Forums >General Running>Difficult to Argue with 2:21
RA's cranky old teenager
After coming to college I've realized that my normal pace has dropped probably 30-45 seconds per mile. That may be because of the fact that I'm running more on roads and my GPS can get better reception, but it still feels faster. I'm actually doing slightly more in-season mileage than in high school, but I just feel sharper already. I think it's not necessarily the physiological effects, but the sort of "this is the new normal" feeling. You become more familiar with running faster. Let's just hope there's not a burnout or early peak in my future.
That said, I don't have any results to support this. Our first race is this Saturday.
That's probably maybe mostly true.
I also pulled a muscle reading this. I wonder how much faster he'd be with some variety thrown in? Intervals, Reps and Tempo's?
Why is it sideways?
I also pulled a muscle reading this. I wonder how much faster he'd be with a sensible training program?
What is sensible for a well-trained, experienced, and talented runner is not sensible for a novice or intermediate runner. And vice-versa.
Feeling the growl again
This works for him. However:
1) This does not mean he would not do better on a different program, likely we will never know and perhaps he has already tried a more classical approach;
2) This does not mean that this strategy would work for others.
People respond to different stimuli.
"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
ultramarathon/triathlete
I run most of my runs way too hard (conventionally speaking) too, and many of the miles are around a 6 min pace. Doesn't seem to work the same way for me as it has for him lol.
HTFU? Why not!
USATF Coach
Empire Tri Club CoachGatorade Endurance Team
I am someone who has never been fast no matter how hard I work at it. You seem to have a lot of talent. I understand it is not what you like to do, but I do wonder what you would be capable of if you focused all of your training on one sport.
Have you considered varying your pace more and seeing if your race times drop?
rather be sprinting
Is this a chicken and the egg argument? Do you run 6 mile training paces because you are a 2:2X marathoner or do you run a 2:2X marathon because you can run 6 min training paces regularly without getting injured?
Yeah, I agree with this one. I used to run all of my runs hard (like 7:00ish pace for me)... and if it wasn't running at 7:00 pace or under, it was hard HIIT training on an incline treadmill set to 12.5 mph. I cannot say that it didn't help--I ran some decent races off that crazy training--but I have had so many injuries in my short running career, you wouldn't believe it.
The more I learn about elite training, the more I believe the determining factor of success is the ability to recover from or avoid injury.
And that's why the elites mostly use PEDs, too--despite the name, they don't directly boost performance, simply protect against injury/burnout...
PRs: 5k 19:25, mile 5:38, HM 1:30:56
Lifting PRs: bench press 125lb, back squat 205 lb, deadlift 245lb