Half in March - focus on speed or endurance (Read 129 times)

Looking at your PRs - they are pretty average and that is being generous.

 

Wow.  Don't often see such assholic comments round here.

Thanks for all the input everyone. I have been running all my life to stay in shape (which was getting questionable for a while) but I have never been serious about structured training plans and improving race times until the past couple years. I know I will continue to need more and more endurance for years to come to make time improvements. More mileage per week should be easier to knock out as I gain more endurance so maybe I will be able to run 40-45 miles per week next year.

 

I like doing the long tempo runs because I like to think I can work on endurance and improving VO2 max at the same time. You all may disagree with that approach and I know my tempo runs are frequently longer than recommended so I am not necessarily always hitting that prescribed pace. Tempos also help make the longer runs less monotonous.

 

Would there be any harm in mixing in intervals into a tempo run day? For example, run 3 miles at easy pace, then do intervals of 6x800, and then another 3 easy miles for 9 miles total. Would I be able to get the speed and endurance benefits from the same workout?

 

I will also be traveling to Virginia right after Christmas to visit family and at least twice during the 9-day trip I will go out and run 12-15 miles on the Appalachian Trail. I know this is temporary in my training plan but running up/down those mountains for 2+ hours is a hell of a workout when I have done it before.

I agree with that approach.

Bring the mileage up first but then make sure you gradually bring your training pace up to where it was also.  The added mileage will not help if you train slow.  Approach tempo's as units of time.  You can include it in a long run with the last 25 minutes at tempo (5k pace+20-30 sec) or a slower tempo (5k+ 60 sec).

Unless I am missing something I don't see the tempo effort in your example?  For you I would format that workout as mile easy, 2 miles at tempo, 6x800 at 5k-10k depending, then 2 mile tempo, 1 mile cool down.

Whatever you do, consistency in training over time is your best bet.

New question to add to this thread. What is the longest total distance I should do for long runs when training for the HM? Forget the tempo pace stuff for this question and these would just be at HM pace + 30 seconds. I know that getting my longest runs up to 14-16 miles will help my endurance for HM but should I even flirt with 18-20 mile runs? Will that total distance help or hurt if I am just focusing on HM race? I doubt my wife will let me take 3 hours on the weekend to run anyway but I don't want to overdo it if I get really motivated one day.

HM + 30 seems rather fast for a long run.  The key metric for endurance training are long runs in the 1.5 - 2.5 hour range, whatever that would be in miles for you.  At 25-33 mpw I'd suggest caution on the long run distance.  Depending on how many days per week you run, your long run should be 25-40% of your average weekly mileage.

 

Bringing a long run up to 18 might be helpful but what I have found to be even better is getting a mid-week run up to around 12 helps also.  Or, if you can't manage both than it's my belief that keeping the long run at 16 and still adding that mid-week 12 mile run is better.

 

In the 12 mile run you can do a progression with the last 4 at tempo.

Agree here but this would be assuming your miles are over 60 miles per week. If miles will be only 40-50 then I suggest long run of 12 and mid week run with quality in it of 9-10 miles or working up to it.

Thanks for the suggestions. The reality of me actually getting up to 18-20 miles for a few long runs is fairly low considering how I don't plan to get above 35-40 miles per week at peak and my longest to date was 14 miles. Good point about how 18 miles would be approx 50% of my total weekly mileage so I will probably make my max 15 miles.

 

I just know that my 10k times improved substantially a few months ago when I started focusing on the 10-13 mile distances so I was thinking making my long runs several miles higher than 13 would improve my endurance for the half. I have a 16-mile (25k) trail/swamp race coming up in 2 weeks but I am going to take this conservatively just for the experience.

 

I doubt I will be able to do 12-milers often during the week when I would need to go to work later. 10 miles is doable during the week so would 10 miles midweek, 12-14 miles on a weekend run, and 2-3 shorter recovery runs match what you all are suggesting?

The questions are always the same in regards to training and what you could expect to gain.

- What is ideal training for you for the event?

- What are you able to do? (Time and also physical restrictions)

- What are you willing to do?

These can be tough questions to answer.

It varies, but generally for a Half Marathon I would not advise any of my athletes to run one on 40 miles or less per week.  Again, this depends on the person, but, in general I would not expect a runner to match their level of performance on a pace calculator if they were comparing their 5k time to what their potential was for a Half Marathon.

If you are not able to run at a higher volume (for any reason) and of course train properly you need to be able to lower your expectations.  I have told my athletes in the past that "science does not care."  In saying this I'm not trying to be mean in any way.  I'm just trying to give perspective on the reality of it.

I understand when people say that their schedule does not allow for their training.  There was a time when I had two toddlers, a full time job, coaching, and training for me.  It was not possible to train correctly so I get it, but, again science did not care about my problems either!

So the bottom line is that if you are maxing out in the 30's for mileage you are not going to be able to focus on endurance.

You can still get crafty with what you do though.  Here is an example of a 40 mile week:

M - 3 miles medium effort

T - 4 miles medium effort

W - 10 mile progression run - First 4 miles at projected MP+10, Next 4 @ HM+10, Last 2 @ 10k pace

Th- 3 miles easy

F- 3 miles medium effort - After 4-6 x 400 @ VO2max  (75 second rest)

S - Cross train / Regeneration

S - Long run (16 miles) - Alternate steady one week / Long intervals in middle of run (example 3x2 miles) the next week

Not ideal.  It's the best I can do with the constraints.  The medium efforts are somewhat challenging runs.  They are not racing but they are not slow either.  The Wednesday run is tough.  If you are fit, you can handle the 2 miles at 10k pace at the end, if you are not back it down to 10k+ 5-10 sec. until you can.

This is just one week as an example.  You can switch out the Friday workout for some 1000m or mile repeats at various efforts.