Summer Running Training

This is the link for the "Summer of Malmo," the training program created and endorsed by letsrun's own George "Malmo" O'Malley, former American record holder in the steeplechase and half-marathon (and maybe the 15k? sorry, malmo, I forget).

I credit my improvement from a 17:38 5k at Derryfield Park in Manchester, NH my sophomore year to 15:55 my senior year at the same course to taking Malmo's advice. During the same time frame, I improved my 1600 from 5:12 to 4:20.

I recommend the plan to anyone looking to make a big jump in performance next fall.

1. Run 7 days a week, it won't hurt you.

2. Don't set a predetermined pace beforehand, just run how you feel most days.

3. I'd split the doubles up a little more on at least some of the days to get the benefits of longer singles, i.e. 3/9 rather than 6/6.

4. If you're currently fit enough to run low 17's, then by the end of the summer you ought to be able to do tempos/LT runs a bit faster than 6:00 pace.

5. Warm-up before you begin any kind of LT run, even if that just means jogging the first two miles and then picking it up.

6. Listen to your body.

7. Consistency is the key. 6 weeks above 65-70 miles is better than one blowout 80 mile week followed by nagging injuries.

8. Summer is important, but it won't help too much if you get to school in the fall and drop to 35 miles a week. You have to maintain at least a reasonable amount (50-60) all the way through the season if you want to run a decent 5k.

9. Don't let you coach destroy your body with intervals. The key to the 5k is aerobic fitness. Low 16's for 5k means 5:08-5:12 per mile, so if your coach has you hammering a ton of intervals at 4:40 per mile, something is wrong. My favorite workouts when I first broke 16 were along the lines of 5x1000 @ 3:15 w/ 400 jog recovery, or 8x800 @ 2:30-2:35 w/400 jog. Tempos are super important as well.

1) Sunday Long run. Sunday and long run should go hand in hand. Everyone in the world does it.

2) You're in high school. Work on your speed.

3) Relax on the doubles. There's no way your going to stick to that schedule. Maybe 3 or 4 a week.

4) Chill out on the distances. Instead try saying "I'm gonna run for an hour today at easy/medium pace"

5) Get into the gym. High school is a great time to get used to core strengthening.

6) That also looks like a pretty un-fun summer for a high schooler. Go to the beach. Chill out with friends. Run in the evenings. Go on vacation.

That's just me (a 14.03 runner).

Thank you. So a couple good things. First, split up at least one of the 6/7 runs into something like 4/9. Second, The Malmo system and others say to do repeats, however many others say not do worry about speedwork from May to early August. Is one better than the other?

summer of malmo - none better.

16:00 wrote:

Is one better than the other?

Duh. Malmo's way is better.

The Malmo system also says not to WORRY about the repeats just to do them. They are not torture sessions to be feared but practice at keeping your legs turning over.

"I don't, these workouts are only examples, you can customize it any way that you want - EXCEPT FOR THE INTENSITY LEVEL. That part must always be relaxed and within yourself. Otherwise it is not a genuine Summer of malmo. The product and your warranty will be null and void."

It really would be worth your time to memorize the entire Summer of Malmo not just rush through reading it once.

PS As someone who ran 6/8 doubles 7 days a week for 6 summers of my life rain or shine, I suggest you let rain, late nights, and life push you into 3/10s 2 or 3 days a week but not all doubles should be split low/high. Ah to have had such advice.....

How do you run 8 doubles?

16:00 wrote:

Thank you. So a couple good things. First, split up at least one of the 6/7 runs into something like 4/9. Second, The Malmo system and others say to do repeats, however many others say not do worry about speedwork from May to early August. Is one better than the other?

Never let go of speed. "There is never any reason for a minute miler to forget what 60 seconds feels like."

"wondering...": 6/8 refers to 6 miles in the morning, 8 miles in the evening.

Yo man, you are in high school. Don't waste your summer. Be sure to go out and get high a few times. It can only help your running...

