Is this rubbish?

2 watchers

deslauriers Nov 2013 12:37pm, 16 Nov 2013 8 posts	0 deslauriers Hi, My recent sub 40 attempt floundered due to a cough (probably shouldn't have run, I know) around the 4k point and I limped home in about 42 mins (didn't bother to check exact time as was too busy coughing up a lung). Could be worse and all that I need to know if there was anything obviously wrong with my plan: Mon- 6 easy ( 8:30 miles) Tues - various intervals (10x400 in 85 secs per 400, 6 x 800 around 2:55, 5 x1K around 3:45)- never felt unduly exhausted by these sessions. Favouritte day actually. Weds=- 6-8 easy (8:30 mile) Thursday - tempo 1 mile easy 4 miles around 6:40, 1 mile cool down Friday- 6 easy Saturday rest (well, two hours of martial arts) Sunday 10 miles around 8:30 sometimes slower I followed this for about two months, prior to which I trained for a half and a marathon. This means I have trained pretty much solidly all year. Times: 5k best 18:48 half 1:29:0 Marathon 3:33 Any comments and criticisms are welcome
Chrisull Nov 2013 3:09pm, 16 Nov 2013 5,917 posts	0 Chrisull Plan looks fine, the only thing I'd be tempted to change would be to vary it a bit more, so some weeks drop a day of easy running just for pure rest and make your 10 mile run, a bit longer sometimes as well, don't be afraid to push it up as far 12 or even 15. Also I notice the tempo running in the book Running science suggests that latest thinking on tempo runs should be closer to your 10k pace, and done for less time.... so kind of 2 miler intervals at 6.25 pace. I've a much slower 5k pb than yours but I have nipped under the 40 though, and was doing 2 mile intervals at exactly that kind of pace, when I did it.
deslauriers Nov 2013 3:21pm, 16 Nov 2013 9 posts	0 deslauriers Thanks Chris, So, for intervals, run 2x2 miles at about 10k pace? Running more at the target pace makes sense: builds up speed endurance, accustomisation at that pace and so on. The 10K frustrates me. Did you get sub 40 before sub 1 30 for the half? (I'm not going to ask about the 3:30 marathon as I have only run one and don't really feel like doing another one anytime soon!) Apart from more variety, a longer long run and possibly longer intervals, what adjustments to the plan would you recommend for a half?
JohnnyO Nov 2013 4:25pm, 16 Nov 2013 16,921 posts	0 JohnnyO I would say that your Tempo pace is maybe a bit low compared to your interval pace. For 800s at just under 3min, Tempo pace is closer to 6.20
Chrisull Nov 2013 4:36pm, 16 Nov 2013 5,918 posts	0 Chrisull Glad to see agreement with Johnny O on tempo pace. For a half - more distance, and throw in some marathon pace runs, getting used to firing out 8 or 10 or even 12 miles at a predicted marathon pace (which will be something like 7.10 pace I'd guess). But I'm not the best to ask there given I've a slower pb than you, although to be fair I've never run a flat half when at peak fitness.
deslauriers Nov 2013 6:13pm, 16 Nov 2013 10 posts	0 deslauriers Thanks Johnny O and Chris (again) So, faster tempo over shorter distances and longer runs at a faster pace. Chris- you DO have a faster pb than me at 10k (by some margin) and my half pb is a matter of 10 secs faster than yours, so I'm all ears. At the moment I'm listening to anyone. I really like the idea of the faster but shorter tempos- I enjoy faster runs anyway and have always found the whole four or five miles difficult to maintain at that 6:40 pace- just seems like little value for the time. But, what do I know?
Ninky Nonk Nov 2013 7:09pm, 16 Nov 2013 1,340 posts	0 Ninky Nonk The agreement between your times at various distances would indicate you could improve your aerobic/endurance. Off a 19min 5k, you could be near a 1.27 half, and not far off a 3hr marathon. Good news is 40min 10k is a definite possibility. I'd say your easy days are too slow you could pick them up a bit. You need some longer runs at a good aerobic pace. If you haven't got a 10k target race soon, ditch the intervals till nearer your target race. They'll inhibit your aerobic development. Your long run is a bit short too.
JohnnyO Nov 2013 7:38pm, 16 Nov 2013 16,922 posts	0 JohnnyO Tempo should be 'comfortably hard'. You should be able to continue when you stop. I used to do 7-8km at tempo pace, but found it tough and I was usually ready to drop. I switched to 5k, but would do two or three of those. I could then complete up to 15k of threshold/tempo work in a session.