2 mile pre-season training (Read 904 times)

More information will help us. When do you want to peak? What are you training for (5Ks, 10Ks, etc)? How many times per week and how many miles do you run?

the 2 mile is a tricky event...too much speed work and you can lose your endurance...not enough speedwork and you don't run fast enough. i think that training for the 2 miles is really similar to training for a 5k. you should basically run the same type of mileage you would run for cross country during the off-season, if not a little more. i imagine you want to know something about what you should do for your base. here is what i would do, or something similar at least in the weeks building up to the season. Monday: 45-60 minutes at an easy/moderate pace Tuesday: 45-60 minutes easy/moderate Wednesday: 20-30 minutes easy in the morning, in the PM, 20 minute warmup, 3-4 mile tempo (about 15 seconds per mile off of 5k pace if 3 miles), and a 10-15 minute cooldown Thursday: 40-50 minutes easy Friday: 45-60 minutes easy Saturday: Long Run. 70-90 minutes this will help you keep you used to running hard at least once a week and it will keep you in very good shape. this is something that i have done in past seasons with good success. i would start doing it now even. tempo runs year round will do wonders for you. once the season gets closer to beginning, like 4 weeks or so before, change it to two tempo runs a week, on tuesday and thursday or do a tempo run on tuesday and threshold workout on thursday (something like 1000 repeats with 90 second rest at 5k pace or 12-16 400's at 2 mile pace with 70-90 sec rest). doing something like this should set you up pretty good for the season. it shouldn't be too much speed or too little either. and it is has a good amount of aerobic work, which is really what the 3200 is all about.

So you've got 16 weeks till season. 8 weeks prior: Build strength: up to 60 min per day for 6 days, EASY, one at 90. 1 day Hill repeats, not all out. 1 day fartlek or strides (8 x :20 @ mile pace). Plus, core strengthening 2-3 days per week. Your main question is when to start intensity/how much: I say 8 weeks out. Speed every third day. Basically, that's 2 workouts per week: 1) Tempo - 20 min at :30 + goal 2 mile pace 2) Repeats for the first 4 weeks: Mix it up - 200's -800's, straight sets, cut downs, ladders, it doesn't matter. Just run faster than goal pace with "FULL" recoveries to improve economy. 3) Last 4 weeks: Intervals - 600 - 1600, with decreasing recoveries (2 min down to :30) over the weeks @ just below goal pace.