This is a serious post… 22 year old athlete (1:49 800m PR, 4:15min/mile PR - 1st and only…long story and a freshmen in college). Just got a new bike so mainly running while adapting to bike…New to triathlon…
Just wondering what you best low mileage training plan would look like…
This is a serious post… 22 year old athlete (1:49 800m PR, 4:15min/mile PR - 1st and only…long story and a freshmen in college). Just got a new bike so mainly running while adapting to bike…New to triathlon…
Just wondering what you best low mileage training plan would look like…
you’re asking a group who collectively averages about 4.5 hours in an ironman marathon, how to break 4 minutes in a mile? you’d have a better chance getting a correct answer asking a first grader a calculus problem.
lol…well I was hoping to get faster half of that average :)…all joking aside I know there are some elite runners/coaches who lurk on the forum…but since I posted it, I will entertain anything 
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Couple of questions
1)What do you call “low mileage”? Are you talking 40mpw or 70? Depending on who you ask, both are low.
2) When did you run your PRs? Are these recent, or was this more than a year ago?
3) What kind of shape are you in now? What could you run a 400 in today? 2 mile Time Trial?
You provided no useful information other than ~4 years ago you ran a 4:15 mile. Even assuming that you are relatively close to that speed now (which is a huge assumption), you are now asking for some sort of coaching advice from a triathlon forum.
At that level, internet coaching is not what you need. You will need a coach who can watch you run, who can figure out where you are mentally and then see if you can progress to the level you want.
Sorry but I think you are asking the wrong group.
Nicely said.
Also lol’ing at the “you’re asking guys who run 4.5 hour ironman marathons how to break 4 mins in the mile” comment. I thought this was slowtwitch? Isn’t everyone on here better then crowie/macca/brownlees/lance?
What exactly are you asking?
If it’s how to to break 4 in the next twelve weeks AND get ready to race a good triathlon simultaneously, I can assure you, it’s not possible!
If you’re looking for worthwhile advice, provide some actual info about how you’re training, and what it is exactly that you’re trying to do.
Even if you are a 4:15 guy right now, it is supremely unlike that in 12 weeks you would get to a 4 minute mile. If you were a 4:15 guys years ago, you will probably never get back to that level. But as a 1:49 guy you would probably know that.
It seems odd though that a 1:49 guy is asking for running help on the internet. What exactly are you asking for?
I think you’ll have no problem breaking 4:00 for a mile in the next 12 weeks. The first thing you do is put on your helmet and click into the pedals…
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If you are serious, email me at runcordes at hotmail dot com and I can get you in the right direction.
What he meant to say was that no one on ST runs such pedestrian paces so we would have trouble suspending disbelief sufficiently to give the requisite advice. Most here run at sub-atomic velocities.
-Robert
It isn’t for me but a former football player I coached…who went on to run a year of track before getting mono and struggling with grades/partying ect… I didn’t give that much info because didn’t want to write a novel…and was somewhat serious about what the basic training protocal (basic being relative of course) would look like…He is getting into Tri’s and has been running only about 18 miles per week around 8min/mile pace with no speed exept for some drills and strides…He has been learning how to swim and just got a bike…After 3 months of very little run training he just dropped a sub 16min 5k like it was easy tempo run…He realized he was feeling really strong and fit (as far as a base goes) and the thought just crossed his mind about qualifying for the Olympic Trials in Eugene…Just for the experience…he realizes even if he qualified (big if) that would be the end and he would still be moving in the same direction…
I bascially told him it was way out of my league…and even if he was in low 4:20’s shape right now…The turn around without getting hurt would be highly unlikely…even though I believe he has the physiology to do it…(probalby not the time)…I will just say this…the kid is a specimen…so it isn’t like I am just asking for some random former cross country and/or track athlete… He is 6’1 165lbs and looks like a greek god…Bad decisions got him here, but all that is behind him…He has a great attitude and a bright future in multisports…but he thought what the heck why not…There are some local resources for him, but I was just doing my own research…I thought If I saw a break down of some key workouts and training load…I have half a brain to tell him probably not the best idea…and/or give him idea of relative risk of injury (even if possible)
Haven’t you asked this question before. And gotten the same lack luster responses?
You could still manage 70 miles a week running while adding the bike. Im like you, but my mile was stronger than my 800. Youll be able to rock a mile if you can break 150. Makes me wish I ran the 8 more in college 
Try to make this a quick response…
Not fully knowing his training background and seeing him in person, it really is hard to make snap judgements but I am going to. If he was my athlete, I would focus more on getting him fit and making smaller goals for this first season back after illness. Putting in the kind of work that it would take to run that kind of time would mean taking too many risks. For someone coming back from a serious layoff, my priority would be to keep them progressing and happy with the now.
I don’t recall the 08’ fields but would imagine that it would take 3:40 - 3:41, at the slowest, to actually get on the track in Eugene, ,meaning around a 3:58 1609 meter (mile) time.
Based off your limited info about the athlete, he appears to be more of an 800/miler, showing more foot speed, than a miler/3k runner. I would train him with that in mind, focusing more on his strengths, while not neglecting his weaknesses. Putting that on paper, a 2 week training schedule would have 4 quality workouts (1 800 focused, 2 that are mile paced focused, and 1 workout that was v02max/LT type). This would typically involve a race at least 1 time every 2 weeks but ideally each weekend.
Your athlete doesn’t have the foundation of stress built up to safely attack a plan like the above, without having to modify the workload of each workout, as well as the paces.
I would work on getting his volume and consistency of training up to 6 days a week, hoping to get at least 30 miles a week. That type of jump wouldn’t have to take more than a month. For workouts, I wouldn’t do anything other for the first month (aside from a moderate mileage jump) than getting on the track, 1 x a week for 4 - 6 x 200 or 300 at a goal 3k pace. It is quick enough to start knocking the rust off without stressing the body too much and setting him back too far recovery wise. Those types of workouts will be a good foundation for moving forward to real track work, bridging the gap from no quality track work, to getting his feet a bit wet.
There are a hundred ways to skin a cat. My advise as someone who has ran at the level your athlete is looking to get to and someone who has coached NCAA qualifying mid-distance runners, is to take is easy and keep it fun. Congrats on reaching out for more information for your athlete. Many coaches are too stubborn or prideful to take that first step.
Haven’t you asked this question before. And gotten the same lack luster responses?
Yes, unless he’s magically found another potential elite specimen.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=3709337;search_string=;#3709337
Well that kid looks like a 400meter runner this kid is a miler. This kid is 22 that kid is 21. Seriously what’s the point of these threads? I don’t get it.