I especially like the 200 work out. 16 or 24 200's at like 35 36 just easy to get the legs ready to go fast for cross

average 60 mpw in June; 80 mpw in July and 90 mpw in August; mix in one faster, tempo run per week; one fartlek workout (on the roads) per week and go ahead and run a local road race once or twice a month for a hard run and to help get you mentally tough.

heres my build up for next summer...

weeks 1-4

starting at 65 add 10% each week for 4 weeks until you get to 90. run 10 runs a week, three 5 mile doubles in the mornings during the week. the other two mornings run alactate hill sprints and lift weights. run all runs EASY except for 2 days a week pick and let your run be at marathon pace. long run built up to 16 miles by last week.

weeks 5-8

maintain 90 miles a week. sub in malmo workouts for the two days at marathon pace. run in a local 5k instead of one of your repeat mile days. stay strong and healthy, i'm hoping to drop time off a road race i ran last summer by alot. come into the fall fit enough to dominate.

My plan is similar.

I plan on starting with 50 miles per week and add 7 miles every week until i hit 92 and then maintain. Im only going to run one tempo run a week though and take at least 2-3 EASY days and 2-3 days that are very hilly. Hopefully getting my long runs from 16-18 miles. I will probably only run doubles twice, maybe three times per week. Im hoping to drop under 24:45 for the 8k in cross.

16:00 wrote:

mega plan...regimen...will build up to 74 miles/week on the week...starting June 9th...All miles...7:00 pace.

Training shouldn't be refered to as a regimen. You will have enough structure during the season with meets and workouts and school. Just relax and enjoy it. Instead of saying I will have a regimen of 74 miles a week at a certain pace, just run every day twice a day for 40 minutes to 60 minutes. When you are feeling good, pick it up, when you are feeling bad, take it easy.

Do a hill workout once a week.

One tempo workout of five miles isn't enough, and 6 minute miles probably isn't fast enough if you are shooting for 5:10 5k pace. For a 16 minute 5k guy 6 minute pace is about marathon effort. 5 miles at marathon pace once a week won't do shit, and if it feels hard then you will have a lot of trouble getting to 16 minutes

Don't be afraid to do tempos several times a week fairly hard. Start easy and increase the pace throughout. Try and get in that zone where you are in complete control and are running hard but can increase the pace if you wanted to. A good tempo should leave you feeling tired but still in control. Push hard but don't go "to the well".

If you are starting at 65 then you are going to fall to pieces by November.

Start your Summer off with 30 minute runs. Hopefully these will feel short, and you will be able to pick up the effort at the end. Naturally, this will become easy quickly, then you want to start adding 5 minutes to each run. So many guys try and run 10 miles every day over the summer and they either end up losing interest in the routine or burning out/getting injured.

Make sure you are not just running miles to get them in. Anyone can go out and run for an hour a day if they do it slow enough. Long slow distance produces long slow runners. If you are training to run a 16:00 5k, your easy days should be no slower than 7:00 pace. Anything slower and you might as well just consider it cross training, not "true" running training.

It's not that you want to win the race, it's that the other people don't deserve it.

Reality stuff wrote:

Make sure you are not just running miles to get them in. Anyone can go out and run for an hour a day if they do it slow enough. Long slow distance produces long slow runners. If you are training to run a 16:00 5k, your easy days should be no slower than 7:00 pace. Anything slower and you might as well just consider it cross training, not "true" running training.

That's interesting. I ran 14.05 and I ran all my easy days at 8-9 minute pace.

Everyone is different. Easy day is just that. Easy.

Also, am I the only one on this board who thinks everyone is crazy? This kid is a sophmore in high school and he's running doubles every day of the week in the summer??? What? I used to run 30 mpw in the summer in high school. It took me three years at a top D1 school to start doubling every day! He's a 17 minute 5k runner! Work on your speed kid. Don't be one of those guys who used to come into our team from high school completely burnt out because he was running too many miles in high school. Be a kid who was undertrained, but quick.

Work on your mile speed. You'll need it when you start running faster 5k's.

Also have fun. You're in high school! Go do other stuff besides running!