How long will it take to become mediocre: a training log

Congrats on the big PRs. How did being in a paced race feel?

Two thoughts on your last week of training:

1) We did a workout similar to your Monday workout on last Thursday: 10x600m with even time jogging rest. Our consistent mid-10:40s guy from last season ended up locking into 2:03 pace, just back a little of 3200m pace. It was easily the hardest workout we have done so far this season (no indoor races). I assume yours was walking rest, but you kept pretty consistent splits the whole way, averaging just a hair faster than our guy. I think you are ready for a big breakthrough at 3200m. Just make sure you are recovering from your workouts to reap the benefits.

2) Your Wednesday workout is a standard Coe-Vigil accel workout, but the early going isn't designed to be near top speed. The first leg is just mile pace and then works down to 400m pace. You can plug this into Excel yourself, with the Accel factor (how much extra time is added for each longer rep) calculated as half your 400m PB (200m split) minus one-fourth your 1600m lap pace (100m split) and divide the difference by ten. See below:

1600 pace......400m PB......Accel factor

.......73.5...............58.5...............1.0875

Distance Time Pace/200

100m 18.3 36.7

110m 19.4 35.3

120m 20.5 34.2

130m 21.6 33.2

140m 22.7 32.4

150m 23.8 31.7

160m 24.9 31.1

170m 25.9 30.5

180m 27.0 30.0

190m 28.1 29.6

200m 29.2 29.2

Note that 100m at 1600m pace should not really be taxing, but you'll end up running 1650m averaging 31.7s, which is some good running economy. I suspect if you took off too hard too early, this workout may have been responsible for feeling a little flat on Friday. That said, I'm glad that you got to end indoor on a very positive note.

Best of luck in outdoor!

Week of 2/17-2/23

Sun: 1 mile warm + 8x100m strides, 1 mile race in (4:54.48), 400m relay split in (58.5). I don't know my splits for sure except for (72, 2:25, 4:54)

Mon: 3 miles recovery (8:00)

Tue: 7.5 miles easy (8:00)

Wed: 3 mile warm/cool, 8x800m w/2 min rest in (2:47, 2:42, 2:43, 2:47, 2:47, 2:45, 2:44, 2:39) + 4x150m

Thu: 7 miles easy (7:40)

Fri: 3 mile warm/cool, 16x400 w/1 min rest (Avg 76) last one in 67.

Sat: 8 mile long (7:50)

Total: 42.5 miles

Goood week of beginning to return to mileage after the winter season. The workouts were meant to be at a slower goal pace than what we have been running for them and it was pretty hard to roll in the reigns for the 16x400m workout. The last one I felt really smooth and just wanted to get a feel for a fast pace.

Being in a paced race was a really weird experience because not many people went super hard in that first 400m and I was able to settle into a nice groove early on.

Aurelius ii-

1.) That has me pretty excited, I have been looking forward to beating my awful 3200m PR for a while now and this kinda gives me an idea of what the goal will be once I get around to racing one. I was thinking of going for a 10:45-50 but maybe I'll just go out at 10:40 and see what happens form there.

2.) I'll have to keep this chart in mind next time we do this workout, if we ever do it again. I think my coach wanted us to go at a hard effort just to see how our legs responded to actual speedwork, which we haven't really been concentrating on.

Thank you!

Week of 2/24-3/2

Sun: rest

Mon: 2 miles warm/cool, 8x800w/2 min rest (2:45, 2:45, 2:45, 2:45, 2:47, 2:46, 2:44, 2:42)

Tue: 6 miles recovery (8:00)

Wed: 8.25 mile fartlek 3x(5on/off, 3on/off, 1on/off) avg. (7:10)

Thu: 3 miles pre-race +4x100m strides

Fri: 4 miles warm/cool, 3200 (10:56.97) splits (5:15, 5:42), 1600 in (5:19)

Sat: 10 miles long (7:45)

Total: 40.5 miles

This was an okay week. I'm pretty happy with my new 3200 PR but I feel my race was far from optimal. My last lap was probably the worst feeling I have had in a race in a while. The race was absurdly cold and there was nowhere to go and get warm afterwards. I had the 1600 about 90 mins later and I just felt awful the whole race.

Either way, it was a good race experience and I am pretty happy with a 15 second PR though I could have run a smarter race.

Great race in tough conditions (and with some good work earlier in the week in your legs). You’re going to run under 10:30 and 4:50 this season and sub-10:20 and 4:45 wouldn’t surprise me if you get in the right race after a few more weeks of consistent training.

Also, don’t call your coach an idiot. Maybe not everything he has said makes perfect sense, but your training mostly makes sense and (most importantly) you’re racing well and improving.

Keep it up, and good luck!

Sun: 2 miles easy (8:00)

Mon: rest

Tue: 8 miles moderate (7:15)

Wed: 4 miles warm/cool, 16x400 w/1 minute rest avg. 75-76. Last rep in 69.

