TrackWorkouts

This Thursday will be our first official track workout of the year, at 6:30 pm at Pine Banks park.

For those of you who are new to track workouts, the principal is simple, if you want to run faster you have to train faster.

Please don’t be intimidated, ideally you should be running at least 20 miles a week, but even this is not essential.  The only firm requirement is you want to get faster, and are coming with the intention of racing faster times.

Over the weeks you’ll hear me use terms like V02Max, Tempo, Repetition, Running Economy, but for now don’t worry about that, just show up.  The workouts are tailored to your speed and fitness level.  I promise I won’t ask you to do more than you’re ready for.

You should have a recent 5k or similar race distance time and know what your weekly mileage is.

If you’ve never come to a workout before please read my post from last year about track etiquette and terminology.

http://melroserunningclub.com/TrackWorkouts/2013/04/25/etiquette-and-terminology/

Here is the workout.

For those running the Boston Marathon, unless you’re already doing track workouts and know your limits, you’re only welcome for the warm up/warm down strides.

For later marathons, like VCM there is still some time to add some cautious speed.  They should be at least 4-6 weeks away.

We’ll all begin together with

• Form drills, these serve two purposes active stretching and promoting good running economy.
• Warm up 15 -20 minutes, this is slower than your regular pace, think very slow and easy.
• 6X100 strides.

Then we’ll split into two groups:

For those who have been to our workouts before and are doing more than 20 miles per week.

• 4X800 @ LT (60 sec recovery, 100m)
• 4-6X400 @5K (200m recovery)
• Cool down 15 minutes.

For those who are doing less than 20 miles per week or are new to track workouts.

• 8X200 @ running negative splits
• Cool down 15 min

Inspiration this week is courtesy of a little know American Indian runner named Billy Mills in 1964.

I’m planning on having our final workout outdoors the week before Thanksgiving on 11/21.

I think it would be neat to have our final outdoor workout, be a mile time trial/race.

Tonight:

15 Min warm up

3-5 X (1000 @10k, 400 @5k)

200 rest after the 1000, 400 rest after the 400.

Do one set for every 10 miles you run a week.

(30 mpw = 3)

For this week we’ll get our inspiration from Jenny Simpson:

If you go to the Boston Indoor games in February, there is a good chance you can see her run.

Warm up 15-20 minutes.

6 x 100 strides

8-12 x 400m w/ 90 seconds (200m) jog.  Starting at 5k pace and progressing to mile pace.  It is only a 400, so you’ll be tempted to go too fast, control yourself or you’ll pay later.

If you want to start at the same place just jog the whole turn then turn around and jog back.

Break the 400′s into 4 sets, if your doing 12 that would be sets of 3, 16 sets of 4 etc…

1st Set @ 5k pace

2nd Set @ 5k  -2 seconds

3rd Set @ 5k -4 seconds (this is about 3k pace)

4th Set @ 5k  -6 seonds (this is about mile pace)

The progression should take you to about Mile pace.

Target 8-10% of your weekly mileage.

20 MPW or less: 6-8 x 400

30 MPW: 10-12 x 400

40 MPW: 12-14 x 400

50 MPW or more : 14-16 x 400

Warm down 10-15 minutes.

Some paces for common Attendees.

Ed (91-92) for 5k

Dave (1:40) for 5k

Dorota/Courtney (1:49-1:50) 5k

Everyone:

Drills, 15 min warm up, 6×100 strides.

Marathoners:

3 X 2 miles @ MP – 10-15 seconds a mile.  3-4 minute rest between intervals 600-800m jog

Key is to keep these as smooth and effortless as possible.  Marathons are all about smooth even effortless pace.

Road Racers:

3-5X1000 @ 10k Pace (200 Jog recovery 2 min)

600 rest then

3-5X400 @ 5k Pace – 3k pace (200 Jog recovery 2 min)

run 2 seconds faster each 400

Everyone:

Drills, 15 min warm up, 6×100 strides.

Marathoners:

3 X 2 miles @ MP – 10-15 seconds a mile.  3-4 minute rest between intervals 600-800m jog

Key is to keep these as smooth and effortless as possible.  Marathons are all about smooth even effortless pace.

Road Racers:

3-5 X 1200 @ LT 45-60 seconds rest between each.

1 X 800 @ (first 400 @ between 10k-5k, second 400 faster than 5k)

Don’t cheat on the rest after 1200’s, key to tempo runs is a continuous effort.

Do 1 1200 for every 10 miles you run a week.

Watch at least the last 90 secs of this:

This week you have a choice.  Are you training for a Marathon in 6-8 weeks?  You may want to start doing the marathon strength workouts.

