I am talking about the high school level, here, where you are racing a 5k every single week. Will your VO2 max develop enough from 8-5k races over 12 weeks?
Would a better plan involve a lot more Threshold running, maybe more marathon pace (high end aerobic running), 10k pace, repetition running and hills? It just seems adding 4-5 VO2 workouts in a season with 8-9 5k races is a bit overkill...?..?
Any advice or successes with something like this?
I have never really thought about it the way you put it but I had a lot of success running vo2 intervals interspersed with races. I would say its worth while. All that other stuff you mentioned is good too, the threshold and reps and hills. I dont think you need 10k pace or really marathon.
I would say to still do vo2 every other week in addition to your races and other types of workouts.
I have heard that there is only a 6 week period where you can significantly improve your vo2 max anyway so I think a way to do it might be like;
first two weeks do no v02, just threshold and maybe a couple races and a little top speed.
middle 6 weeks work on v02 as well as threshold and a few rep workouts
last 4 weeks maybe only one more v02 workout and some more reps and a little threshold, mainly just doing what it takes to get your legs fresh (dropping mileage etc). your v02 will remain through this time as you sharpen up, and that last v02 workout should be pretty hard, like 5 miles worth with equal time rest. 8x1k or 5xmile, long intervals. then cut back.
from a purely physiological point of view, yes, it would be feasible, since a 5k race serves as a good VO2 max workout, and you can get by with only one VO2 max workout a week.
HOWEVER!
Remember that you are coaching people, not robots! If your runners haven't done ANY 5k paced workouts going into a meet, they will be very nervous. Most high school programs do at least one workout at 5k pace per week. Some do 2 workouts at 5k pace, but if done several weeks in a row, might be risking overtraining some athletes. If you raced every saturday, you could do a 5k paced workout monday, and a "lighter" (i.e. different paced) workout wednesday--maybe cruise intervals and some fast 200s late in the season, or a tempo run (T pace or M pace, your call) or hill workout early in the season.
Don't worry TOO much about overkill. Even if you did two VO2max workouts every week AND a race every saturday, that's less than many high schools do. Some coaches (albeit not the good ones!) have been known to do monday workouts, tuesday dual meets, thursday workouts, and saturday invitationals.
unless you are a very good HS runner a 5K is a bit slower than V02 max pace. You'll need to train at your 3200 pace once in a while
What's the minimum amount of VO2 workouts do you think I could use to get by (remembering that we are racing a 5k every week). I would say 3-4.
Maybe something along the lines of: (using daniels' interval pace with a runner who is 5:00/mile VO2 intensity)
Mid-season weekly progression:
1. 7x800
2. 6x1000
3. 5x1200
4. 4x1600
????????? 4 VO2 workouts....is that enough
coach wrote:
unless you are a very good HS runner a 5K is a bit slower than V02 max pace. You'll need to train at your 3200 pace once in a while
5k pace is slower than Vo2max pace even if you´re Kenny B.
nope! wrote:
5k pace is slower than Vo2max pace even if you´re Kenny B.
It's pretty damn close.
Daniels recommends a 15:41 5k runner (5:01 1600m pace) to do Intervals at 5:00 5k pace.
Likewise, a 16:20 5ker (5:13.5 pace) does intervals at 5:12 pace.
A 13:01 5ker races at 4:10 and does intervals at 4:10. Imagine that.
are you sure?
well, maybe get your VDOT from a shorter distance if you're not very aerobically fit. Then your VO2 pace will be faster. Daniels says use your best current time. So if you hav guy who can run 4:30 in the mile, but only 16:45 in the 5k, then use the mile VDOT intensities. It will be faster than 5k pace then.