Thu: 4 miles easy (8:00) + 6x400

Fri: 5 miles warm/cool + 10x100m strides, 3200 in (10:35) (officially 10:37)and 1600 in (4:56) (officially 4:58)

3200 Splits: (72, 79, 82, 82, 83, 80, 80, 77)

1600 Splits: (72, 75, 76, 73)

Sat: 11 miles long (7:30)

Total: 42 miles

Great week for me personally, Had the best workout of my life on Wednesday and I just felt amazing the whole time. This is probably because I didn't run on Monday due to awful conditions, but It still felt amazing to run that fast that smoothly.

Friday was great for me with a 20+ second PR in the 3200 and my first time breaking 5 in my school uniform. Conditions were near perfect for the race and I actually felt pretty sick in the hours leading up to the races and almost didnt run the 3200 because of it.

I put down the times my coaches got for me an not the official results, which had everyone at 1-2 seconds slower in the mile/2 mile for some reason. I had thought it was just my coaches timing wrong until I overheard some coaches from another team discussing it.

Not an Expert: Yeah, I really shouldn't have done that as it was simply uncalled for. I was just frustrated with how my training was going at the time and wanted to pin the blame somewhere, and my coach had just announced his idea which I disagreed with.

Thank You

Awesome job, those are great times!

I just want to say, you only had 2 rest days that week, man. You're gonna get thrashed if you keep that up. Remember, hard days hard, easy days easy. Don't get me wrong, you're doing great, just don't want you stagnating later in the season!

Exactly 60 VDOT by Jack Daniels.

Could you run 17 mins 5 k ?

Congrats—there’s more there. If it was truly 60s rest for that entire 16x400m workout you’re going to run a big PR soon.

Alright I needed an excuse to get away from my Government Homework for a minute and this might be my solution lol.

Tomorrow I am slated for the 4x800 and the 1600, and I (might) be in the 3200, though it is unlikely.

Winds will be 20+ MPH and my goal times are: 2:16, 4:52. I feel in the best shape of my entire life and have just been killing ym workouts recently, so who knows what could happen if I run the right races.

NWARunner: Thanks! I was looking back on that week to see what you were talking about and I realized I accidentally put "6x400" rather than 6x100 strides for some reason. I really need to proofread before I post. Most weeks will not have that much intensity I dont think, but I am sure to keep easy days easy.

Prefontaine91 Honestly, I have no idea. I feel great so maybe if I hopped into a road race I could go into the 17:40-ish range I think.

Not an Expert I sure hope so.

Thanks everyone for the support! I'll update after my races tomorrow or I'll update Friday if it runs late.

*Side note- Howdy to the HS coach from Letsrun who was looking for me at my team's varsity meet I didn't qualify for lol.

Before I make my suggestions some background.

Aged 16 I ran 4.45 mile and about 10.20 2 mile. (In UK so ran 1500/3k)

I ended up running 2.21 marathon and 67 half.

So not a load of talent. But super keen and very hard working

Bottom line is you can do MUCH BETTER THAN YOU ARE

UATC and be the tortoise not the hair and several others are right on the money.

Your coach is I'm sure a very keen well intentioned guy/gal but is pretty.....clueless. they should be commended for their effort however and in enthusing such a keen young runner.

If you want to achieve your potential. Ignore them in the most polite way possible.

Pretty much anyone who knows anything would switch you to a schedule like this based on a 5k pace of circa 6.05 per mile

M- 60 mins in 1-2 runs no faster than 8.00

T- 60 mins total running in 1-2 runs inc 20 mins broken into 2-5 minute intervals at 6.15-6.20 pace NO FASTER. Then 600m in 100-200 reps fast but not sprinting.

W- same as Monday

T- same as Wednesday + 600 m of strides

F- 60 mins in 1 run inc 30-40 mins @6.40

Or skip the tempo if racing but do the 60 mins easy

S race or easy make up volume to 60 mins

Sunday 90 mins @8 pace last 30 option to speed up to as quick as 7 if feeling great.

Day off as needed......2 days off a week in nonsense at 30-40 miles a week.

Tapering at less than 50 miles a week is deleterious for everyone except again bolt.

If set PR in 5k, for instance 5.50 pace, then knock 15s a mile off everything. But until you prove it in a race stick to above.

Once 60 mins and 90 easy in 1 run a day, add 20 min am runs sequentially starting on hard days.

Relax , enjoy.

Week of 3/10-3/16

Sun: rest

Mon: 5.5 mile warm/cool, 8x800 w/2 min rest (Avg. 2:40) + 4x150m

Tue: 10 miles easy (7:35)

Wed: 2.75 miles warm/cool + 600m @ Mile pace, 4x100m strides

Thu: 4 mile warm/cool + 8x100m strides, 800m in (2:19) and 1600m in (5:09).

Fri: 7 miles moderate (7:25)

Sat: 11 miles long (7:40)

Total: 47.25 miles

Okay week, frustrating day on the track Thursday to say the least.

Monday's workout went very well and I felt really good the whole time. I don't fully understand why my coach had us do a 600 at mile pace the day before a meet, but I'm sure there is some underlying reason that I just don't understand.

