So, I'm wondering what are some good workouts that I could do in the competition phase during track season. With my class schedule, I'll have to run on my own on some days, so what are some good workouts I can do then while I'm on my one. Specifically for the 1500m. Also, right now, I'm ranging from 50-60 miles per week, so I'm gonna need some workouts that I can get in some quality speed work.
One workout to throw into the mix:
90s at 10k pace, 30s at mile pace, times 10.
It's 20 minutes of toughness. Can be done by yourself on a nice dirt trail, so you aren't suffering around a track solo.
Out 10 easy, back in 8 minutes, repeat, then cool down.
About 50 minutes of total running, easier to do by yourself than a 20 minute tempo would be.
Mile-quarter workout: a road/dirt mile in a bit slower than 5k pace, then 2 minutes walking rest, then a quarter faster than mile pace, 5 minutes rest, 3 to 4 total sets. I used to do this in college. I was more of an 800 guy so was consistently surprised how hard the mile felt (usually tried for just under 5) and how painful but fast the quarter could be ( usually about 60 for the first one and would be down about 56 for the last one).
There are three workouts thst I think would be easier to do alone than slogging through repeats on the track, which I find really lonely by yourself.
I find taking any track workouts and getting them onto fast a fast grass or dirt course with a fair bit of turning and trees to block my view of the entire repeat helps mentally a lot if I'm alone.
Since you have classes and such I am assuming you have a coach who assigns workouts? If you want to do more, I'd suggest fartleks. Vary the distances/times and paces to keep it real but wont smoke you for the important training cycles and long season. Also hill repeats are clutch 10xhill w/jog to bottom. I feel like these are highly successful ways to build fitness. F.Shorter called hill workouts speed in disguise.
I recently started in grad school and this is a considerable portion of my training, still as fast as I was and doing much much less volume.
Ditch the ladder workouts, and increase your aerobic base by adding long runs.
Continue doing 10 x 80 after a 2 mile warmup, dynamic stretching, strides, at least once per week. Do a long warmdown as well of 2 miles that day, followed by static stretching. Anything new should be started easy though.
Do not hurry, your potential is determined by your aerobic capacity, not by your ability to run without air. No one, not even PRE, could run without air!!!
Americans are anaerobic crazy, the Africans run more distance, that's why they dominate. That is until they spend too much time in America and become anaerobic nuts like the rest of us.
Read Arthur Lydiard.
Johnny Mac's indoor special, kid:
2000 (+/-)
1600
1200
1000
800
600
400
300
200
The race pace workout El Guerrouj did for indoors (for 1500/mile, of course):
1600
1200
800
600
400
Rest was 1 minute down to 30 seconds! College runners would have to at least triple that.