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race week workouts. (Read 1309 times)


H RIMZ

    This upcoming Sunday, I'm running in a 5k race Ive been training for. My goal is around 16:40-17:10. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as far as what workouts are most effective for top performance the week of the race. I had planned around 5 mile repeats tomorrow at 5:15-5:20 pace, and then thursday or Friday a 12x200m speed workout . The course the race is on is really flat and all paved so hills aren't going to be a factor, any suggestions are much appreciated.

     

    mile- 4:37

    2 mile 10:05 (Training run)

    5 km-16:38 -5:22 11/15/2009

    AmoresPerros


    Options,Account, Forums

      There's a 5K race forum; I don't know if it will be helpful, but it may be worth checking.

       

      I'm no expert, but I'm not sure how effectively you can train for it during the week just prior.

      It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

      xor


        Yeah, I can't speak your paces but 5x1mile and 10x200m (two days before!) seem counter productive.  5x1mi would trash me for at least a week.

         


        Feeling the growl again

          There's not much you can do the week of a race to improve the outcome, but a lot you can do to make it worse.

           

          Any workout that creates any real fatigue -- the type that is normally productive training -- I would shy away from the week of a goal race.  Anything that gets the legs turning over well, but leaves you simply refreshed and not fatigued, is probably ok.  Other than that the specifics don't matter much.  Your body takes time to adapt to stimulus and improve and 2 weeks is about as close as you will do yourself any good.

           

          So some 200 accelerations....I'm not sure you need 12....to peak your neuromuscular coordination is about all that will really help you.

           

          My best race ever was on a Friday night....On Tuesday I did a comfortable 4-mile tempo run.  Not a heck of a lot in between.  The tempo was at a more comfortable effort than normal to avoid over-doing it.  If I went back in time I probably wouldn't do that much again...maybe cut it off at 3 miles to get the psychological benefit with absolutely no fatigue.

          "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

           


          H RIMZ

             i found this in an article

            5K
            Sunday: 10 miles easy
            Monday: 4 miles easy + 6 x 100m strides
            Tuesday: 2 miles warm-up, 4 x 800m @ 5K race pace w/ 400m jog recovery, 1-2 miles cool-down
            Wednesday: 4 miles easy
            Thursday: 2 miles warm-up, 6 x 200m @ 5K race pace w/ 200m jog recovery, 1-2 miles cool-down
            Friday: OFF or 3 miles easy
            Saturday: 2-4 miles easy


            http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19164

             

            This seems like a smarter way to do it. Its more to hone in on what race pace should feel like, as opposed to actually working out.

             

            mile- 4:37

            2 mile 10:05 (Training run)

            5 km-16:38 -5:22 11/15/2009


            Feeling the growl again

               

               

              This seems like a smarter way to do it. Its more to hone in on what race pace should feel like, as opposed to actually working out.

               

              Exactly.  That's what I was saying....work on the feel, train the brain, don't fool yourself into thinking you will make a difference in your actual conditioning.

              "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

               


              SMART Approach

                 i found this in an article

                5K
                Sunday: 10 miles easy
                Monday: 4 miles easy + 6 x 100m strides
                Tuesday: 2 miles warm-up, 4 x 800m @ 5K race pace w/ 400m jog recovery, 1-2 miles cool-down
                Wednesday: 4 miles easy
                Thursday: 2 miles warm-up, 6 x 200m @ 5K race pace w/ 200m jog recovery, 1-2 miles cool-down
                Friday: OFF or 3 miles easy
                Saturday: 2-4 miles easy


                http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19164

                 

                This seems like a smarter way to do it. Its more to hone in on what race pace should feel like, as opposed to actually working out.

                 

                This work out week looks good to me. On Thursday, maybe those last 2-3   200s you can do at 800m - 1 mile pace.  On Saturday, run tempo pace the last 2 min of of your easy jog. Gets the body primed for next day's race. Nobby taught me that one!!!  Good luck.

                Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

                Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

                www.smartapproachtraining.com

                  Years ago, Runner's World used to post elite runner's training (yeah, seriously!!).  But they used to post the final week leading up to the race as their sample training.  It really doesn't speak much.  I think it was back in 1996 (I remember because I was in Atlanta for the Olympics with my friends); a well-known exercise physiologist posted a "sample" week of Herb Elliot and said that he was only running 30 miles a week but at very high quality.  He was pointing out that today's Australian runners train too much and that's why they are not as good as Eliot.  I actually wrote to him, saying that showing the RACE WEEK training as the sample training week is absolutely misleading; that Eliot, a miler, was known to run a hard 15 or 20-miler during the build-up phase. (by the way, I never heard back from him)  The fact is; you can NOT train hard and race well at the same time.  You do all the work BEFORE you start to race and, once racing starts, training should be short and sharp; high quality and low volume.  The concept most high school coaches and runners in this country don't seem to understand.

