I am hoping to get some advice about intervals (length, speed and reps) to try and get to or just under 4min/km for an upcoming 12km run.
My background is I don’t run continuously throughout the year but tend to train up for an annual run.
My previous results are:
2012 - Marathon @ 3:15
2011 - Half marathon @ 1:31
2010 - Marathon @ 3:28
2009 - 12km @ 51:16
My aim this year is to go sub 48 min for the 12km run. I feel fine with other aspects of running and training but am seeking advice on appropriate intervals to get my pace from 4:10-4:15min/km down toward 3:50-4:00min/km.
Sorry let me re-phrase that to say I don’t run consistently continuously throughout the year. Riding is my main form to training (for many reasons) throughout the year but in the lead up to this event I ramp up my running efforts.
This winter I focussed on my run speed and improved from a 42:44 OD run to a 37:30 OD run in the same triathlon a year later. The only stand alone distance I ran this year was a local 12km of which a large part went over the beach, which I finished in just under 48 minutes. So I think I was last year where you are now. The interval that I feel really helped me was a 1/1.5 hour run training consisting of 10 almost full sprints (Z4 out of 5) for 30 seconds, followed by 60 seconds easy jogging. After each serie 10 minutes recovery before another serie. Per training 2-3 series. I made sure I was well rested before these sessions to make sure they were high quality. Apart from that I did some longer intervals and I finished every long distance training with 5 springs 10 minutes before the end of the training.
1 mile intervals at 5k pace are much too long and difficult at your level and for what you’re trying to achieve. Maybe those 800s at 5k pace would work, but your bread and butter workouts are going to be 10k pace and threshold (1 hr pace).
I’d suggest starting off with 5-6x 1k at 10k pace with a 200m jog (if on the track) or a 70-80 sec recovery (on the road). Focus on being smooth and relaxed. You may want to focus on negative splitting those, i.e. maybe your first 1k is at 4:04-4:05 and you work down to 3:58-3:59 (or whatever your CURRENT 10k pace is!) over the last two or three. ESPECIALLY if it’s hot and humid out. Eventually you may work up to 1200m-1 mile at 10k pace with 2-2:30 min recoveries.
The second workout would be a continuous threshold run starting at maybe 15-20 mins and building up to 25-30 mins (pretty tough) or “cruise intervals”, maybe 1 mile to 3k (or 10-15 mins) with 30 sec - 1:00 min jogs in between. Might even try alternating those.
You can also try tacking a few 200m-400m intervals at 3k-5k pace on to the ends of the workouts above just to flirt with VO2 max a little more. Since you’re already going to be tired, though, you need to doubly focus on staying smooth and fast (fast doesn’t necessarily mean hard!), paying attention that your form isn’t going to hell.
1 mile intervals at 5k pace are much too long and difficult at your level and for what you’re trying to achieve. Maybe those 800s at 5k pace would work, but your bread and butter workouts are going to be 10k pace and threshold (1 hr pace).
I’d suggest starting off with 5-6x 1k at 10k pace with a 200m jog (if on the track) or a 70-80 sec recovery (on the road). Focus on being smooth and relaxed. You may want to focus on negative splitting those, i.e. maybe your first 1k is at 4:04-4:05 and you work down to 3:58-3:59 (or whatever your CURRENT 10k pace is!) over the last two or three. ESPECIALLY if it’s hot and humid out. Eventually you may work up to 1200m-1 mile at 10k pace with 2-2:30 min recoveries.
The second workout would be a continuous threshold run starting at maybe 15-20 mins and building up to 25-30 mins (pretty tough) or “cruise intervals”, maybe 1 mile to 3k (or 10-15 mins) with 30 sec - 1:00 min jogs in between. Might even try alternating those.
You can also try tacking a few 200m-400m intervals at 3k-5k pace on to the ends of the workouts above just to flirt with VO2 max a little more. Since you’re already going to be tired, though, you need to doubly focus on staying smooth and fast (fast doesn’t necessarily mean hard!), paying attention that your form isn’t going to hell.
This is really good advice. I’d emphasis the threshold/tempo/cruise intervals. They’re brilliant for building sustainable speed.
To this I’d add: hills. Live in a hilly area? Great, do some of your easier paced runs in a hilly area. Then finish up with 4-6 hill sprints (start with 4, build up to 6. A controlled sprint at 95% for about 8 seconds. Full recovery between sprints).
If you don’t live in a hilly area, I’d suggest finding a hill, stairs, anything, and doing some circuit work. Some Lydiard style hill bounding could come in handy as well.
Looks like pretty good endurance, but you’re stuck in a “speed rut”. without seeing how you run, I’m not sure if its’ related to form & muscle fatigue or power output (VO2 max, etc.). Most peopel that struggle to get under about 7 min/mile pace, probably don’t have enough leg turnover.
The interval workout mentioned are great. To run faster, you have to run faster. So, so, so many runners just train at a single pace for the most part. You shold be able ot run a full spectrum. Meaning if you goal is a 1:29 1/2 marathon, then you should be under 40:00 for a 10k and around 19:00 for a 5k and probably be able to “sprint” a 5:40 mile on the track. The technique you need to efficiently run a 5:40 mile, should continue as the distane increases, only your stride length and cadence drops just a little, but not a lot.
I’ll add that my go to workout is usually 400m repeats on the track with 100M walk and 100M slow run for recovery between reps. I’ll do anywhere from 6-12 at vary paces depending on where I’m at in my training. I’ll also do ladders, so 200/400/600/800/1000/1200… then back down. Same recovery between 100M or until my HR is under a certain target, then moderate job to the line.
Other favorite are simple heard easy 1/2 mile, 3/4 mile or even 1 mile repeats.
