quest to sub 16:30 : training log

July 15th-July 21st

Posting a day early because I’ll probably forget if I don’t.

Recap: Started off the week with a tough long run. Felt good and kept the pace pretty even. I plan on doing 4 mile tempos from now on. Think I’m ready for them at this point. Also going to start incorporating strength training twice a week, and possibly some mobility. I signed up for a 5k on the 27th and am super excited to see where I’m at. Going to be taking a down week this upcoming week and probably stay between 57-60. Please feel free to comment advice, tips or just starting a convo.

Monday : 13 mile LR

Tuesday : 1 Mile WU 4x1200 @ LT pace or under (4:08,4:11,4:09,4:10) 1 Mile CD / 3 miles PM

Wednesday : 9 miles on trails/ 3 miles PM

Thursday : 10.5 unplanned progression run, started at 7:20 and worked down to 6:20, felt good. / 3 miles PM

Friday : 1 Mile WU, 3 mile tempo @5:41 (slightly fast, not too crazy hard though. 85% effort throughout) 2 mile CD / 4 miles PM

Saturday : 9.5 steady hills, 600 elev. gain / 3 miles PM

Sunday : Off / Bike?

Total : 70

An overall disappointing week, but gotta trust the process. Started the week by going to the weight room where I accidentally tweaked something and couldn’t bend over for 4-5 days. And then I had my race Saturday, where basically everything that could’ve went wrong did. I don’t think it represents where my fitness is right now at all, I just gotta stay on top of things and be happy I got the crappy race out of my legs now compared to when XC starts.

Monday: 12 miles

Tuesday: 1 Mile WU, 4 mile tempo by effort (5:38) 1 Mile CD/ 3

Wednesday : 8.5/3.5

Thursday : off (back hurt and very limited mobility)

Friday : 10 miles

Saturday : 6 miles total, WU and 5k @18:30

Sunday : 7/3

Total : 59.5

July 29th - August 4th

recap : week was fairly easy all in all. got some more miles on some trails. I’m going to New Orleans this next week, but I’m still gonna try to get 70 miles in. I’ll probably do all of my runs in a small park near my hotel.

Monday : 14 mile LR

Tuesday : 3 miles AM / 8.4 mile fartlek PM

+ 4x15s hill sprints @ 400 pace

Wednesday : 8.25 miles AM / 3 miles pm

Thursday : 3.5 miles AM / 9 miles PM

Friday : 1 Mile WU; 4 mile tempo (5:50,5:51,5:48,5:45) 2 mile CD + 4x30s hill sprints @ Mile pace / 3 mile cooldown

Saturday : 11 mile Med LR

Sunday : off

total : 70

8/5 -8/11

recap : didn’t hit my 70 mile goal, but the effort definitely was there. never knew how bad it is in New Orleans, the weather is so extreme compared to where I’m coming from. got less than 9 hours of sleep all week, that definitely played into my runs. other than that, I’m happy with how much I got in this week. I think I may have a mild case of runners knee, not to sure. gonna take it easy if I really have to but other than that I plan on keeping my training consistent.

Monday : 12 mile LR

Tuesday : 8.55 miles

Wednesday : 10/30/10 fartlek ~ 7.29 ; PM 4 miles

Thursday : 6.05 miles

Friday : 4.04 miles

Saturday : 80 mins, 10.25

Sunday : 2 miles WU/ 3 mile tempo @ 5:50 / 2 miles CD ; 4 miles pm

Total : 63

8/12-8/18

Had a really encouraging week. The tempo on Friday felt super smooth, no straining at all just went by feel. Then, I had XC practice later that day and we did a 1 Mile TT where we were advised to run an almost all out mile effort, just not kick the last 400. I ran a 4:55, and definitely had some left in the tank. Pretty sure I could break my 4:47 PR if I spiked up and was on fresh legs. First meet is this Saturday, my coach wants me going out at 5:25-5:30, hopefully I break 17.

Monday : 11 mile medium LR

Tuesday : 2 Mile WU/ 12x200 hills @ moderate with 1:30 active recovery / 2 mile CD ; 4 miles PM

Wednesday : 8.5 mile ez

Thursday : 9.5 easy day

Friday : 1.25 mile WU / 5 mile tempo (5:58,5:56,5:52,5:46,5:41) 1.25 CD / 4.4 miles pm

Saturday : 13 mile LR easy effort

Sunday : 30 mins easy (3.89)

Total : 70.3

Great job sticking to your plan and staying healthy this summer, Cole. I think you could run 16:30 on the track right now. Good luck this week!

webby wrote:

Great job sticking to your plan and staying healthy this summer, Cole. I think you could run 16:30 on the track right now. Good luck this week!

Yes....

Your training looks just about perfect. If those 4 mile tempos are truly sub threshold effort, you're ready to rock this season. The one problem with CC times is that courses vary so much. A 16:30 on one course might only be worth a 17:30 on a different course.

