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Here's what I think:
As long as you're comfortable and used to swimming that's a great idea and a good time for it.
Decrease your mileage and long runs by around 15-20% each week leading up to the race. The week of the race it doesn't matter too much what you do as long as you're comfortable and feeling good. Take one day off. Take three days off. Whatever floats your boat.
Also shift the focus away from longer, harder intervals to tempo pace work. I know you're already doing tempo stuff now but make that the priority if it isn't already. I'd keep a little bit of comfortably fast speed work (200-400m) but not many reps, once or twice a week. Also, don't completely drop longer, harder intervals until 2-3 weeks out or so but don't do as intense work with them. Keep the intervals shorter and do less of them.
So 5 weeks out maybe you can do 3-4x400m and 4-6x 200m at a comfortably fast pace for speed. Maybe 2-3 miles or so split up however for interval work and some quality tempo work as well. As you get close to race week gradually phase out your intervals and get down to something like 4x200m comfortably fast for speed once or twice for the week. So your main workouts will be tempo or tempo based and they shouldn't leave you too fatigued.
An easy and interesting way to keep all three of these types of workout types going at the same time is by doing a mixed workout that incorporates a little bit of all three after a shorter easy run/warmup so you're still getting a little bit of mileage in.
And if you can I think it's a good idea to simulate your race day routine at least for that one day of the week, but more if you can manage. Start getting up when you plan on getting up during race day (at least 4 hours prior). Eat what you expect to eat. Do a morning run if you plan on it. Do your pre race warmup/ritual when you think you will before the race. Run or do a workout at the time the race will go off.
Let me know what you think.
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That looks roughly in-line with what I had planned, though you suggest more short speed stuff than I was planning. I am a huge fan of mixed interval workouts.
Can you give me more detail about what you mean by "quality tempo work"? I'm already planning the following: next week (this Tuesday, actually), 2x2mile at race pace, then 2x1 mile at race pace, then 3x2miles at race pace two weeks after, which is 10 days before the race. I'll probably throw in something in the week between like 2x2mile at race pace as fartleks. The rest of my workouts will be hills or shorter stuff at the track.
Totally agree about simulating race day. I'm also going to scout the course on a bike four days before the race.
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Well I'll start by saying what I mean about tempo pace just to make sure we're on the same page. People take this term differently sometimes. I often use lactate threshold pace and tempo interchangeably but they are actually a little different.
But what I mean is a pace slower than your 10k race pace. Somewhere around the pace which you could race in the duration of around an hour. It's the pace at which you feel your heart rate elevated but steady and not out of control. You're running fast but not hard. Your breathing isn't labored but you couldn't hold a conversation with a buddy like you could during an easy run. It's best to judge these runs by feel if possible.
You can do these in intervals ranging from like 800m to 3200m (with minimal rest between intervals) or just do it as one steady run that can be slightly slower than if you were doing it with intervals and rest. If you do them in intervals then you can mix them in with an easy run beforehand, then with a little speed work and interval work that I mentioned in the last post. Or just have a whole workout devoted to this type of run/interval session.
So by quality I guess I mean to have probably one full workout that is only tempo and if you do another workout the same week it could be a mixed one that can also include tempo. And the tempo workout is the focus so make sure you do it when you're not feeling shitty or when weather conditions aren't too bad if at all possible so that even if you screw the rest of the week's training up at least you can salvage it with a good tempo workout.
At the end of the training block it's the most important run you can do. It has great benefits to train your body to deal with lactic acid, keeps your running economy honest (if you let it), and doesn't tax your body too much so you can recover from it fast.
Doing race pace stuff is different than what I'm used to or what I recommend people. It's not because I think it's necessarily bad or anything I just believe in tempo and Jack Daniels' formula. I only run slower or faster than race pace unless I'm actually racing. But of course there is never only one way to do it well.
And I'm curious as to why you want to do hills at this point.
Reply!
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Ah, that makes a bit more sense -- and sounds like a lot of fun. My race pace is 3:15/km, so I reckon my pace for the kind of run you're describing would be somewhere around 3:45/km, or maybe a bit south. I remember doing a few runs around 8km in length at that pace when my racing flats were new, and that was about four months ago, so I'm sure I'm stronger now.
I want to do hills because I dislike them, and feel that things you dislike must be good for you. I also sleep on a bed of nails and eat nothing but Kraft Dinner. I'm fairly badly read when it comes to training theory (Daniels/Lydiard etc.), and instead follow the less prestigious but more popular "make it up as you go along" school of exercise. The mile repeat workouts I mentioned are from MacMillan.
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Also, what do you mean by "keeps your running economy honest (if you let it)"? Are you saying my mid-run motorcycle rides have got to go?
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On July 29 2013 03:16 Bonham wrote:
Also, what do you mean by "keeps your running economy honest (if you let it)"? Are you saying my mid-run motorcycle rides have got to go?
Man, that's gotta mess up your pacing:
Monday - 7 easy in 29 min, stopped for gas
Tuesday - 10M tempo in 58:43, 3M cool down for about 8 min
Wednesday - 8 easy in 31 min
Thursday - 15 easy in 56 min
Friday - 3 slow
Saturday - 10k Race in 32:21 ...way off my normal pace. Not sure what went wrong.