I think my next meet is two weeks away so hopefully I continue to run the best workouts of my life until then.

Oh mate- As much as I wish I could follow a different plan, It's pretty much this or the road on our team. Can't change up workouts/do something different if one wishes to remain on the team. Admittedly, I should be doing doubles which I have been neglecting up to this point but will likely start up again with the weather finally getting better for running where I live.

Thank You

I am still sure you need to run easy runs slower.

You can run in range from 60 -70 % of maxHR and get same benefits, but not to be as tired as you are.

Also you have a very weak LT and that limits your results. No need to push Easy and Recovery runs.

You should run roughly 5-6 miles per week at LT, otherwise you cannot progress.

You do 8 x 800 with 2 min recovery in 2:40 and for sure cannot run 5 k at 16:40 and 34:30 10 k.

You will progress only in 800 m event without LT training.

Read about Ingebrigtsen trainings and another one's.

https://wismuth.com/running/calculator.html#dist=1+mile&h=0&m=4&s=50

Definitely you should't run as fast as long-distance runners, but if you lose 5-6 mins at 10 k event, so no chance to run fast

1 mile and especially 2 miles and more !

Also that one

https://www.runnerstribe.com/features/we-will-be-the-best-the-training-making-of-jakob-ingebrigtsen/

Week of 3/17-3/23

Sun: 2 mile warm/cool, 6.2 mile tempo (5k Splits 20:00, 19:00)

Mon: rest

Tue: AM: 5 miles easy (8:30)

PM: 6 miles easy (7:50)

Wed: 3 mile warm/cool + 6x60m sprints, 12x400 progression from 92 down to 65 (last 4; 75, 70, 71, 65)

Thu: 5.5 miles moderate (7:15) +4x100m

Fri: 7 miles warm/cool + 5x80m strides, 1 mile solo TT in (4:58).

Sat: 10 mile long run (7:45)

Total: 48.5 miles

Good week for me. I am really happy with my tempo run as it was on a fairly hilly route and my last 2 miles were 6:09, 5:57. I could have gone a lot faster or maybe a couple more miles at that pace.

The workout on wednesday wasn't particularly pressing and was realistically just a filler workout for spring break.

I felt really happy with my time trial as it was solo and on an awful track (not cinders awful, but still pretty dang bad)

Next week is our home meet and I will be finally getting the opportunity to get some hurdle tech in before the pitt state meet in april.

Based on your time trial you are probably in mid-4:40s shape. In a race, try going out relaxed in 72-73 and then ratchet down for a negative split.

Week of 3/24-3/30

Sun: rest

Mon: 3 miles warm/cool+6×150m, 8x800m avg. (2:43)

Tue: 8.5 miles easy (7:50)

Wed: 2 miles warm/cool, 10x200 w/1 min rest avg 35.5, 5 mins rest, 400m all-out in 60 seconds, 5 mins rest, 4x800m w/4 mins rest (2:38, 2:40, 2:45, 2:43)

Thu: 8 miles easy (8:00)

Fri: 4 miles warm/cool +6x100m strides, 1.5 miles moderate in 10 mins.

Sat: 1 mile warm/cool, 3200 in 11:43, 1600 in 5:14.

Total: 41.75 miles

Wednesdays workout was brutal. The 800s were supposed to be at mile pace but I was dead.

The meet today sucked. 40 degrees with 25 mph winds. Didnt fare well and just completely sucked. Lost to people who I have never lost to and I'm out of excuses. Something is wrong with me I just dont know what it is.

4 weeks to peak

2 weeks to steeple

winnr1 wrote:

Week of 3/24-3/30

Sun: rest

Mon: 3 miles warm/cool+6×150m, 8x800m avg. (2:43)

Tue: 8.5 miles easy (7:50)

Wed: 2 miles warm/cool, 10x200 w/1 min rest avg 35.5, 5 mins rest, 400m all-out in 60 seconds, 5 mins rest, 4x800m w/4 mins rest (2:38, 2:40, 2:45, 2:43)

Thu: 8 miles easy (8:00)

Fri: 4 miles warm/cool +6x100m strides, 1.5 miles moderate in 10 mins.

Sat: 1 mile warm/cool, 3200 in 11:43, 1600 in 5:14.

Total: 41.75 miles

Wednesdays workout was brutal. The 800s were supposed to be at mile pace but I was dead.

The meet today sucked. 40 degrees with 25 mph winds. Didnt fare well and just completely sucked. Lost to people who I have never lost to and I'm out of excuses. Something is wrong with me I just dont know what it is.

4 weeks to peak

2 weeks to steeple

I don’t think anybody could do 10 x 200 at mile pace, a max 400, and then 4 x 800 at mi pace. Did anybody on the team actually succeed?

Not that I know of lol. The 400 had us all toast and a few of my teammates couldnt even finish the workout.

Quite frankly you are overtraining on hard intervals. Classic high school syndrome that ruins thousands of runners every season since intervals were invented. Injury and/or burnout is a real thing that is rearing it's ugly head unless you get your body some recovery.