Don't get frustrated if you don't hit certain times right away, when you get on a fast course, you'll run fast. The rest of the time, focus on running a smart race, moving up through the field, finishing strong, being smart on the uphill then cresting and getting into down hills.....Doing all this stuff on top of the great summer you've had should lead to really good results.

Your summer has been far better than the kids I've coached that have gone under 16:30. I wouldn't be surprised if you went far faster than 16:30 when the conditions are right

Thanks for following along. I’m going to just try to race these first couple, and hopefully I get some chances to run my fastest races later this season. A question to anyone who cares to respond : I’m trying to stay at 65-70 miles per week with the occasional down week throughout the season. What’s the rule for peaking in XC, I just want to know if I’m forced to drop to 60-65 some weeks because of time restraints will I be okay? And I am thinking my threshold efforts are correct, based on both how I feel and off of online calculators.

Yes. You won't lose fitness by dropping your mileage 5-10 miles when you need to. Most coaches would encourage it once you start adding faster workouts.

Your tempo pace is too fast if you are getting it from a calculator based on your PRs. You are running a four mile race unless you are in close to 16:30 shape right now. What calculator are you using, and what are your inputs?

I go off feel, but I just recently looked up tempo paces in a calculator after you said that in your first post. I used the 4:55 mile which isn’t all out by any means and I fit between the suggested paces. Keep in mind, if I feel bad I just slow down to a more “comfortably hard”

Besides that, if you have any suggestions at all I’m open to anything. I’ve self coached myself all summer.

Sounds good! Just stay healthy and don't kill yourself in workouts and you'll have a great year.

Awesome. Thank you.

You are in the same boat as my sophomore; looking to break 16:30 for 5k XC.

Great job this summer. You’ve got the base to hit your goals. The advice that I’d give is that, whether you notice it or not, your body is still adapting to your new found volume. So be careful with adding anything new, I.e, weights, speed work, hill sprints, etc.

Try to think of approaching this season by breaking it up into thirds. So a 9 race 3 month season would be taking it a month at a time.

For that first month be patient with an eye towards converting your aerobic engine to handle faster paced work. Hold your mileage, approach faster paced workouts and races with a slow to fast mentality. The worse thing you can do in the first third of the season is to go too hard too soon because of higher expectations. As another poster has said, focus on early effort control by building through your workouts and races.

My son’s first race is in two weeks on a medium to fast course that he ran last year. His instructions are to not race but rather focus on a controlled effort with first mile being the slowest. Goal effort is around a 17ish minute 5k.

Have fun this early season as I like to think of it as play racing without all the drama.

Thanks, this is useful, and I will keep this in mind. I’m trying not to get ahead of myself and gonna have to keep in mind that these first few Tuesday duel meets mean little to nothing. I’ll try out that slow to fast, and I’ll try to stay close to my peak mileage, maybe doing about 5 miles per week less if I have too.

What’s your schedule like? I’m also trying to do the dame thing I’m just wondering what you go off of?

For example ,

Monday-

Am- Easy Run

Pm- 3 mile double

Tuesday

Am- Workout

Sorry, what are you asking?

8/19-8/25

My last 70 mile week of the XC block is completed. My race that was scheduled for Saturday got canceled, so that was disappointing. My coach decided to do a “key performance indicator” workout, so we did 3.1 miles at 5k race pace to figure out our 5k effort. First mile split was slow (5:37) but last two were quicker (5:24,5:19), I would’ve liked to pick the pace up some but my team mate kept cutting me off every time I tried making a move. This was my first workout on trails/grass so overall I’m happy, I think my first race I’ll go out at 5:25 and go from there. The rest was a little long but I think it was because it was our first one, 5:00 with 50% being active and 50% being passive. Felt pretty easy.

Monday: 8 miles easy

Tuesday: 2 Mile WU/ 4 mile LT @5:49/2 mile CD/ PM 4 miles easy

Wednesday: 10 miles

Thursday: 8 miles easy ; PM ladder run, went off feel 6 miles

Friday: 5 miles easy

Saturday: 1 Mile WU / 3.1 mile race simulator (5:37,5:24,5:19)/ 1 Mile CD ;30 mins PM recovery (3.78)

Sunday: 12 mile LR easy

Total : 70

Honestly, on a track I wouldn't be surprised if you could do 16:20 when you start backing off the high mileage. Maybe even sub-16 by the end of the season.

Here is my advice (that might be hard to hear): Don't focus on running for time this fall. With these times you can be mixing it up at some invitational meets depending on your state/class and maybe even some larger/championship races. Run for place and try to beat as many runners and teams as you can. In the spring you can focus on truly running for time on the track.

Good luck! It makes me happy to see your progress and enthusiasm! The future holds big things if you take care of the little things.

Thank you. These first few meets I have an idea of what I’d like to go out in and ultimately finish at, but I do plan on just racing. My goal is to make it to state. Hopefully in October I’ll be able to say I’ve qualified. Top 15 go, last year #15 was at 17 flat