Forums >General Running>Train for the mile
Thanks all, for the advice and workout ideas. 10 X 400 at mile race pace would likely kill me (may try with longer rests). 4-6 maybe. Never even done 10 X 400 at 5K pace
Thanks all, for the advice and workout ideas.
10 X 400 at mile race pace would likely kill me (may try with longer rests). 4-6 maybe. Never even done 10 X 400 at 5K pace
imo, doing work at mile pace is overrated for 40-somethings and I agree 10 x 400 is way too much. I'd do most of your workouts at 3k-5k pace. I'd limit mile race pace to things like strides, and then maybe one or two sharpening workouts right before go time.
The last time I "trained" for the mile was 6 years ago and I was in the midst of marathon training. The longest (maybe only?) workout I did at mile pace was 4 x 300.
Lauren mentioned an underrated workout for racing the mile--just doing some hill charges at the end of a run. I'd even say doing them at the end of a workout can pay big dividends.
Runners run
First order of business in 2019 is to run 30 miles a week consistently. Second is to incorporate some strides into every run. Third is to have a proper cool down procedure, to help with recovery. Final goal is get above 400 miles by end of March.
I live at the bottom of a perfect hill to do the hill sprints at the end of a run. Most of my daily running, I usually finish with a quarter mile downhill, and staring at a sharpish 200 m hill in front of me, need to suck it up and run up that hill atleast a couple of times.
Are we there, yet?
In that case you probably need to build a better distance base with more long, easy runs.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Hmm, I could not do 8 X 400 faster than 5k pace (those had copious rest as well, and were run supervised by a college track coach) when I ran 1800 miles in the year, not sure if I want to go much beyond that mileage, right now planning on running 30-35 miles may peak at 40 if all goes well. I know I need longer runs, will build up to it. Will see how the next few weeks come along.
This was my last track workout before my mile attempt in December (5:06 result): 800, (400, 600, 400) x 2, (400, 300, 200) x 2 with 2 minute rest after every interval. The 400s, 300, and 200s were at mile pace. 5k pace for the 800 and 3k pace for the 600.
I average 50 miles a week. We touch on mile pace every week with my club workout.
tried 6 x 4: min at about 10k pace with 1 min jog, had to take 2 min jog after the third interval. Will be doing one of these every week. Will see if I can hit the paces with prescribed rest in a few weeks
Bottle Opener
If you want to race well in the mile you need to do work at mile pace. You can slowly build up the number of reps, but 10x400 at mile pace with 60-90 seconds rest is a staple of good miler workouts even for us over 40. Running is about specificity. You can't get good at something if you don't spend time specifically training for it.
During a build up to 10x400 at mile pace with 60-90 seconds rest you have a few variables to play with. You can start with few reps, and or longer rest. You should also be doing them at your current mile pace not your goal mile pace. A big mistake people make is trying to run a workout like that at their goal pace. You need to be honest with yourself about your current fitness and build from there.
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SMART Approach
First order of business in 2019 is to run 30 miles a week consistently. Second is to incorporate some strides into every run. Third is to have a proper cool down procedure, to help with recovery......
Happy, for first time in 11 years I am pain free and running is weird without an ache. It is because I am now focused on recovery more than ever. Obviously, good nutrition, sleep etc are important but I have focused on active recovery after work outs. My new career and product I represent has helped tremendously...... however for you, even a mile walk after a hard work out or a bit later in day would help with lymphatic activation and flush wastes out and bring in nutrient rich blood flow and help you bounce back faster. In the past, I have found the body may not be ready for next run, but we do it anyway and continue to breakdown. Moving/active recovery vs rest and ice is the key to faster recovery. AND doing it soon after the harder work out. But not too much if it hinders you. Sometimes I would do an easy 4 mile run after a hard run but it actually was too much. We just need to be in tune with our bodies.
Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery
Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training
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