Running calculators/training paces are very inaccurate

Easy pace is not the same thing as recovery pace

Use a calculator with multiple inputs like stats gangsta's calculator:

http://timescalculator.appspot.com

Optimize your race times with:

http://timescalculator.appspot.com/optimizer

That was all pretty confusing but it sounds like your training plan is based on overreaching. Good luck.

treadmiller1 wrote:

That was all pretty confusing but it sounds like your training plan is based on overreaching. Good luck.

What do you mean overreaching? I'm able to do workouts like 5 x 1 mile @5:20 in the midst of a 50 mile week.

First off, I want to commend you for having goals and ambition. You have a desire to improve, grow, and be the best you can be.

That being said, you are looking to be flat and burnt out at the end of the season if you do what you are planning. Honest question: How can you expect to be running 8:30 pace for easy days, then at the end of the season be running 7:00 for your easy days and still be recovering properly with your newly added stimulus? The tables you reference exist because they are accurate and effective.

A runner for the most part needs to grow all types of physiological systems uniformly for improvement. If you can't run easy days (NOT recovery days) at the equivalent paces, your other paces are simply too hard for you. Don't get me wrong, recovery is equally important to growth as stress is, there just has to be a balance or you leave to much potential on the table or your best races in your workouts.

I've run HS, college and post collegiately(olympic trials qualifier) with my training most closely following the philosophies of Lydiard/Daniels and all of my paces match Daniels vdot tables. Always have.

for a 17:00 5k runner, these are the paces:

Easy: 7:05-7:30

Marathon: 6:13

Threshold: 5:54

Interval: 5:25

Repeats 75/400m

For a 14:20, sub 2:18 marathoner like myself. I routinely run 6:00 pace at the end of my easy days when I'm feeling good. That's not to say an easy day after a 23 mile long run with 17 miles of Marathon pace most definately is much faster that 6:40s.

You make very valid points in general, but your statement:

"If you are looking to get better, whether you're developing into an adult and looking to be competitive, or you're past your peak, as you get close to a race you should be cutting miles and cutting pace all-round."

is flat out wrong. Your training should become more and more race specific and you put on that "knifes edge" to your speed, but you don't uniformly run faster. The end of the season is time to recover and rest from your workload throughout the season and reap the benefits of all your hard work.

I want to reiterate that you're on the right track and it's obvious you have the fire to be successful. Overall it would serve you well to show a little humility for those coaches that have come before you, have patience, and enjoy your successes as you grow and develop.