interval training

gilly74

have just done my first half marathon and am looking to add some interval training . just wondering what i should be doing . i run 7 miles 2 to 3 times during the week and do a lsr at the weekend.

menoscemo

What are your goals? Obviously the idea would be to replace on of your 7 mile runs with an interval session but the length of the intervals would depend on what you are trying to achieve.

gilly74

menoscemo wrote: »

What are your goals? Obviously the idea would be to replace on of your 7 mile runs with an interval session but the length of the intervals would depend on what you are trying to achieve.

looking to run a few more half marathons but really just build up some speed

menoscemo

Longer intervals would be better for half marathon purposes, like 1k- 1 mile. Maybe 4 or 5 of those at 10k pace?
I am also doing some longer tempos, e.g 1mile warm up then 2 x 2miles at 10k(ish) pace with a mile jog in between and a warm down- works out at 7 miles as well but a hell of a bigger workout.
You can eventually build that up to 4 x 2 mile or 3x 3 mile tempos. That way you are working on speed and endurance.

gilly74

menoscemo wrote: »

Longer intervals would be better for half marathon purposes, like 1k- 1 mile. Maybe 4 or 5 of those at 10k pace?
I am also doing some longer tempos, e.g 1mile warm up then 2 x 2miles at 10k(ish) pace with a mile jog in between and a warm down- works out at 7 miles as well but a hell of a bigger workout.
You can eventually build that up to 4 x 2 mile or 3x 3 mile tempos. That way you are working on speed and endurance.

thanks will try that

ecoli

gilly74 wrote: »

looking to run a few more half marathons but really just build up some speed

When you say speed here do you mean to improve on your half marathon time? My advice would be to try and add another run to your training before you look to intervals as this will increase your strength improving your time in terms of the half.

gilly74

ecoli wrote: »

When you say speed here do you mean to improve on your half marathon time? My advice would be to try and add another run to your training before you look to intervals as this will increase your strength improving your time in terms of the half.

just looking to vary my training have been doing 2 to 3 7 milers during the week and bout a 20 miler at the weekend

village runner

gilly74 wrote: »

just looking to vary my training have been doing 2 to 3 7 milers during the week and bout a 20 miler at the weekend

What on earth are you doing 20 milers for ? You are doing 41 miles a week so you should be doing a long slow run of 12,14,16 every 3 weeks. Then you will be fresher for the harder stuff. ~Obviously you have the strength now you have to get the speed.

ecoli

gilly74 wrote: »

just looking to vary my training have been doing 2 to 3 7 milers during the week and bout a 20 miler at the weekend

Then i would advise either trying fartlek or 400s to begin with as the longer reps can be gruelling and build into them from their. Also your mileage does not seem to correspond with your weekly mileage as it accounts for 50% of your total mileage this should be more like 20-25% so my advice would be to increase your mileage or reduce your LSR until you build to this mileage as it is counter productive to your overall training as you are severely depleting your glycogen stores each week.

tempo

Sorry to say this but your current schedue is a joke.Why on earth would you run a 20mile run on the weekends?
Is there any athletic club near you which can give you some sound advise?
Ecoli is right,your long run should be no more than 20-25% and even at that its still high.

gilly74

village runner wrote: »

What on earth are you doing 20 milers for ? You are doing 41 miles a week so you should be doing a long slow run of 12,14,16 every 3 weeks. Then you will be fresher for the harder stuff. ~Obviously you have the strength now you have to get the speed.

sorry misprint that should be 10 mile

woodchopper

ecoli wrote: »

Then i would advise either trying fartlek or 400s to begin with as the longer reps can be gruelling and build into them from their. Also your mileage does not seem to correspond with your weekly mileage as it accounts for 50% of your total mileage this should be more like 20-25% so my advice would be to increase your mileage or reduce your LSR until you build to this mileage as it is counter productive to your overall training as you are severely depleting your glycogen stores each week.

There is too much emphasis on long run been done at 20-25% of weekly mileage. It differs greatly for everyone so pulling such a percentage out of the air does not suit everyone ie an athlete running 120 miles a week should run a long run of 30 miles going by 25% rule every week. INSANITY

tempo

woodchopper wrote: »

There is too much emphasis on long run been done at 20-25% of weekly mileage. It differs greatly for everyone so pulling such a percentage out of the air does not suit everyone ie an athlete running 120 miles a week should run a long run of 30 miles going by 25% rule every week. INSANITY

I agree and diagree here,
20-25% is too much for me,my weekly long run would be between 15-18%

I think a runner running 120miles aweek is a full time athete and usualy training for a marathon with these sort of miles.Depending on where they are with there training a long run might be between 20-30miles.
30miles for me is too much but i know a few guys who run close to this as their final couple of long runs before a major marathon.

ecoli

woodchopper wrote: »

There is too much emphasis on long run been done at 20-25% of weekly mileage. It differs greatly for everyone so pulling such a percentage out of the air does not suit everyone ie an athlete running 120 miles a week should run a long run of 30 miles going by 25% rule every week. INSANITY

Agreed that every athlete is different but i think that this in terms of the general public here (mainly 30-6o mpw) this is a good indictator of rough guidelines rather than a precise measurement. Once an athlete has a base line of roughly what to do they can tailor it to suit there needs but in order to give a fully accurate mileage one would have to take into account the athletes full history which is not plausible for each post left here thats why these general guidelines are put into play. Much like this my percentages were a range rather than a set figure

Husavik

gilly74 wrote: »

sorry misprint that should be 10 mile

Here is the Hal Higdon training plan for HM's. You can opt for Novice, Intermediate and Advanced. The Intermediate's longest run is 12 miles.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=10&ved=0CEoQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.halhigdon.com%2Fhalfmarathon%2Fnovice.htm&rct=j&q=half+marathon+training+schedule&ei=ZKXxS7SaBpr60wS9tYnbBw&usg=AFQjCNH0R1fGkxU0R733SSfKsgVRyzSbtA&sig2=TnXweU2VwAXCSerBVWNCDA

tisnotover

I think it'd help if your goals were a bit more focused. I know you say u want to do a half a marathon and get some speed.

But speed at what distance, why not say, I want to get faster over 10k or 5 miles ? Then with this speed to progress to a better half marathon ??

Plenty of advice can be got here if the goals are that bit more focused, it'll also help you when you go out training, to know why ure training that day and see progression ...