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35910

I was looking at my training program that I used last fall, one that was basically a mixture of all aspects. I had sprint work, short intervals, long intervals, medium runs, rest runs, and a couple weekly long runs. I basically looked at every week and tried to jam everything into it.

The results were exactly what I wanted, I got my 5:00 1600m. But... I feel as though I had to struggle way to hard for that time, something itches me and says that I am not even close to tapping my potential.

There is something that I notice when I watch the best of the runners of the world, they all seem relaxed, as if they themselves are on the couch watching the race. Gliding along, legs pumping, the breakneck pace of a 4:00 mile does not even phase them. Why? I put forth this idea: Base mileage. (side bar: whats that guys name? lydiard or something?)

That is what I am missing from my program, a base of hard earned miles. How can a mile race be very easy when my longest run is 12 miles? I should be able to run 20 miles in a row before I can expect one mile to be a piece of cake. Perhaps this is where American Runners fail? Too often we enlist ourselves into weekly racing and hard interval training. Which brings me to my next point, how much speed do I really need?

When I think back on my races, I never ran out of speed. The engine still had the capability of running that fast, I simply ran out of gas. I did not have the endurance to reach that next level of performance. I can run a lap in 60 seconds pretty easily. Will doing that over and over again really make me be able to run 4 in a row? Maybe, but only after I have enough endurance to make such an interval workout a successful endeavor that does not end in bad form.

So I say this, before you can run fast at the middle distances, you have to be able to run far. It seems so simple, but thinking of my High School track coach, I don't think a lot of people realize it.

~Jason

Dan · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2003 10:04 am Post subject:

Guest · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 10:45 am Post subject:

New here. My belief is that you need to crack the psycho/physical barrier, the mind/body connection. I'm old and now concentrate on doing what I like, mostly hills and sprints up to 400m. One interval on my loop is a moderately steep 250m grade and I know where I'll start to get tired. I mean that my mind knows "this is the spot". As you note, there's plenty of speed left, but the will suffers. I now run past the top and my mind now believes I'm going to get very tired at a different spot.

In other words, if you want to run a mile, then run a mile and enough more that your mind runs through the end of the mile. If I'm running 200m on a track, then I have to build in an extra 20m so I don't die at the line.

The best runners are relaxed because they're running within their limits. Running distance may have no value physically but it can help with the pain/struggle limit; it may help you learn to put aside the suffering and bang it home.

Doublehead · Guest

You both are right.

For a mile or 2 mile, you need a lot of speed. You also need a lot of aerobic development.

I just typed up the idea of training in phases in another thread, so I won't go through that again.

But even for a miler, you need a few weeks of mileage where you run one or maybe two workouts of longer type tempo runs with the rest of the week run at a very easy pace and focus on getting your mileage up. The ideal time to do this for high schoolers is between cross country and track.

Once track season begins it is hard to develop more base. But lots of better guys do a few miles easy in the morning until later in the season. You can still do harder type track workouts in the evenings every other day. Just make sure your morning runs are very easy and on soft surfaces.

The secret to be a good miler is to build both anaerobic and aerobic strength.

400 repeats...Oh how you should love that workout after you have done the mileage weeks early in the season.

35910 · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 10:33 am Post subject:

Thanks for all the good replies guys! Its been a while since I have come around to see whats going on at Run-Down again.

I'll give a little update on what I am running lately and where I am going in the future. Right now I am running between 35 and 50 miles per week, mostly easy and medium paced stuff, with the occasional fast paced run intermixed. I have not hit the track in a while and I don't plan to for a while.

I am transferring to a new school in the fall, Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. I am going to walk onto the cross country team. My plan for doing this is to build my base through May and June. In July I am going to start mixing in some speedwork again, and in August I am going to do a bit more speedwork, by then I hope to be doing twice a day runs. All I care to do is make sure that I make the team, and I think that is a given, even though I have not timed myself at any distance close to 8k in a long long time. I am considering running one or two 5k or 10k races this summer just as benchmarks for where I am at, but then again I tend to be shy when it comes to racing in the offseason because of all the preparation that I have to put into it (lowering my mileage before and after the race).

I also just got some new shoes, Nike Air Overt. I like them so far, haven't gotten to run in them much yet though.

Dan · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 10:58 am Post subject:

Sounds like a good plan. Best of luck taking the team by storm! Thumbs Up

Dan
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35910 · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 11:13 am Post subject:

Oh you know it. Keep an eye on that NCAA DII scene, for some unknown walk-on runner at Edinboro...

They're never gonna know what hit em!

Dan · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 11:15 am Post subject:

Will you be listed as 35910 in the meet results? Wink

Dan
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35910 · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 11:52 am Post subject:

Only as my mile time in the spring! Laughing

35910 · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 11:57 am Post subject:

Okay okay, so I guess it won't hurt for you guys to know who I am. That way you can watch my results and have a good laugh as to how they correspond to my username... Mad

Hehe no hard feelings though, because I certainly do love to have a good laugh at my own expense. Cool

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Jason Kotenko
Past, Present, and Future Runner

Dan · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 12:02 pm Post subject:

Cool, welcome aboard Jason. Smile

I was wondering if the username was short for 3:59.10... Do you mind my asking what your current mile PR is?

Dan
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35910 · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 12:05 pm Post subject:

Insert humbling glance at the floor...

Mile PR: 5:00 (handheld training time)

That was in November of last year and I have since been training... so I think I am faster but no proof of that of course! This week I am going to time trial an 800 just for the fun of it, and because I watched a HS track meet this past weekend and was jealous of them!
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Jason Kotenko
Past, Present, and Future Runner

Dan · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 12:27 pm Post subject:

Nothing wrong with that. Lots of people would be thrilled to run a 5:00 mile, myself included these days...

Dan
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Paul · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 1:21 pm Post subject:

I'd be interested in your 800 time trial, Jason. Sounds like you have a shot at sub 2:20. Let us know how it goes. There are a lot of people on this forum that appreciate following each others training, running, racing.

Paul

Micah Ward · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 4:18 pm Post subject:

Good luck with all your plans Jason. Paul is right about the interest in each others training. You stick around and you'll have a cyber cheering section this fall when XC season starts. Very Happy

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