Run-Down Forums

[emdeb]

Alright, so everyone complains about my coach at my school and his weird workouts and i want to know if there is anything i can do to adjust those workouts to benefit more. Right now I am a junior and I'm about 5 weeks into my season and it doesnt end till mid may. For the majority of last year (track and xc) i was out with a knee injury. I finally started running agin in November. Currently I am getting a 2:15 800, which i think is good considering I've barely been runnning and I had to start all over after my knee injury. The workout my coach is giving me isn't pushing me that hard but I don't know if that is because I shouldnt be pushing myself that hard right now due to possibility of peaking or burning out too early or is because I need a harder workout.

This is my AVERAGE weekly workout.
Sunday - 3 Miles Recovery
Monday - 5x1000 or 6x800 or 6x600
Tuesday - Long Run (5-7miles)
Wed - Fartlek (4 Miles)
Thursday - Long Run (5-7 Miles)
Friday - Fartlek (4 miles)
Saturday - Temp (5 miles at about 7minutes each)

Does anyone have any suggestions. I want to get down to 2:00 by the conference meet.

my coach has been doing a lot of long runs right now to build a "base" and he said eventually I'll start doing more intervals but would i benefit from doingmore intervals now?

Also I lift weights almost every day (low weights x many reps)

[Dan]

That looks like 5k training... It's impossible for us to know where you're at in the seasonal phase, i.e. base training building into pace work, so I can't really comment on whether it's appropritate to the season-long progression your coach has you on.

As to tweaking workouts to get more out of them, I hesitate to recommend that. Better to try and work with the coach (as a group) to make it work for everyone. I see all too often what happens when coach(es) and athlete(s) are not on the same page...

Dan
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[Angelo Z]

You need to either use more intensity about 15% more intensity in the long runs and 3 miles, and around 1 minute slower for the 1000x6, etc. than race pace at which you would run those distance in. Say you get 3:30 for the 1000, run it in 4:30 then when you train. Also include race pace workouts in your training, and weight lifting for squats to improve stride length. Also include power sessions, do up hills or run with weights, and speed sessions with short sprints. ALL ENERGY PATHWAYS MUST BE DEVELOPED FOR MIDDLE DISTANCE RUNNING. That inculdes, aerobic, anaerobic, plyometrics, strength training, stretching. Generally after a workout I do various excersises to gain an "active rest" after my workout. This includes practice technique after a workout in running, breathing, etc. You might find out a new breathing pattern that can greatly improve your mile time by as much as 15 seconds. Make predictions, calculate your stride length, in what time you should run each lap, etc. For example think of say you run the first lap in 1:10. In second lap you want to conserve energy, run it in 1:20. The third, 1:10, and fourth 1:05. Once you come up with a "plan" take the time to test it out. Unfortunately at elite level you will be pretty much running 55 seconds every lap so it stays the same. I myself am a freshman at highschool with a mile time of 4:48. 8 months ago my record was a whooping 6:55. Take the sport seriously, go run when its hailing, go through mud, thunder, punish yourself.