College coach says no workouts until Late July

Makes sense to me. Do you have a question or concern about what he has said?

Neat story!

Awesome, good luck with your season!

As an old college coach I wouldn't have recruited you if I saw this part of your character. Next time you whine (which I believe won't be long) just have an adult conversation rather than come on a message board to get validation. Best of luck this season!

3200y5000 wrote:

I'm a 16:44 5ker.

Unless you also run 10.4 in the 100m, maybe you should just be happy that a collegiate team is letting you on their roster.

3200y5000 wrote:

So my college coach tells me that he's not going to have me run any workouts until Late July because "you can't build a strong mileage base with hard workouts included". He will let me run strides twice a week, though. And it seems like easy mileage is more like moderate-pace mileage as he prescribed 6:30-7:30 pace when I'm a 16:44 5ker.

Listen to your your coach, he knows what he is doing.

Please don't run in college- just do something else- I feel bad for your coach

3200y5000 wrote:

So my college coach tells me that he's not going to have me run any workouts until Late July because "you can't build a strong mileage base with hard workouts included". He will let me run strides twice a week, though. And it seems like easy mileage is more like moderate-pace mileage as he prescribed 6:30-7:30 pace when I'm a 16:44 5ker.

Well I agree with the holding off on workouts to build base, but 6:30 for easy runs for a 16:44 5ker is just plain idiotic. Don't focus on pace on easy runs just listen to your body. I'm a minute faster than you in your 5k and I do my easy runs usually around 8:30-9:00 pace. If I were to run 6:30-7:30s on all of my base mileage days I would break down. Anyone who aims for a target pace on easy days is misinformed. You will still get the aerobic adaptations you seek from base mileage in running a lot slower than 6:30 pace, as long as running slowly isn't messing up your form you can run as slow as you'd like on easy days.

I think it's a possibility that your 8:30 mileage days are holding you back from improving your fitness even more to that low 15 range. If you're saying that you have 1-2 easy mileage days per week that are 8:30 and then a few more mileage days that are 7:00 ish range, that seems more reasonable. But if you are running all your mileage days that easy, you could definitely make some easy gains by gradually running faster!

I ran in college. Here’s a secret: most college coaches don’t know what they’re doing. Coaches are hired mainly based on politics, instead of skill level. Their main goal isn’t to improve you as a runner. Their goal is to minimize their workload and keep their job. The training plans are the same for everyone. If it works for you, then great, but if not, well, stinks to be you. If your coach is good, then they’ll be open to have a conversation with you about your goals and be ready to answer any questions you have. But, if they are like most college coaches, they want you to blindly follow them. IF you are sure that this training plan won’t work for you, then don’t follow it. Your coach isn’t going to be lurking around your local track to make sure that you’re not doing any workouts.

This sounds like a ok plan to me. Listen to your coach.

Like I said in just another thread:

If you feel good do a progression run/Run to the barn/steady state run, fartlek by feel whenever and throw in some strides/short hill sprints every 2-3 days.

Coaches are paid to help you improve. This sounds like a coach who knows what s/he is doing. I'm sorry for you that the appearance of speed work in June and July will help you in November is something you can consider. Base mileage at a very easy pace as you increase mileage is perfectly fine, and preferred in many cases. The only thing you should add is many some extra miles on your long runs if you feel good. As an earlier post stated, listen your body during easy runs.

Don’t college runners do some road races for fun in the summer? You’d probably benefit from that and doing some of your own workouts in my opinion. Doesn’t need to be anything extreme.

Your coach’s only goal is to maximize the fall season so it makes sense from his perspective to hold you back and not risk anything.

You guys are harsh. OP is just concerned that he won't be able to impress the ladies at some of the local summer 5ks.

There is a post on LR about NAU's training, read it (training spread sheet can be found in a link).

Agree with comments that most college coaches do not know what they are doing.

OP, misunderstanding might be intensity. Don't go to the well with training intensity all the time (end of the season either). If you follow your coaches plan, get some hills in on those runs (most of them), just get up them, you'll feel stronger on them week by week, but maybe put more intensity into one or two of them each week, no need to hammer them everyday. You could also do one of the 'strides' sessions up a short hill.

Recovery days matter too. You can get in 'base mileage' (whatever that is ... usually long slow distance), if done easy as RECOVERY (pace may vary), and do intervals on other days, which are what hills simulate, particularly if one one of those days you run the hills a bit faster. Get on some trails too.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2014.00033/full

3200y5000 wrote:

So my college coach tells me that he's not going to have me run any workouts until Late July because "you can't build a strong mileage base with hard workouts included". He will let me run strides twice a week, though. And it seems like easy mileage is more like moderate-pace mileage as he prescribed 6:30-7:30 pace when I'm a 16:44 5ker.

This is pretty standard. I'm assuming you are coming off of outdoor track and that was likely coming after cross and indoors? You are due for a few easy months before you restart the XC/indoor/outdoor cycle. So while it's not technically impossible to build a base while running occasional hard workouts, your coach wants you to spend a few months recuperating. Also, it's not like you coach is forcing you to run easy every day. 6:30 pace is basically marathon pace for a 16:44 5k guy so you can get in some high-end aerobic training.

We don't start doing workouts until mid July either and it has worked out every year for us. I ran my 5k high school PR during my first 8k on a hilly course in 80 degree weather at 15:37. Listen to your coach.

If you want, email him, fill out an outside competition form, and test your fitness with a 4th of July 5k like many college athletes do. These are a great way to see how your body is or isn't responding to the new training system and it can help break up the monotony of E day grinding.

Cheers

3200y5000 wrote:

So my college coach tells me that he's not going to have me run any workouts until Late July because "you can't build a strong mileage base with hard workouts included". He will let me run strides twice a week, though. And it seems like easy mileage is more like moderate-pace mileage as he prescribed 6:30-7:30 pace when I'm a 16:44 5ker.

Oddly enough, the bulk of the comments in this thread are correct. You should not do any workouts until late July or even early August. I also agree with those who thought 6:30 pace for easy runs for you is a bit fast.

One thing that needs to change is your attitude. When you say "He will let me run strides twice a week, though", what you are really saying is that you want to do workouts and that at least you get to do this. That is incorrect thinking. Strides are fine, but your idea about training is not. Summer training is for building mileage and strength, not running fast. Come late July you will start adding in faster stuff and perhaps hills if available to you. Racing and sharpening during the season and then a very small taper for a target race are what produce faster times, but all of that is contingent upon proper mileage buildup in the summer.