Well I just wonder if I am going in the right direction.
-I’ve been fallowing advice here and building mileage.
-Philosophy of having at least 1 threshold workout every week as I focus on long distance tris.
-I’ve been stuck on same pace during workouts and can’t seem to move forward or get faster.
-During this period I’ve build from 22 to 32 miles per week but doesn’t seem enough even when I’m busting my ass to run at least 5x a week.
-I can’t go sub 8 minutes on any of these runs, even when HRT was at 180bpm I was in the low’s 8’s & it sucks.
Last weeks of training:
May 28 5k (23.48) 7.39 pace
June 02 (20min tempo) by feel no splits
June0 7 (2mile tempo (17.09) 8.34 pace **
June 16th 20min tempo by feel no splits
June 26th 10k road race 51.01 8.12 pace
June 30th 3mile tempo 8.36/8.26/8.14 (8.25 pace)
July 10 duathlon practice race 1rst 5k (23.54)=7.41pace (downhill first mile uphill third mile) ** 2nd run segment 2 miles 16.57 (8.28 pace)
July 15 20min tempo (17.10 -2 mile split) 8.35 pace
July 17th aquathlon practice race 1rs 3.3mi run segment 28.36 =8.40 pace (2nd segment 27.37) 8.22 pace
July 23rd 3mile tempo 8.34/8.45/8.09 (8.29) pace
Keep building and throw a long run in, maybe a 8-10 miler. It does not happen over night. Consistency is the key this. Once you hit a point your improvement will not be as big most times but steady. Enjoy the ride ;0)
First of all, adding 10 miles a week is good, but really is not going to make you into superman at faster runs. When I went from 22 miles a week one year to 45 the next, I was a lot better at tri running and stuff 10K and beyond, but my 5K was about the same.
Second, you are showing us a 6 week period and that is the bare minimum to really see any noticable gains.
Third, running gains are really hard to quantify when you cannot control all the variables. I do better on the bike, because +10 watts is +10 watts, wind or no wind; hills or no hills.
Finally, your body does funny things as it goes through the overload/recovery cycle and you do not always know where you are in the cycle. One day in June, I was planning on doing a 2x20 bike workout on a local mountain before my childrens’ swim meet and ran out of time. So I decided to do a 20 minutes all out test. Out of nowhere I had a spectacular day that was 15 watts higher than I had ever done before and totally unexpected.
If you are following solid training principles then you will improve, but sometimes it does not show up until race day. And sometimes it does not even show up then. We are not machines. Keep doing the work and one day you will have a run where you think you are running the same old pace, based off perceived exhertion, and you will look at your watch and say, “Whoa, was that 7:?? mile. No way.”
Chad
Vary your tempos. You are doing basically the same workout. Example do 2x10 minutes at half marathon pace with 1-2 minutes between, 2x15 minutes at half mathaon pace 1-5 minutes as race nears recovery drops., 3-6 mile at half marathon pace depending on distabnce training. Do every second or third long run at Marathon pace about 70-80% depending on fitness level. Change the stimulus and you will change the results…
The long run can even be done with cruise intervals at half marathon pace. Example 30-60 minutes easy-4-6 x5 minutes 1 minute recovery 30 minute easy.
Heat? Humidity? Time of Day? Weight Gain?
Any changes to any of the above?
Have you tried throwing in a treadmill session to see what you can hold? I do this once in a while because there are no variables (hills, temperature) and I after I warm up, I start with the tempo pace that I run outdoors. Hold that for a 1/4 mile. Increase speed by .2 MPH. Repeat until you can’t hold pace for 1/4 mile.
How long have you been doing 32 miles per week? You know, this stuff takes time.
If you want to be a better runner, I suggest you do a plan similar to BarryP’s 6x/week 1:2:3 schedule. That’s 3 short runs at an easy pace, 2 medium runs on hills or at tempo pace and 1 long run at long run pace.
Build your runs up to 4:8:12 miles for a couple of months and then get back to us.
You need to consistently run on a proper program for 20-30weeks to see SUBSTANTIAL real improvement. Just my opinion. This is assuming you are not coming straight off the couch.
Major problem/limiter/issue for me is running long, I felt really bad and struggle on long runs. I can’t stand looking at my watch and seeing a 10min mile and that’s what;s requested for me to run over 9 miles. I also feel mentally fatigue when I go over an hour of running that slow.
So you know your limiter so know you have to try and make it not our limiter! Long runs are important and I would assume your endurance could be an overall limiter so get out there HTFU and run long
How long have you been doing 32 miles per week? You know, this stuff takes time.
If you want to be a better runner, I suggest you do a plan similar to BarryP’s 6x/week 1:2:3 schedule. That’s 3 short runs at an easy pace, 2 medium runs on hills or at tempo pace and 1 long run at long run pace.
**Build **your runs up to 4:8:12 miles for a couple of months and then get back to us.
My key word here is build. There are no shortcuts unless you have a gift.
I would agree, find a group that runs long and go without a watch. I have gotten rid of a GPS before b/c sometimes you become too focused on the pace when the real goal of the run is time on legs.
To get faster
-Run recovery runs and long runs in terms of minutes instead of miles. (A lot of running websites will suggest that you run your long runs slower than your recovery days and by trying to run a certain amount of miles you’ll get tempted to run them faster. Where as compared to running for time, you cant make 80 minutes come any faster.)
-If possible work on form drills and strength training (might upset some people here)
-Try throwing in some Fartleks throughout the week (One of the quickest ways I have found to get quicker after a decent amount of base)
Total volume is more important than your long run. I have had times when I did not feel like doing longer runs so I just ran the same amount each day for the same total volume. I was not slower when I did it. Stop worrying about your pace except the day you do threshold; even that day you should know that threshold pace is a range depending on how you are feeling. Some days I run ?:40s. Other days they are ?:50s. They are both threshold and I do not obsess over which one it is.
The other days you just get out an run for your proscribed amount of time and do not worry about how much ground you cover.
And, as others have said, endurance sports are a journey for the long haul. Six weeks is barely enough time for the body to do its work.
Chad
1.) Buy the book “Run Faster”, read it, and follow it.
2.) Don’t expect big improvements to show up in the summer months if it’s just been getting hotter and hotter anyways. You’re improving, but the weather is slowing you down even faster.
3.) Spend more time running at your desired pace, maybe in fartleks, hill sprints or track work, and see if you can go gradually farther and farther at that desired pace.
4.) One tends to plateau for a while, and then when your body and mind have both accepted that you can go faster, it will happen, and you will surprise yourself. Sometimes the mind takes a little longer to accept that you can actually, physically go faster now. The mind gets into the habit of going at a certain pace, and it can be very convincing and deceiving.
5.) Challenge yourself and you limits to see if you are indeed running at your limit or if you are just running at your habit.
Further to the posts about running at one pace, I think throwing some pickups into your normal runs are really helpful: 45 sec of 3-5k pace, 4 or more on an easy run. You shouldn’t be tired from these; they just teach your body/mind to know what it’s like to run faster.