Typical ST run question: Always relates to intervals etc not mileage and structre of training(rant over).
First and foremost I just want to reinforce the fact that running year round is optimal to improved running performance, by not doing that you are severly limiting your potential, moreover there is little in the way of crosover between bike and run fitness.
The key to improved running is frequent and consistent mileage. Intensity is important, but it is the icing on the cake.
In saying that I’d suggest a weekly long run between 90-120mins SLOW!!
A few easier runs between 30-50mins (again, SLOW and go by time).
Depending on your age and injury history I would look at 1 to 2 hard sessions a week. Each of these sessions should have a 15-20min warm up and a 10-15min warm down. One of these sessions should have longer intervals/tempo efforts. E.g. 20-30mins tempo, 5x8mins with 3min jog reco, 10x3min hill efforts etc.
The second should be a track workout, a favourite of mine is 6x1k on 4mins (acts as a great predictor of 5k time too). Mile repeats on short break also. With these intervals get comfortable at running at sub 4min/k pace, doesn’t (actually shouldn’t generally be) ssub 3.50.
Just want to remind you intensity is icing on the cake…
The key to improved running is frequent and consistent mileage. Intensity is important, but it is the icing on the cake.
In saying that I’d suggest a weekly long run between 90-120mins SLOW!!
I’d argue that a long run is the icing on a cake and consequently the last thing the OP would or should incorporate into their training as it just isn’t necessary at all for 5k-12k races. Not to mention that a 90-120 min run when overall mileage is so low greatly increases the chance of disaster/injury at the worst and hinders other workouts at best. In addition to be completely nonspecific for his goal.
Fast running is what gets you fast. The bigger base you have, the more fast running you can tolerate and the faster you can get so if maximizing potential is the end-game plan, then a progressive mileage build would be necessary.
But for a limited amount of run training tempos and high-end aerobic work will give you the most bang for the buck, bar none.
When was the 2012 event? January or December…big difference based on what you’re saying and anything that can be recommended going forwards, and what have you done since?
Finish *some of your sessions faster than you start them, you’d be amazed what the mind remembers and how that translates to speed.
Make the treadmill your friend, try something different.
4 sessions;
Build Run, last 20 mins at sub 4 min K pace,
KM efforts as per Cannastar but I personally think you can cut back the RI to 3 with your history and focus (I’d alternate 1 week on hills forget about time, next week on flat and flog yourself),
Pace recognition run, build up.
And if you get on with that treadmill maybe some turnovers to focus form and work on cadence; warm up 10 easy as, 20 mins as 20 secs shit yourself I’m gonna fall off the back, 40 secs recovery legs spread wide on the sides.
Whilst he didn’t mention it, I pretty sure cannastar wasn’t suggesting immediately upping the long run to 90-120 minutes. He also mentioned 5 other runs to do during the week. A 90 minute run when your running 6 times a week isn’t really that long. Plus, like you said, “the bigger base you have, the more fast running you can tolerate”, i.e. running consistently and getting to the point where you can do a 90-120 minute long run is really important.
Whilst he didn’t mention it, I pretty sure cannastar wasn’t suggesting immediately upping the long run to 90-120 minutes. He also mentioned 5 other runs to do during the week. A 90 minute run when your running 6 times a week isn’t really that long. Plus, like you said, “the bigger base you have, the more fast running you can tolerate”, i.e. running consistently and getting to the point where you can do a 90-120 minute long run is really important.
Sorry, I still don’t agree. Unless you’re doing a marathon, the long run is probably the least important run you can be doing. Overall volume is way, way more important of course, but even then I think the long run shouldn’t be more than 20% of that if you’re doing shorter races.
I did my first 12 mile run when I was running 60 mpw. My first 15 miler wasn’t until I was doing 75 mpw. And even those long runs weren’t done until I was handling the volume plus key workouts pretty well. Like I mentioned, I think that the long run is the icing on the cake and the last piece of a well-put together run training schedule. There are quite a few more important runs, especially on lower mileage (<50 mpw).
My aim this year is to go sub 48 min for the 12km run. I feel fine with other aspects of running and training but am seeking advice on appropriate intervals to get my pace from 4:10-4:15min/km down toward 3:50-4:00min/km.
You don’t mention your training pace just your race and goal race pace. How can anyone help you?
The appropriate intervals are 3:50-4:00min/km. Start every run at that pace and hold as long as you can. When you can hold that pace for 12km, you are ready for your event.
Most the training plans I’ve read had a 10 mile run as the longest run you’ll do on a weekend at the peak of your training program for your “A” race. I think it was a maybe a 20 week plan, allowing you basically 2 full seasons. Of coruse, there’s all sorts of ways ot do it.
When I ran cross country in high school, a 10 miler was the longest we ever did during the season. Otherwise a long easy run was maybe 50-60 minutes on trails in a wooded state park playing “catch the freshman” (we gave them a 5 minute head start). Plus a little Utimate Frisbee. Most everything else was intervals of various distances and paces. The coach knew what he was doing. I think over a span of 15 years he had 4 state championship teams and 3 or 4 top 3 runners in the state of Michigan in the largest school division. One of the keys was getting the best soccer athletes to run instead of playing soccer which was the same season there.
I would suggest that to prevent injury, you create 1 or 2 clear off seasons where you don’t run for almost 2 weeks to let your legs totally recover. It will also you to train harder when in season without injury. I think hte easiest tiems to have an off period is around Christmas and during maybe a June or July family vacation time. Of coruse that prevents you from doing a lot of summer races. Although I find that cool weather is “running season”, winter is “swimming season” and cycling season for me is early fall while you still have some morning light if I’m not doing any fall tri races.
