Goal 6 minute mile (Read 6319 times)

    I think this hits it on the head.  I used to follow the sub-20 thread quite a bit for one because I knew a lot of the guys in the thread personally and for another because I respect the hell out of anyone who sets a goal and is willing to put in the work to get there.

     

    The reason you get a negative reaction sometimes, Mich, is that you claim to have worked so hard yet sub-20 came so easy.  You talk about how it took you 4 years to break 20 but really you weren't even training for most of those 4 years.  Your typical months were 100 miles or less.  Then in the spring of 2008 you actually ran a bit.  You strung together about 4 months where your ran 150-200 mies--you had one month where you actually broke 200.  That was May of 2008.  Then in June you ran 19:36.  Imagine that.

     

    To a lot of the guys striving for that sub-20, even 200 miles a month is barely training and they run a lot more than that month after month after month to try and run sub 20, or whatever their goal is.

     

    It's fine to set goals and try to achieve them with minimal training--I mean it's not like these times we're all running mean anything in the grand scheme of things.  Hell, if I ever achieve my sub 17 goal I'll still be 4 minutes away from being relevant in the sport of distance running, so we're all chasing sub-maximal goals to some extent.

     

    I think what rubs people the wrong way is when  you act like you've worked your ass off and have had this great struggle and managed every detail (like learning the secret to running the oval?) to eek every second out of your body when that's not even close to being the case.

     

    I know I'm talking to a wall but hey.

     

    I do enjoy your point of view because you have a lot of miles on those legs and don't seem to ever take time off.

     

    I ran an hour a day for about a year straight before I broke 20 minutes. I don't call that easy. I was obsessed with breaking 20 minutes for years. Running 35 miles per week is alot for someone running a 3 mile race. I guess it depends on your perspective though.

     

    When I started running in 2005 I thought I would break 20 minutes within 3 months. I thought it was difficult but training would bring it to me. That probably is the same attitude I have for the 6 minute mile. I expect to hit in 3 months because when I was in shape this was not too much of a challenge to me.

     

    The 6 minute mile goal was put up here as a real challenge to me. I can do it and think it is a pretty nice time for a mile. Not great but a good starting point. I am an analyzer so I wish to take my thoughts as I go through this challenge and post them so they can be viewed later by others trying to run sub 6. I never thought I would get many comments but they are sometimes interesting to see how others view things.


      The reason you get a negative reaction sometimes, Mich, is that you claim to have worked so hard yet sub-20 came so easy.  You talk about how it took you 4 years to break 20 but really you weren't even training for most of those 4 years.  Your typical months were 100 miles or less.  Then in the spring of 2008 you actually ran a bit.  You strung together about 4 months where your ran 150-200 mies--you had one month where you actually broke 200.  That was May of 2008.  Then in June you ran 19:36.  Imagine that.

       

      To a lot of the guys striving for that sub-20, even 200 miles a month is barely training and they run a lot more than that month after month after month to try and run sub 20, or whatever their goal is.

       

       

      Well said.  I was there on the board when Michigan broke 20 after a few months of real training.  I am just surprised that Michigan hasn't continued to work on it.

       

      If Michigan changed the training because of the advice from the older female runner in his club, that's really terrible.  That advice has derailed Michigan's chance of not only getting better, but even just sustain the same level of performance.

       

      I am genetically very weak in distance running.  It took me an average of 60+ miles / week to break 20.  And the first half of this year, I averaged 75 miles / week (including off days, recovery weeks and taper weeks).  But I have yet to break 19.  I did PR in 3 consecutive Marathons.

       

      Our genes are all different.  Comparing other people's mileage with our own makes no sense at all.

      L Train


         

        Our genes are all different.  Comparing other people's mileage with our own makes no sense at all.

         

        You are me, only with better genes and 50 pounds lighter. Wink

         

        L Train


          Running 35 miles per week is alot for someone running a 3 mile race. I guess it depends on your perspective though.

           

           

          No, it isn't.  A 5K is still a distance race using your aerobic system from anything I've read.  Training for a 5K is not that different from training for a marathon.  You are exponentially more talented than me, yet I have a faster 5K time.  Guess why.

           


          Prince of Fatness

            You are exponentially more talented than me, yet I have a faster 5K time.  Guess why.

             

            Dumb luck?

            Not at it at all. 


            Feeling the growl again

               Running 35 miles per week is alot for someone running a 3 mile race.

               

              Why would you think this?  If your goal is just to finish, sure.  If you care about your time, absolutely not.

              "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

               

                 I constantly tried to talk him into running more miles and eventually he did and his times just improved dramatically.

                  

                 

                I do not understand you. I will stop trying.

                Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
                We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
                xor


                  That's the spirit!

                   

                    Yeah, I'm feelin a bit down lately. I don't know how to further the conversation. Maybe post a cartoon t-rex.

                    Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
                    We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes

                      You are me, only with better genes and 50 pounds lighter. Wink

                       I'm you, not a witch.

                      "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                      Trent


                      Good Bad & The Monkey

                        The time I hit 6:00 even on the mile, that was the time I shaved a tiny bit off the left side of each of my shoes' soles.  That helped me bank into the curves.  I really noticed the difference on the third lap.

                        xor


                          In 2007, I ran the first very downhill mile of the Pocatello Marathon in 5:50something.

                           

                          I then proceeded to run the second very downhill mile of the Pocatello Marathon in 9:50something.

                           

                           

                           

                          Damn misplaced mile marker.

                           

                            The time I hit 6:00 even on the mile, that was the time I shaved a tiny bit off the left side of each of my shoes' soles.  That helped me bank into the curves.  I really noticed the difference on the third lap.

                             

                            I remember that--you were so close.  If you had shaved your head before the race you would have had it.

                            Runners run

                            Trent


                            Good Bad & The Monkey

                              I ran an hour a day for about a year straight before I broke 20 minutes. I don't call that easy. I was obsessed with breaking 20 minutes for years. Running 35 miles per week is alot for someone running a 3 mile race. I guess it depends on your perspective though.

                               

                              What intrigues me is why it is so difficult to run for an hour per day.  What I haven't heard is why running an hour per day is logistically impossible.  Maybe MichiganFlyer just doesn't enjoy running, if this is the case why set goals at all?