                   

                  When we had a clinic in Boulder a few weeks back, we sort of ran out of time and couldn't cover this; but I have sample training of about a half a dozen elite runners leading up to their target races.  John Walker, for example, before he set the world record in the mile, did 3 X 200m FAST (I think he did it like 3 days before) and THAT WAS IT.  I think he did an 800m race (short but hard) the week before but that was about all he did during the week leading up to the most important race (well, actually, did he do that in 76 or 75...???).  10 or 12 X 200m is workout; 3 X 200 is race prep.  There's a HUGE difference.  Some elite athlete MIGHT do a bit more but it's simply because they are fit enough to handle that kind of workout at ease. 

                   

                  Now, the important thing, however, is to understand that most elite can get away with doing so little leading up to the race BECAUSE they had done all the hard work ahead of time.  Those guys train 365 days a year; most "off-season" (before racing begins), they run hundreds of miles and tons of intervals and, about 3 or 4 weeks before the important race, they would start to taper and do some races to get themselves ready to race.  It is NOT that light short, sharp workout that makes a big difference; it's what you had done before racing begins that makes the difference.  If you hadn't done that homework, you may actually need to do some work even if it's right before the race so you at least had done SOMETHING.  Tired well-prepared runners will always beat fresh untrained runners. 

                     i found this in an article

                    5K
                    Sunday: 10 miles easy
                    Monday: 4 miles easy + 6 x 100m strides
                    Tuesday: 2 miles warm-up, 4 x 800m @ 5K race pace w/ 400m jog recovery, 1-2 miles cool-down
                    Wednesday: 4 miles easy
                    Thursday: 2 miles warm-up, 6 x 200m @ 5K race pace w/ 200m jog recovery, 1-2 miles cool-down
                    Friday: OFF or 3 miles easy
                    Saturday: 2-4 miles easy


                    http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19164

                     

                    This seems like a smarter way to do it. Its more to hone in on what race pace should feel like, as opposed to actually working out.

                    Did Pete McGill write that piece?  Hmmmmm...??? 

                      This work out week looks good to me. On Thursday, maybe those last 2-3   200s you can do at 800m - 1 mile pace.  On Saturday, run tempo pace the last 2 min of of your easy jog. Gets the body primed for next day's race. Nobby taught me that one!!!  Good luck.

                      Thanks for giving me credit, TChuck.  Did you say it worked??? ;o) 


                      SMART Approach

                        Nobby, I do it that "pick up pace" the day before the race and the last 2 minutes of my warm up run before a race. If I know I can't run the day before a race, about 3 days before the race I will run 5 min at fast tempo. I am sold on it and recommend the same to others. I just feel that little bit of quality sharpens me up with no harm!

                        Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                        Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

                        Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

                        www.smartapproachtraining.com


                        H RIMZ

                           \

                           it's what you had done before racing begins that makes the difference.  If you hadn't done that homework, you may actually need to do some work even if it's right before the race so you at least had done SOMETHING.  Tired well-prepared runners will always beat fresh untrained runners. 

                          the article was by Mario Fraioli.

                          Can you take a look at my log and tell me if you think i need more work? Ive been doing middle mileage and quality workouts and tempos but only for about a month....took the summer off since i hate the heat.

                           

                          mile- 4:37

                          2 mile 10:05 (Training run)

                          5 km-16:38 -5:22 11/15/2009

                             \

                            the article was by Mario Fraioli.

                            Can you take a look at my log and tell me if you think i need more work? Ive been doing middle mileage and quality workouts and tempos but only for about a month....took the summer off since i hate the heat.

                            Well, looks like you've done your homework.  I wouldn't do too much till the race.  Looks like you did NOT do 12 X 200 today (Monday).  So this IS the target race; I'd do 800m STRONGLY but EVENLY in about, oh, 2:28--NO FASTER!!--on Thursday.  Do easy fartlek (nothing too hard) or easy stride on Wednesday.  45 minutes jog tomorrow (Tuesday)...  Easy half an hour on Friday and Saturday.  Perhaps throw a couple of 200s on Saturday, nice and easy.  I think you'll be ready.

                             

                            I do, however, have a couple of comments about your general training pattern; if you're interested, you can get back to me after the target race.  Good luck with it; I think you'll do well.  

                              PS: Don't do any more weights this week.


                              H RIMZ

                                I ran 17:17 which wasnt terrible considering how much time ive taken off before the past 5 weeks. I went out at 5:19 which was right on pace. Then 5:36 and thats when the icy hot wore off and my shins went to crap. Last mile was tough but i pounded it out. Im most likley racing again friday in an xc 5k, and then hopefully not much more racing until Manchester on thanksgiving.

                                Also Nobby what were the comments you had?

                                 

                                mile- 4:37

                                2 mile 10:05 (Training run)

                                5 km-16:38 -5:22 11/15/2009

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