No Progress with PBs - Advice

SWL

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Hi guys,

Running a couple of years, did the Dublin marathon last year in 3.25, took a break from running after for a month and then started back, but with poor weather and work commitments I was running only 3 times a week, then I had to stop completely for 3 months, started back in June and spent the first month running longest run has been 7 miles.

I am trying to get my times down, my pb for fives miles is a pathetic 35 minutes, 73 for ten. Trying to break 70 for ten miles, which again is not a very good time.

These times have not moved since I started running, after all the running I have been doing I had hoped to lower my times as my fitness improved, this has not happened.

I went for a 6 mile run tonight and stopped after 3, I am trying to run my longer runs at approximately 7.30/mile I am finding it tough going to do 8/mile pace my marathon pace and the pace I did my long runs last summer.

I run alone and my speed work I did with a neighbour who knew a lot about tri/
Running all my speed session were flat out under his guidance.

My present program is
Mon 6 miles steady
Tue speedwork e.g.8x400 jog 200 between
Wed 6 miles steady
Thur falklek 1 minute on 1 off over 6 miles
Saturday tempo run now at 3 miles building to 8 add one mile each week
Sun long run or long cycle


Sorry about the long post, so lads any advice

bazman

Not that much wrong with your program, but it's only a one week plan. You should do a plan for a target race that has something like:
- 6-8 weeks of endurance work (primarily long runs & tempos)
- 6 weeks of specific speed work to suite your target race. You may need to get specific here in relation to times per interval. Personally I'd go for sessions with clear targets over a fartlek. Don't do 2 consecutive session days as you have in your week plan.
- 1 or 2 races before your target race to get the legs moving and I think you'll start to see improvements

Running sessions flat out is ok, but critical to have consistent reps & have surplus energy at the end of you session to avoid burn-out.

Join a running club - it's a sure way to get PBs. The competitive spirit & new rivals will give you the edge you need to get out of your stale running cycle

macinalli

Would some slow recovery runs also help? It strikes me that you do a speed session on Tue, a steady run Wed at a reasonably quick pace (30 seconds off your race pace for that distance) and then a fartlek on Thursday. That's a tough few days in a row, and maybe your fartlek session isn't as good quality as it could be. My PBs have come down a lot (to where you are now;)) and my routine (Mon to Thur) is track, recovery, fartlek, recovery and the followed by LSR/race etc at the weekend. Would be interested to hear other comments!

ger664

Do not know how to help with PB improvement stuck in the same place myself but I would agree with others that u should have recovery runs between hard sessions.

PVincent

two pieces of advice...

join a club

you need more rest ...6 days a week will mean that your sessions are done on tired legs and body ...4/5 days is enough for most of us at that level

A mate of mine who has done all of the dub marathons has this year stopped training as much as he had done in prev years ...he now concentrates on speed sessions, and just doing races.( and a long run at weekend) .he is PB ing almost every race because he is fresh ...

the logic is the more you do , the more recovery you need ...try a week with just 4 sessions and see how you feel...you might just feel better , fresher & faster ...and therafter the confidence flows back and suddenly you are in forward motion with your times ...