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Speed workouts
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Speed workouts (Read 51 times)
jugdish
posted: 2/6/2009 at 2:03 PM
I am thinking of incorporating some speed workouts into my running routine a couple times a week. I'd like to know what you all do or recommend as far as speed workouts are concerned. I am working towards two goals at the moment. First off, in April I have my PT test for the Air Force. Its only 1.5 miles, but I want to match or improve on my time last year, which was 10:51. Secondly, I'd like to get my 5K time down below 25 minutes. Lately I've been running 1.5 miles on the treadmill a couple of times a week and just increasing the speed a little each time, and I planned on increasing the miles and speed as I go. However, I'm sure there is a more effective way to bring my times down.
jeffdonahue
posted: 2/6/2009 at 3:25 PM
At 10:51 for a mile and a half that is about a 7:15 pace. Looking at your PRs, your 5K time is at an 8:47 pace, which I am a bit confused about because the difference in pace from a 1.5 mile to a 3.1 mile race should not be lhat big. Looking at your log, I would make two suggestions. One would be to incorporate a long run. Right now your longest run looks like about 4 miles. I would probably get one run a week up to about 6-7 miles. Second, I think you would gain speed just by adding a few more miles above your 18-19 you are running per week. If that is all you have time for, then maybe incorporate some (not a lot) of speedwork once a week. Maybe do 4x400s with one minute rest inbetween sets. Increase by one rep every second week so that by the time you get to April you will be doing 6-8 sets. These should not be all out runs either. I usually run my speedwork at a pace that I think I could hold onto for about another half the distance. You could check the McMillan or runnersworld websites adn use their calculators to get training paces if you want some specifics on that. I just wouldnt over do it. I think speedwork once a week is enough, and then a long run. If you want, have one of your other runs go over a hilly route (not hill repeats, just a hilly route) to build some leg strength. But then again, I'm not super-fast so you might check out some other posts on this site. But I did hire a coach last year who got me to drop my 5K below 20 minutes and I PRed my marathon by 48 minutes as well. His general philosphy was one track workout a week (or hill repeats), and then alternate a long run with a medium progression run on the weekend.
jeffdonahue
posted: 2/6/2009 at 4:16 PM
Or, if you want I do have an 8 week schedule that I got when I went to a running clinic once. I could forward it over to you. It is pretty intense but I followed it religiously for the 8 weeks and dropped a minute and a half off my 5K PR time. It has 4 runs a week and each one is an interval of some sort, ranging from 1 minute intervals to striders to 10 minute tempo runs. I think it definitely helped me fine tune my running and got me faster, but that much speedwork and you could just be asking for an injury.
jugdish
posted: 2/6/2009 at 4:39 PM
As far as the difference between times goes, I haven't run a lot of races in the past. My time in the 1.5 miler was at a time last year when my running was going pretty well. My 5K PR is from a race I ran last weekend. I am pretty sure I've run a faster one before, but I hadn't run one in awhile and I anticipate that time to come down. I do plan on getting some longer runs in. I've been trying to build up my mileage each week over the last month. I'm on day 32 of my current streak. I appreciate the advice. I think I could use some track workouts here and there. Tuesday night I have class and it is right by the local HS track, so that would work out well.
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