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Help me train for running
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Theres a 10 mile race this May I'd like to do well in. Pretty good history on the bike, but I've never put together a really solid block of running until recently. What I know from biking is that I need a lot of tempo/sst to build a decent aerobic engine.

I've spent the last month building up to ~45 mpw over 5-6 runs per week with regular hill workouts. I probably won't do much higher mileage due to a combination of time constrains and not overdoing the long run.

The next 4 weeks I'm going to start working in 2x weekly tempo runs. They'll start at 2x 2 miles and build to 2x 3 or 1x ~4. Tempo for me means 15-30 seconds slower than race pace or 155-170 bpm. Simultaneously work on progressing long run from 1.5 hours to 2 hours. If I have any fresh legs left I'll add a weekly hill run.

After that I'll do 3 weeks of weekly VO2 workouts, like 5x5's. On alternating weekends I'll do a tempo run or a long run of ~2 hrs. Sprinkle in some short hills.

The last two weeks are devoted to race pace workouts. Since I don't have a ton of experience running, I'll try some 8x800s and race pace blocks at the end of long runs to make sure I don't get myself in trouble. Also going to do a few local 5ks in the last 6 weeks, probably in place of tempo workouts.

Am I missing anything? Most of this is taking what I know works on the bike and transitioning to running, with the understanding that I can't just grind out 5 days a week of intensity like I would on the bike. I'm a little light on hill workouts, but the race is flat and my local training is hilly to rolling.
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Re: Help me train for running [Karl.n] [ In reply to ]
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Have you got a test race in the schedule? Something like a 10k? I chance to test your taper, pre-race nutrition, pacing, race kit.
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Re: Help me train for running [OddSlug] [ In reply to ]
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OddSlug wrote:
Have you got a test race in the schedule? Something like a 10k? I chance to test your taper, pre-race nutrition, pacing, race kit.

I usually stick to 5ks bc they’re so convenient, but a longer race isn’t a bad idea. It should be just over an hour, so nutrition isn’t a huge unknown.
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Re: Help me train for running [Karl.n] [ In reply to ]
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The only thing I’d flag is avoiding injury is really important.

Hold an easy 40-50 mpw for the next 3 months & you’ll likely have a very good 10 miler.

If you’re also biking through this you might want to roll the speed/tempo/threshold back to one a week, if not you might be able to get away with two, but it’s sprinkles not cake.
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Re: Help me train for running [Karl.n] [ In reply to ]
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For someone who has only recently "put together a really solid block of running" this sounds like a recipe for injury.

The problem with transferring cycling programs to running is that being weight bearing, running requires a more managed recovery between, and reduced frequency of, quality sessions.

It's not uncommon for those coming to running from a solid cycling background to have the "engine" to (initially) do quality miles, but are yet to develop a satisfactorily durable "chassis". Couple that with a training history of frequently flogging oneself on the bike and approaching running training with the same drive, attitude and expectation, it's not surprising for some cyclists to struggle with injuries when making the transition to running.

Last two weeks you should be prioritising about taper rather than race paced training.

Be patient.
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Re: Help me train for running [satanellus] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah, it's a bit heavy on intensity, which is why I wanted to build mileage first.

What would you cut? I want to do as much steady, near threshold running as possible but realize consistency takes precedence.


I'll ride occasionally, only at L2 efforts.
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