Run-Down Forums

[Micah Ward]

OK, here is the spot to outline training plans for 5K races. I am going back to my old training logs and see what I was doing leading up to my 5K pr and after I post it I would like to see everyone's comments. Hopefully those sprinter guys will come over and put in there two cents worth too.
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`

[Dan]

You can count on a snide remark or two from me ... and I'll elbow Conway and Paul to make sure they swing by.

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])

[Micah Ward]

I'll go ahead and post here and then you can move it to the training section if you want. I'm not sure how to do that.

My best times in this range came in 1983 and both were cross country races and I have taken it on faith that the courses were reasonably accurate. The first race was 3.6 miles and I ran it in 22:08 for a 6:09 pace. The next one was three weeks later and it was a 3 miler in 17:52 for a 5:57 pace.

The 12 weeks that lead up to the races consisted of 8 weeks of 5-6 days of running per week and 4 weeks of 2-4 days running.

The shortest run was 2.5 miles and the longest 6 miles with an average of 4 miles per run.

The slowest pace for any run was 8:10 and the fastest was 6:31. The average pace for all runs was 7:37.

So the typical week leading up to the races was 5 runs averaging 4 miles each at a 7:37 pace. I did no intervals. I just ran at a comfortably hard pace on almost every run.

Then race days came and I raced 1:28 and 1:40 per mile faster than training pace. This training wasn't planned it just happened that way.

So why did the races turn out as good as they did?
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`

[Dan]

Probably had to do with the shortness of the races, which allowed you to up the intensity without burning out from lack of pace work.

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])

[Double]

My 5k PR came on my 43rd birthday. The 8 weeks prior:

Week 1: 40.4 miles on 6 runs, long run 17.2
Week 2: 50.1 miles on 5 runs, 2 x 1600m in 5:23,5:36, long run 14.0
Week 3: 60.3 miles on 6 runs, 5k tempo 19:00, long run 20.0
Week 4: 71.4 miles on 7 runs, 3 x 1600m in 5:27,26,26 and 8k 30:30 and long 22.0
Week 5: 70.8 miles on 7 runs, 5 x 1200m in 3:55,3:52,3:58,4:06,4:17 and 15k (5:55) and 18.0
Week 6: 64.8 miles on 7 runs, 6 x 800m 2:38,34,36,36,41,39 and 14.0 (6:16)
Week 7: 74.1 miles on 7 runs, 6 x 600m 1:57,55,56,55,53,53 and 20k (6:07) long 18.0
Week 8: 64.9 miles on 7 runs, 6 x 800m 2:35,37,33,34,33,29 and a PR 5k that Saturday in 16:49. Long run was 16.0

[Micah Ward]

That is impressive training and an impressive 5K time. Were you specifically training for that 5K?

Dan, you are probably right concerning the intensity and the distance. With the 10K PR the average run was a little less than 10K and the difference between training pace and racing pace wasn't as big. But all those races fell into that theory that says you will race 80-90 seconds per mile faster than you train.
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`

[Double]

I was training for a marathon. That was my only 5k in the past 3 years.