1

Sub 5 mile? (Read 748 times)

    Hi, I'm 17, junior in high school, and I've recently started to love running. I did XC in the fall and I'm currently towards the end of indoor track.

    Background story: I had run very little over the summer to prepare for XC, so when the season started I was in terrible shape, I could barely run 8:30 mile pace. I trained very hard, with the help of an awesome coach and gradually got better. At the last meet I was down to 19:30 for 5k and 5:30 in a mile workout. They are not incredible times but I was pleased. 

    Now, I'm into track and I have improved to a 5:19 mile. To me, this time is way too slow because in workouts at practice (i.e. 8x400) I can keep up 72 second laps with only a 200m jog in between, and they really don't feel that bad. Anyway, long story short, Assuming I don't break 5 within the 2 meets, I plan to train in the off season to prepare for spring track. So, experienced runners out there, in the off season, should I just do distance runs everyday, or maybe throw in speed work  once or twice a week? Also, do you have any tips for running an efficient race? I seem to always go out too fast, and then in the third 400 I lose concentration and slow down. 

    Thanks so much!

      Was this your first year of running?  It looks like you've got plenty of speed, you just need to run more mileage and build endurance and strength.  During the brief off season I wouldn't worry about workouts at all, just run distance runs every day, maybe do some strides 2x a week just to keep turnover going but that's about it.  You'll get plenty of workouts once spring track starts up again and you could probably use the break from the intensity anyway.


      Try to be consistent and build mileage.


      You can probably get there this spring but if not if you continue to run during the summer and into next XC season, you'll be well under 5 for your senior year.

      Runners run

      R.Covington


        I would agree and I am an 18 year old senior. When i was in 7th grade I ran 15:00 for one mile, and then by my sophmore year in high school- after gaining a love for running- I broke five for the first time. At 5:19 you have an excellent shot of breaking 5:00 by the end of the year. It does seem like that you have some natural speed, like the other guys said, and that may be you are just running out gas at the end. I would say listen to your coach for what you should be doing, he has got you this far. For race strategy it seems like for you that you should relax a little in the first half, and then make the decsion to push a little harder every lap.
          Thanks so much guys, this really help!
          Hannibal Granite


            Mikey is exactly right on this one. 

            For what it's worth I started running as a Junior in HS as well and was actually a little slower when I started (barely sub-20 5K by the end of that first XC season).   During the winter I just ran every day and by the end of spring track that year I ran a 5:00 flat mile.  By the end of senior year I was down to 4:42 just by running a bunch during the summer/winter off-seasons and doing XC during the fall. 

            "You NEED to do this" - Shara

              Was this your first year of running?  It looks like you've got plenty of speed, you just need to run more mileage and build endurance and strength.  During the brief off season I wouldn't worry about workouts at all, just run distance runs every day, maybe do some strides 2x a week just to keep turnover going but that's about it.  You'll get plenty of workouts once spring track starts up again and you could probably use the break from the intensity anyway.


              Try to be consistent and build mileage.


              You can probably get there this spring but if not if you continue to run during the summer and into next XC season, you'll be well under 5 for your senior year.

               

              what he said!  Just run on a consistent basis, 7 days/week if possible.

              bblack


                Hey, Im a sophmore and thats my same goal this year. i ran track last year, but i did sprints. after i had a pretty good year in XC (PR. 18:34 3mile, about 6:17) i decided to run distance in track. im not an expert but my coach who runs alot and is really fast ( i think he runs like a 5:30 paced 10k) said during the offseason i should just build up endurance, because speed work can make you peak to early. I usually just do a few long runs a week, with some fast shorter runs. I hope this helps, good luck.

                  I'd totally agree with what Mikey said (I usually do).

                   

                  You seem to have plenty of speed; what you need is endurance and "staying power".  What you need to do is not necessarily 8X400 but 1200m time trial as well as 3000~5000m tempo run.  1200m should be run close to your race pace (not necessarily goal pace as yet) and tempo run not necessarily your PR pace but at strong pace and teach yourself to "hang on".  With 5:19 for the mile, you should be able to do 3200m in 12 minutes comfortably?  Then that's 90-second per lap.  You stick to that.  The best way to do is to get a mate with a similar ability and each of you take 2 laps and stick to 90-second pace.  A workout like 8X400 would teach your body to run a short distance fast and then take a break.  You need to teach your body to run continuously and overcome constant pressure.

