training for goal mile

kala85

I can currently run a 21 min pb 5k and 48 min ten k . What kind of training can I do between now and Christmas day to run my best possible goal mile time.

rom

interval training

Ruu_Old

Look up Fartlek.

ger664

Do they run this as a race ?

I did it last year and it was basically random start on the bend of the track and off yeah go and do 4 laps.

RayCun

Practice running in YakTraks?

Krusty_Clown

On a more serious note, it'd be great if one of the middle-distance runners could suggest some training sessions for someone planning to run a fast GOAL mile around Christmas time. Perhaps ecoli might have some thoughts?

Timmaay

Theres lots of middle distance sessions you can do, heres two I often do for 1500m/3k stuff:

5x300m (x2), with jog between the reps, and 5mins between the sets,

600m/800m/100m, 7mins rest(or slow jog), 600/600/300, 7mins rest, 400/400/400/300. 60secs recovery jog between all the reps.

Run these at your 1500 pace, you should be totally knackered afterwards ha, and probably the key to doing training for middle distances as such is make sure you have enough rest days, because your body will be sore!

Krusty_Clown

Thanks Timmay. Would you run one of those sessions a week? e.g.
Week 1: 5x300m
Week 2: 600/800m etc..
Week 3: 5x300m
Week 4: 600/800m etc..
etc.

Coming from a marathon program, would you build-up to performing these sessions in some kind of way?

Is there a progression? i.e. once you can perform the reps, do you aim to do them faster/more reps/shorter recovery?
Thanks.

ecoli

Timmaay wrote: »

Theres lots of middle distance sessions you can do, heres two I often do for 1500m/3k stuff:

4x300m (x2), with jog between the reps, and 5mins between the sets,

600m/800m/100m, 7mins rest(or slow jog), 600/600/300, 7mins rest, 400/400/400/300. 60secs recovery jog between all the reps.

I still have nightmares of this session from the last time I did it with yas:D

Few things that I would like to say in terms of caution for training for this kinda distance at that time of year.

Temperature: the winter months mean that weather is colder and as such high intensity session need to be conducted very carefully. Body must be properly warmed up before attempting them which means good warm up, drills and stretching. You should be spending 30-45 min on this stuff before you even attempt to start the session

The mile is very often misunderstood distance. Its a blend of aerobic power which speed endurance. Most people focus on fast all out stuff but to be honest its an event which is predominantly aerobic based. If you look at Ciaran O Lionaird he spend last few years focusing on 5/10k before making the break through in 1500m this year.

Ideally you should spend time building up a stong based but having recently been focusing on these distances we can interpret this as your base.

Your training sessions should focus around Over/Under and exact race distance paces so depending on how often you train I would say 1/2 quality sessions a week while the rest of your running be easy paced

Here is an example of training progression:

Week 1: 3 days running with 1 quality day (5k paced work)

Week 2: 3 days running with one quality day (1500m paced work)

Week 3: 3 days running with one quality day (Tempo(10k to half marathon) paced work)

Week 4: 3 days running with one quality day (800m paced work)

Here are some examples from each of the pace ranges

5k paced work
400m reps w/200 jog (amount being dependant on mileage roughly 1 for every 5 miles run a week so 30mpw runner would run 6)

1500m paced work

Sets of 200ms 2 x (2-3 x 200m) 100m jog between reps, 400 between sets

(more experienced and higher mileage guys can go as far as 4-6 per set and 2-3 sets)

or

4-6 (8-10 for higher mileage athletes) 300m gradual uphills concentrating on form w/ jog down recoveries progressively getting faster

800 paced work

(2 x) 4 x 200 at 800 pace w/ 100 jog between each, 400 between sets

or (8-10) 4-5 x 150m w/ 250m recovery

4x300m (x2), with jog between the reps, and 5mins between the sets (As Timmaay mentioned)

While these are examples of sessions this does not consistitute a full schedule and need to take into account that many runners spend months building up strength over the winter before even attempting many of these sessions or indeed trak racing which usually doesnt start till March/April

Peckham

How about Bondarenko sessions (as discussed recently on Marathon Talk)? Found it scary to even listen to them being described, let alone running them!

One set
Run 400m @ 5k pace
Recovery 400m@ marathon pace
Run 300m @ 1500m pace
Recovery 300m @ marathon pace
Run 200m @ 800m pace Recovery 200m @ marathon pace
Run 100 sprint
Recovery 100m @ marathon pace.

(Prior to winning the Olympic gold medal in 1988, Bondarenko completed 3 sets back to back, 3 mins recovery, 2 sets back to back, 3 minutes recovery, 1 set.)

ecoli

Peckham wrote: »

How about Bondarenko sessions (as discussed recently on Marathon Talk)? Found it scary to even listen to them being described, let alone running them!

Ill see your Hero workout and raise you the Michigan (Long and short versions)

Do this short or long form of the "Michigan" to get speed and stamina in one session.

PACE: Easy Jogging
Short: 1 mile w/5 strides
Long: 1-2 miles w/5 strides

PACE: 5-K or Faster
Short: 1000 meters
Long: 1 mile

PACE: Tempo; Between 10-K and Marathon
Short: Half-mile
Long: 1.5 miles

PACE: 5-K or Faster
Short: 800 meters
Long: 1200 meters

PACE: Tempo
Short: Half-mile
Long: 1.5 miles

PACE: 5-K or Faster
Short: 600 meters
Long: 800 meters

PACE: Tempo
Short: Half-mile
Long: 1.5 miles

PACE: All-out Blast
Short: 400 meters
Long: 400 meters

Or

Bowermans 30/40 session (basically all consistent running on track 200m in 30 200 in 40 until fail) which was made famous with runners such as Prefontaine and Galen Rupp

There are hundred of these "super hero" workouts that you will hear about but one session does not make a runner when looking at these sessions you need to use their overall training and running background as well as their strengths and weaknesses to tailor training for someone to get the best out of themselves not just throw sessions at the body and see what sticks

ocnoc

ecoli wrote: »

Bowermans 30/40 session (basically all consistent running on track 200m in 30 200 in 40 until fail)

Thats pretty sick....