Mid-distance training is worthless

Social Drinker wrote:

I think hard training - true training - takes near 100% dedication, which is something that you could never do in the real world.

I thought I was overly clear that it is no one's fault but my own. I do have three kids, hahaha, so I'll just blame them ;)

No, my main point was that I just don't have the drive anymore, especially since I am not going to hit any PRs. I mean, there is no way I - personally - could train as hard as I did in college, so it's hard to justify it now.

I'm not blaming anyone else. I'm just saying I am looking forward to being able to race without the ego side of things messing with me.

My apologies, I was just referring to your post where you said "hard training... Is something you could never do in the real world"

It seems most non All-America distance runners in college quit running completely. The ones that continue running, sure they get faster. But for the rest of us, we need to make $$.

I live in Cali. I don't have the time to do serious track workouts anymore so all I do is hobby job (like 45-60 minute runs each day). Going to the track would mean I would have to devote 2-3 hours for each workout (warmup, cooldown, lots of stretches), which I can't do with my job.

Yeah, I've changed gears and am training for my first marathon this spring. Am doing about 45mpw consistently for the past 4 weeks, next month hopefully bump up to 55-60 and peak around 70mpw.

But man, it is hard. There are guys in my club who have been marathon training for years now (but can't even crack 17 5K) and I am nowhere near them. It's depressing.

There a plenty of collegiate meets and road miles or 5k's you could compete in unattached and if you're over 30 you can race in masters races against your age group and even try to make a USATF master's world team. If you want to race longer distances on the road, you're better off in a 5k then the really long stuff.

I understand what you're saying. Why not take time out of the equation? Run trail races or even ultra races where the time really won't matter and it's all just about competing.

Or just hold on until you're 40 and then go after masters stuff as motivation to train hard again. If you broke 30 for 10K then you're pretty talented and could probably win prize money as a masters runner if you started training hard again. Most 40-year-olds are never going to PR again. At that point you're competing against the other 40-year-olds and going for "over-40" PRs.

formerD1 wrote:

I live in Cali. I don't have the time to do serious track workouts anymore so all I do is hobby job (like 45-60 minute runs each day). Going to the track would mean I would have to devote 2-3 hours for each workout (warmup, cooldown, lots of stretches), which I can't do with my job.

If you live in Cali then there should be a ton of track races that you can run in if you still choose to.

If a track isn't convenient to you then here is how I would organize your schedule.

Track workout on Saturday or Sunday morning when you have extra time.

Midweek do a workout near your home like fartlek, hills, tempo, intervals whatever is available to you.

After easy runs do strides whenever you feel like it.

formerD1 wrote:

Not a troll bro. Just sucks.

One sad thing I do is search for my ex teammates race results. The Turkey Trots are always particularly depressing, some of these former All americans barely breaking 40 minutes.

Makes you wonder what was all that running for?

lots of top college athletes from every sport are pretty much done unless the go pro. if you are relatively free of injuries then all that running will hopefully translate to long healthy life. but anyway, streamline your training so you dont become a post grad obsessive runner by running 3-4 x week(tempo, hills, long) < most clubs meet up just for these type workouts. other days off or go to the gym. times will drop.

formerD1 wrote:

I was a 1:50 800m and 3:47 1500m runner.

I could do 20x400m at 65s with 90 seconds rest followed up with a 4:45 mile.

Yet I never broke 25 minutes for the 8k or 30 minutes for the 10k.

Workouts were good for track season. But there are no opportunities for track racing for a college grad. I suck at 10k road racing.

I hated mileage in college and did my best to ensure I never ran over an hour at a time, believing my strength somehow made me "manlier" than the skinny distance guyd. Basically a career as a mid distance runner guarantees hobby jogger status after college.

Discuss.

"discus"

OP never did better in the longer distances because like most mid-d guys I'm guessing he was too much of a baby to put in real distance runner mileage during cross and was content to be usless until he got to track when he only had to race for about 4 min. If you're gonna be a mid-d guy, own it and don't act like your speed entitles you to better times in distance events.

RuppBuster wrote:

OP never did better in the longer distances because like most mid-d guys I'm guessing he was too much of a baby to put in real distance runner mileage during cross and was content to be usless until he got to track when he only had to race for about 4 min. If you're gonna be a mid-d guy, own it and don't act like your speed entitles you to better times in distance events.

BURN

formerD1 wrote:

I live in Cali. I don't have the time to do serious track workouts anymore so all I do is hobby job (like 45-60 minute runs each day). Going to the track would mean I would have to devote 2-3 hours for each workout (warmup, cooldown, lots of stretches), which I can't do with my job.

Oh come on. Say 60min a day, thats enough to get in quite a good shape. You dont need 2-3 hours for a track workout.

Warmup 15min

Stretch 10min

30-40min intervals

10min cool down.

Thats at most 75min.

Also if you mange 60min a day its enough to run faster than 17 at a 5k. Its enough to run 1.53, probably not so fun if your pr is 1.50, but its alright.

formerD1, switch from lsd to 'shrooms dude.

I smoked cigs and drank but dont do drugs sorry brah.

It's true, I was a bit lazy with my mileage. But that was partly due to the way I was coached.

Our tack workouts were brutal. Was in the brink of puking or passing out after each session and would be out of it for a couple of hours. And it was pretty much all out 5 days eah week.

That's not a bad idea, especially since I enjoy running long and still put in decent mileage (just to stay sane).

About the "over-40" thing, I just don't know if I'd have that in me. I remember telling myself that once I hit 30, it wouldn't matter to me anymore. Well, then I hit 30 and I still felt like I should be beating people and winning races.

I think I am more likely to enjoy longer races.

Move to the 5K.

That's where all the female hobby joggers are.

Road miles seems the best choice, not much point in running 5000m if your best distance is 800m.

Your mileage is't the issue as the best 800 runner in he world runs ~35mi/week and the best US 1500m runner ever ran his best times on 55mi/week.

It's perfectly doable to train hard and improve while also working a full time job. (40-50 hours per week). You just have to be willing to sacrifice 1-2 hours every day. I probably spent the same amount of time in college in class/studying anyways. Not that big of a difference really.

I get why people stop training after college, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But to say you can't train like a boss while working full time is just plain wrong. If you want to do it you'll find a way.