                   

                  Now, this all being said, what you should really do is to talk your "awesome coach"; not someone you've never met or doesn't know you at all on internet.  If your coach sucks and never listens to anyone--that's one thing.  But if he's guided you to a reasonable fitness in a short period of time and if you trust him, then the worst thing you can do is to do anything behind his back.  Getting some information on-line is fine but make sure you share that with him/her and work with him/her.  Your coach might actually have a plan for him, based on personal knowledge of you and your background and abilities.  Share your goals and dilemma (if you have one) and frustration with your coach and work with him/her.

                   

                  Good luck.

                  DoppleBock


                    Something to keep in mind

                     

                    1)  Hard workouts stress your body, during recovery your body builds back up to a stronger place than it was before.  Young people's body can handle a lot of stress and still recover, but ... you should still take care of your recovery process.  Eat well, drink enough water, get enough sleep.

                     

                    2)  if you workout hard every day, you likely will not get to recover and build back up, or your build up will be less than optical.  Take care of your recover process, by running slow some days.

                     

                    3)  The typical body when stressed needs 10 days to get full recovery / adaptation to make an improvement.  So if you do a workout and have a poor race 3-4 days later - be patient.

                     

                    4)  Trust your coach, but also give your coach feedback on how you are feeling.

                     

                    "I've recently started to love running"

                    Keep the love!

                    Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                     

                     


                    Feeling the growl again

                      If you are happy with your improvements during the season, just think what you can do by CONSISTENTLY training in the off-season!


                      The truth is, most of you competitors run little except for during and immediately before the season.  With your speed, and some dedication, you'll be beating a lot more of them next year.


                      Run consistently, every day that you can.  Don't try to go fast every day, most should be relaxed.  But if a couple times a week you feel like doing a 3-5 mile tempo run, or if you are feeling like a million bucks toward the last few miles of a run, don't be afraid to pick it up until you are running refreshingly fast (NOT racing).


                      The key is to get your miles in, and not hammer speedwork.  But that does not mean you don't occasionally want to run comfortably fast either, running slow every day is not ideal.

                      "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                       

                      I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                       

                        Hey, Im a sophmore and thats my same goal this year. i ran track last year, but i did sprints. after i had a pretty good year in XC (PR. 18:34 3mile, about 6:17) i decided to run distance in track. im not an expert but my coach who runs alot and is really fast ( i think he runs like a 5:30 paced 10k) said during the offseason i should just build up endurance, because speed work can make you peak to early. I usually just do a few long runs a week, with some fast shorter runs. I hope this helps, good luck.

                         

                        The way most HS kids do speed work (way too fast given their current ability and yes I was one of them), I think it will make you peak early. Tempo-paced runs and/or 10K-paced long intervals are great for building endurance without the danger of peaking too early.  Tinman (Tom Schwartz, www.therunzone.com) claims that a person can do what he calls CV workouts all year around with constant/steady improvement, and without causing a peak. Some HS coaches on his website have adopted the CV workout philosophy and are having nice results. 

                        hokiemamba


                          I agree with the advice to talk to your awesome coach and listen to him/her.  My daughter is an almost 16 yr old sophomore and, like you, has a goal of running a sub-five mile by the time she is a senior. She also wants to get much, much better in cross country and in the 800.  Her freshman year was her first for running and she, too, had an awesome coach who told both of us that she wanted to bring Lin along slowly so she does not get burned out or injured.  By listening to her coach, and running consistently the miles/times/days her coach told her to run over the summer, she went from running 22- 23 minute five k to a 19:28 this year. Her mile times are still a little high, but it's early in the season and she's not been doing much speed work or racing yet. I think she'll get to her goal of 5:25 toward the end of indoor and below 5:20 by outdoor's end.

                           

                          Her coach's cautious approach gets my approval because I know a very talented, nationally ranked high school runner who has lost her entire senior season as a well as her junior year outdoor season because she overdid it , training without taking any breaks, and refused to stop running/training when she got a stress fracture in her foot. She may lose her scholarship offer now.  I don't want that to happen to my daughter. 

                           

                          So, bottom line....TALK TO YOUR COACH!!!   If indeed he/she is as awesome as you think, you will get a training plan for the off season that will help you reach your goals and keep you from getting hurt.

                           

                            Thanks everyone