Everyone:

Drills

Warm up 15-20 minutes

Strides 6 x 100

Cool down 10-15 min

Marathon Workout:

About 6-8 weeks out from a Marathon, is a good time to start shifting from speed work 5k-10k pace to strength work.  These workouts take a long time.  Pace is 10 seconds a mile faster than your target Marathon pace.  If your target pace for a marathon is 3:20, that equals 7:38 pace, you’d do the intervals at 7:28 pace.  They will seem a lot slower than you’re use to, but the volume is about double what you’re use to.

6 x 1 mile @ (MP -10 seconds) (400 meter rest)

Since it is likely to be dark before you finish this, I can be at the track earlier to get the Marathoners started if you like.

Road Racers:

2 X 1 Mile @ LT

2 X 1200 @ LT – 2

1 X 800 @ LT – 4 (10k pace)

1 X 400 @ LT – 8 (5k pace)

If you run less than 35 MPW  either drop one of the 1200’s or the 800/400

Those running less than 20 MPW:

Pace is comfortably hard, not all out and not a jog.

2 x 400 400 jog rest

4 x 200 200 jog rest

This week we’re back on the track, after a few weeks of exploring the area around the track.  Next week, I’ll offer some marathon specific training for those doing the Hartford Marathon in 8 weeks.  One more week of speed is probably good, before moving to more strength/endurance type of training.

If you are training for Hartford, another quality day is recommended of  5-8 miles at Marathon Pace (MP).  Probably Tuesday makes the most sense for this.  I understand some of you have been doing some kind of Tempo on Tues, which is a good addition.  If you’re MP and easy pace (EP) is pretty close together, as it can be for those running around 4 hours or more, then you can go closer to 1/2 marathon pace.  For Marathoners between 3-3:30 it is common to have about 60-90 second per mile difference between MP and EP.

If you’re running hard on Tues and Thurs, then Wed has to be a recovery day.  It doesn’t have to be complete rest, you can do an active recovery run of no more than 30-45 minutes, at the absolute easiest pace you can tolerate.  Think Kenyan Shuffle.  Don’t be afraid to run on tired legs, but you know your body the best and how much rest you need.  Personally I tend to take a complete day off every 2-3 weeks, when I have 3-4 days in a row where fatigue is accumulating, and easy days are not providing enough recovery.

It is likely to be warm and humid, so don’t be too concerned if you need to run a few seconds slower.  The feel is more important than the precise number.

Drills

Warm up 15-20 min

6 X 100 strides

3-6 X (1000, 400) (10k, 5k) (rest 200 jog after the 1k, 400 after the 400)

Do 1 set for every 10 miles you run per week.

30 = 3

40 = 4

50 = 5

Cool down 10-15 min.

I have a race on Saturday, and won’t be participating in this weeks workout.  I will provide encouragement and comic relief.

Any beginners please show up a few minutes before 6:30 so I can devise some appropriate work, dependent on your current fitness.

This week we’re doing hills.  Short fast no more than 2 minutes a piece.  We want to do them fast explosive, use your arms to drive up the hill.  Short strides, quick turnover.  If you’re gasping for breath by the end then you’re probably going too long.  This is intended to work your muscles more than your lungs.

This is a good strength workout.

Everyone:

Drills, we’ll do these together.

15-20 minute warm up

6-8 X 100 Strides

12-16 X 60-120 second hill repeats, we’ll switch up hills for some variety and do 4-5 on each one.  Jog slow back down for recovery.

10-15 minute warm down.

I have a family obligation on Thursday night, and can’t be at the track.  I already have missed several Thursdays due to vacation so am offering this weeks workout on Wed, if people want Friday instead or in addition I’ll do that as well.

Everyone:

Starting with Drills…yes you heard that right, we’re doing drills.  I’ve become convinced they are an important part of running.  We will look silly, and we will do them together, so we can look silly together.  It only takes about 5-10 min.

Warm up 15-20 min

6 X 100 Strides (focus on a gradual acceleration good form, use the arms this should be an exaggerated sprinting motion, but without the top end speed)

Group A: Those doing more than 25 miles a week

15-20 Minute Tempo Run, LT pace.  We’ll start on the track, for 800M to get our pace down.  Then we’ll head for a loop around pine banks park, since this is a continuous tempo you’ll have to focus extra as everyone splits off onto their own paces.

The time of the tempo is based on your current fitness.  If you’ve been doing 40 or more miles a week, and attending track workouts, 20 minutes should be reasonable.  If your attendance has been spotty, and your running less than that 15 minutes is more reasonable.

Keep track of your time.  When you hit 15 or 20 minutes slow down, start jogging you’re now doing your warm down.  I’ll be on a bike cajoling, encouraging and annoying in equal measures.

Group B: Those doing less than 20 miles per week

We’ll be doing the Warm up , drills, Strides and warm down.  This is a really nice workout if you don’t do a ton of mileage.  It helps with your efficiency, economy and you’ll end up running about 5 miles but it will go by fast, because of the variety of running.

If you have questions show up before 6:30, once the workout starts I don’t have lots of time for one on one explanations.