran them all like tempos. I have a six mile loop and i recall the fastest i ran it in was 36:29. The rest of them were mid 37 to low 38. I thought that would be beneficial. I don't know much about the physiology of running now, but i knew even less last summer. Before last indoor track when i was home and training alone i ran slowerr. It was also snow covering the ground thsn too.

Bump from 6th page

BB:

When will you start training again? Check back in with me then. I'll be here.

And, if you're just taking a week or two off, that's fine, but, unless you're healing an injury, you should not take off more time than that.

Link - I'll start up again either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday at the latest. Could I get your email address?

Still accepting thoughts, comments, advice, etc. From others still too :)

Don't listen to Link.

good god, running that many miles to run in the 17's is like studying 8 hours a day to get a C on a test.please try something different. don't keep banging your head into the same wall. it sounds like you don't have natural speed, so logically running more miles would make sense for a breakthrough, but it's not happening. Make a radical change or study things more closely: diet. sleep. tight legs. masturbation frequency. get a blood test. how did you make a competitive college team? I was on a 'competitive college team' as a 15:50/1:54 800m high school runner and was bottom of the roster

Bummer Bob wrote:

20 year old. I've been running since i was 17. I've tried high intensity and low mileage, cross training, lifting, long slow miles, I've tapped out arouns 105 miles per week. I've been at a consistent 65 for the past 2 years with 2 workouts a week and a long run on sunday. I runfor a competitive college team but i am at the bottom of the roster.

What am i doing wrong? I can't crack 17 in a 5k, and breaking 5 is difficult, I've only went sub 5 for a mile 2 times. Advice? This is extremely frustrating....

LOL. The lure of low HR training again. Why don't hobby joggers ever learn?

Yes it is very frustrating. What type of radical change do you suggest? I sleep a lot, and i eel like i eat pretty healthy..

I am on a competitive college team but I am not division one.

You've already tried long and slow and medium with some quality. The secret for you is probably between those extremes.

miss the link wrote:

You've already tried long and slow and medium with some quality. The secret for you is probably between those extremes.

So what do you mean by that?? High mileage with faster intervals? Shorter quicker tempos?

Bummer Bob

You have a such a damn good attitude. I feel like you can make progress if there's progress to make.

I think there's 3 things you need to do:

(1) Do you feel like your identity is as a distance runner? Could you leave running (for a while) and be emotionally healthy? Or are you narrow in your focus? Is running an obsession or compulsion?

(2) Do you enjoy running? Sounds simple, but is it sometimes a pain to get out the door and run miles? Do you get anxiety trying to cram runs into your schedule?

(3) Have you looked at this from all the angles? If I was you, I'd concisely and coherently approach a different coach or experienced runner who helps runners train and explain your situation and ask for help. Is your current coach adjusting your workload to fit your talents/thresholds/etc? You may need something specific...or someone else all-together

Long story short: i was a 25-30 mile per week guy in high school and got bumped to 70-80 in college and it crushed me. I told my coach i needed less miles or i couldn't do it. he was awesome and agreed to try. one day i was in a fast heat of a race and i realized there was a 3:58 miler in my race. I was almost 19 and he was a 22 year-old man. I ran the fastest mile of my life, had a great week of practice and quit college running. it was so hard leaving all those teammates and friends but my life got so much better. i didn't run for 5 years after that.

now, 12 years later, i race all the time. i run my 30-40 miles a week on my terms and love running. I am competitive and realize how important running has been in my life, and how important not having it in my life for a while was as well.

Wow kinda wild story.. I never really ran much in high school, like i said on the first page i only ran only ran track my senior year. just played basketball and baseball in high school. I was always active and such, but never ran more than 2 miles at a time and probably never more than 10 a week. Just getting ready for basketball and for fun ya know? I was only around 35-40 my senior yr of high school. I Just picked it up randomly.

I feel like i ccan handle a lot of exercising annd running and training without getting hurt. Very dedicated to recovery and just running in general. I always go full in on stuff, i feel like if I'm gonna do something might as well enjoy it and make it fun ans be the best i can be. And running is all about having fun and being the best i can be. Its cool.

1. I really dislike my break after seasons but i hangout with friends ans relax and such. It's fun. Go camping or go out and party and just not worry about anything

2. I enjoy every run. I never look at running as a problem or annoyance or a job or chore. Its psaceful on some runs and i feel accomplished on others

3. Yeah I've talked with my coach a bit, and i do all the workouts with the other guys but just have different splits

Ever think about attempting triathlons?