Critique this 5K plan and D1 training question

Training plan seems fine.

As for the track workout: 1) It's very early in the season right now. 2) If they finished with 2 880s at a faster pace, then they weren't struggling that much during the 440s.

Okay. They did have a decent break between the 4's and the 8's so I figured that would have helped them drop those 800's... plus the coach is quite a motivator. Made sure that the runners didn't ruin a good workout with a lazy last half

I once attempted 400m reps off 15s rest. The rest is so short it is a hindrance, you have to slow down turn around, jog back to the line turn around and then go again. I think it would have been easier to have no rest, as you find that you have to accelerate every rep.

DMulvee, if you reread OP's post, you can see that they did the 400s in lane 8 so there was no stopping or turning around. Just a slow down between the normal finish line and the start line of 400m in lane 8. Would probably be better and less annoying than what you tried.

I have heard of women's programs doing this (any chance you were at Oregon's practice?) and it seems like a fairly standard strength workout. Takes the place of a tempo usually.