What about lifting? Am I right that I should start leg lifts a couple of months before the season?
What about lifting? Am I right that I should start leg lifts a couple of months before the season?
Here's a critique: It's just a schedule. Just go do it. People spend so much time talking about what their schedule is going to be like. What is everyone waiting for? Run. Then listen to your body after you finish a few weeks of workouts and reassess. If, after a few months, you're unsure, write in and post your workouts and ask folks for input.
I mean running is running and you can certainly overthink it, but the right plan has always helped me out a lot by keeping me focused on my goals and making sure that I incorperate enough variety into my running. I'm glad for all of the useful feedback that I have gotten so far. It's not like all training plans are equal, so why not create the best one you can?
What does everyone think of 80 MPW for a miler in the pre-season? My rationale is that 80 MPW is the most volume that I can carry and still feel fresh enough for productive speedwork.
Ok, here is my retooled schedule based on the comments that people gave;
AUGUST: build up my miles to 70-5 MPW with mostly easy running; some steady longer running; strides (4 * 100m) 2-4 times a week.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER: stay between 70-80 MPW with a steady long run 1:30-2 hours every week (every other week I will use the long run as a progression run to uptempo pace with 5-6 miles of faster running; one solid uptempo or VO2 Max run every week; one day every week devoted to speed/stregth building with sessions like 10 * 100m sprints up a steep grade or 4-6 * 200m on the track with long rest; maintain strides and plyos; add some lifting both upper and lower body. (Maybe substitute a couple of 5-10k road races for uptempo runs--I am thinking of doing 1-2 "tester" races 5k-10 mile each month in order to guage progress and stay motivated)
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER: stay around 80 MPW; 2-3 workouts a week (maybe just 2): 1 uptempo (which may be the long run), one VO2 Max (1-2-3-3-2-1 @ 3-5k pace, 4-5 * 1 mile @ 8-10k pace or 5-6 * 1 k @ 5k pace; intensify the speed day: 12-16 * 200m @ mile pace with short rest, 10-12 * :30-:60 second hills; maintain lifting, strides, and plyos. (I want to run a solid 5k road race in November and a good 10k at XC club nationals.)
JANUARY-FEBURARY: drop miles to 60-70 MPW in order to facilitate better quality track work; run two workouts a week through January--one VO2 Max workout or long run uptempo and one anerobic workout such as 10 * 400m @ mile pace with 1 minute rest. By Feburary drop the V02 Max stuff and run two workouts a week--one of longer intervals such as 500-1000m @ mile-3000m pace, and one of shorter intervals of 200-300m @ 800m-mile pace. (Run 5 races in this order: 3000m race, 800m race, mile race, mile race, 800m race)
MARCH: drop miles to 50-65 MPW; two track workouts a week including some longer pace workouts--1000m @ mile pace followed by 200m reps or 2-3 * 800m @ mile goal pace--and some anerobic threshold stuff--4 * 400m or 600m-400m-300m faster than 800m pace with full rest. On the week of the final race drop down to 55 miles with two workouts--both easy pace stuff like 6 * 400m @ mile pace with 2 min rest. (Run 3 races: mile, 800m, 1500m)
I currently have 2 months of 50-70 MPW base and am feeling strong. I'll let ya'll know how everything turns out. Thanks for the help.
why are you planning on your last race being in march? aren't there races that go through the summer?
So is your suggestion that 2 1/2 months of racing is not enough time to fully develop my potential? Really what I'm planning on doing is being in shape for fast indoor mile races and then holding on as long as I can outdoors. My goal not a championship race, but to run 4:00 in the mile (though I'd be happy with sub 4:04.0--a couple seconds faster than my college PR) and sub 3:45.0 in the 1500m. If I run out of my mind and get the USATF standards then obviously I'll modify my plan (by brining my miles back up) in order to run well at the championships. I'm not a fan of overly ambitious goals though because they tend breed malcontents.
I actually missed a couple of updates that I wanted to make. Here's the provisionally finalized version--
AUGUST: build up my miles to 70-5 MPW with mostly easy running; some steady longer running; strides (4 * 100m) 2-4 times a week.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER: stay between 70-80 MPW with a steady long run 1:30-2 hours every week (every other week I will use the long run as a progression run to uptempo pace with 5-6 miles of faster running; one solid uptempo or VO2 Max run every week; one day every week devoted to speed/stregth building with sessions like 10 * 100m sprints up a steep grade or 4-6 * 200m on the track with long rest; maintain strides and plyos; add some lifting both upper and lower body. (Maybe substitute a couple of 5-10k road races for uptempo runs--I am thinking of doing 1-2 "tester" races 5k-10 mile each month in order to guage progress and stay motivated)
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER: stay around 80 MPW; 2-3 workouts a week (maybe just 2): 1 uptempo (which may be the long run), one VO2 Max (1-2-3-3-2-1 @ 3-5k pace, 4-5 * 1 mile @ 8-10k pace or 5-6 * 1 k @ 5k pace; intensify the speed day: 12-16 * 200m @ mile pace with short rest, 10-12 * :30-:60 second hills; maintain lifting, strides, and plyos. (I want to run a solid 5k road race in November and a good 10k at XC club nationals.)
JANUARY-FEBURARY: drop miles to 60-70 MPW in order to facilitate better quality track work; run two workouts a week through January--one VO2 Max workout or long run uptempo and one anerobic workout such as 10 * 400m @ mile pace with 1 minute rest. By Feburary drop the V02 Max stuff and run two workouts a week--one of longer intervals such as 500-1000m @ mile-3000m pace, and one of shorter intervals of 200-300m @ 800m-mile pace; every other week run an uptempo run of 20 mins or 4 miles followed by 4-6 * 200m @ mile race pace instead of the longer intervals. (Run 5 races in this order: 3000m race, 800m race, mile race, mile race, 800m race)
MARCH: drop miles to 50-65 MPW; two track workouts a week including some longer pace workouts--1000m @ mile pace followed by 200m reps or 2-3 * 800m @ mile goal pace--and some anerobic threshold stuff--4 * 400m or 600m-400m-300m faster than 800m pace with full rest. On the week of the final race drop down to 50-5 miles with one workouts--6 * 400m @ mile pace with 2 min rest; also run strides 2-3 days that week a little faster than race pace. (Run 3 races: mile, 800m, 1500m)
why does the november-december part suck?