In all seriousness I'd assume he just means your efficiency and relaxing at race pace. Basically that it feels relaxed and in control rather than really fast and/or jerky.
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Yess, when you're running comfortably fast you can focus on good form which helps efficiency during runs and races. Keeps good habits and lets your body grow accustomed to them. Of course it's good to think about running with good form during easy runs but it doesn't translate as well because you're not running as fast compared to when you're doing tempo or faster stuff. And with tempo pacing you're not going too hard as with other faster/more intense workouts so it's easier to concentrate on form.
I've just always emphasized really focusing on form during my tempo runs because I feel fast but relaxed and am able to get in the zone and visualize myself racing. I'd think that I'm running fast, not too far off of race pace and it feels easy and I look good with my perfect form. So I feel confident that when I'm actually in the race and get that extra energy from the competition and am running all out I will race like a champ.
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United States24740 Posts
After not running for a few days because I was away, I ran today at a 5.5 mph pace for 30 minutes without problems. Tomorrow or whenever I run next I'll do 5.6 mph. At this rate I won't be really slow soon!
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That's interesting. I don't think Bolt would have a chance at an 800. A 600 would be much closer.
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These track star crossover races always make me roll my eyes a bit. Anyone remember when Donovan Bailey raced Michael Johnson over 150m? Totally lame PR stunt, and their respective specialties were much closer than those of Farah and Bolt.
Anyway, I agree that Farah would be the hands-down favourite over two laps. I'd be interested to see what Bolt can do over 400 or 600, though.
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In 2007 Bolt ran a 45.28 400. I don't know what he will be capable of when and if they ever do this race but I'd choose Farah for the 600 too assuming Bolt wouldn't even be able to really dominate Farah in a 400. I'm sure he would win in a 400 but in that extra 200 I think Farah would chase him down.
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I just started cross country and I have been practicing the 3 mile allot I need to practice the 5 so that meets will be easy.
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On July 30 2013 05:24 reps)squishy wrote:
I just started cross country and I have been practicing the 3 mile allot I need to practice the 5 so that meets will be easy.
Are you on summer vacation until September when cross country starts?
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United States24740 Posts
As I expected, I was able to bump up my 30 minute jog to 5.6 mph. I think I'll do a repeat before I consider bumping it up.
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Haha finally got my brother to accept to race me at an "intermediate" distance of 800m. 2:13 and change. Bro a few seconds back in 2:16 (pretty good for a guy that might run 5-10 miles a week). Not sure what would have happened if he had gone out in low 60s, which should be pretty doable for him given his 11.5 100m ability (likely 50-54 400m speed).
Totally fuckin unexpected to be able to do that. Was accelerating pretty quick the last 75m...so I think I could shave a little off just getting out quicker than 67. It also means I have the wheels to go under 5 still...but the endurance clearly isn't there at this weight.
Now if only I could get truly healthy.
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On July 30 2013 13:40 micronesia wrote:
As I expected, I was able to bump up my 30 minute jog to 5.6 mph. I think I'll do a repeat before I consider bumping it up.
I know you're running on a treadmill so you have to set your own pace on there but I'm concerned you might be getting too hung up on how fast you're running right now. Just focus on gradually building up mileage and don't be concerned about how fast your runs are. How fast you run only matters during specific workouts and races, not easy runs meant to build up endurance.
On July 30 2013 15:17 L_Master wrote:
Haha finally got my brother to accept to race me at an "intermediate" distance of 800m. 2:13 and change. Bro a few seconds back in 2:16 (pretty good for a guy that might run 5-10 miles a week). Not sure what would have happened if he had gone out in low 60s, which should be pretty doable for him given his 11.5 100m ability (likely 50-54 400m speed).
Totally fuckin unexpected to be able to do that. Was accelerating pretty quick the last 75m...so I think I could shave a little off just getting out quicker than 67. It also means I have the wheels to go under 5 still...but the endurance clearly isn't there at this weight.
Now if only I could get truly healthy.
That is really good, especially for a duel (dual) race.
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Yea I dunno why I can do that, given that at BEST I don't think I could be in better than 5'30/19:30 shape right now...and that is probably being quite generous. That's based of a 4M hilly tempo the other day when no other exercise option was available to me and was in around 27:25, so maybe on a dead flat course I could tempo 6:35-6:40 pace which is pretty consistent for me with 19:30ish 5k.
Maybe I just suck at racing 400 and have way better speed than my 61s PR indicates.
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On July 30 2013 13:40 micronesia wrote:
As I expected, I was able to bump up my 30 minute jog to 5.6 mph. I think I'll do a repeat before I consider bumping it up.
I told ya the improvement would come.
It will probably start to slow in the next few months, and when it starts leveling off for about a month or so...then it's time to up the mileage some or start incorporating some real training to get faster.
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United States43210 Posts
Ran a mile in 8:52 on the treadmill at the gym today. New personal best.
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EPT
