My winter/summer schedule.

Newbie

Hey everyone. Well, I'm the third place runner on my team. I'm a freshmen, and I missed out on any summer running for my base, so I'm always tired at the 2-3 mile marks. I'm considering busting my butt this winter and summer, but I don't know if I should just do LSD or many strenous workouts with some LSD in. This is what I'm considering.

Monday: LSD, 5-7 miles. Lift weights.
Tuesday: Intervals, high intensity.
Wednesday: 3.5 mile run, race pace.
Thursday: LSD, 4-6 miles. Lift weights.
Friday: Intervals, high intensity.
Saturday: 3.5 mile run, race pace.
Sunday: LSD, 5-7 miles. Lift weights.

What do you think? My current times are differing: 23:30, 20:48, 21:04, 20:30. I need to improve, because I want to atleast surpass our second place runner. Should I stick to this regiment, or just do LSD? And if it is LSD, 3 times a week or every day?

Another reason for my third placed-ness ( I was previously first place) I think is my inspiration and form. If I'm doing mediocre, I just give up and go at LSD pace. And at any rate, I have no form whatsoever, I'm like bouncing around and it's gotten to the point where people constantly comment on my dire need of improvement. Sorry about this being so long, but I'm just in need of answers.

Member

First, what distance are you aiming for? The times are for a 3 mile? 5k?

Next, as you have it, that's a hard day every day, which probably won't work. I think you're misusing the term LSD - usually it refers to one run a week that is significantly longer than the others. I think you're using the term to refer to an easy day with a slightly longer distance - correct me if I'm wrong. The real problem with that schedule as I see it is that you're hammering every single day, high intensity intervals followed by a 3.5 mile race pace run? Going back to the times you posted... are these 3.5 mile times? If they're 3 mile times, then you shouldn't expect to run a race pace 3.5 miler in training. You need to mix it up, give your body time to recover. I wouldn't put hard days back to back.

I think the next biggest point is what you said yourself - you lack motivation and focus. Working on this is just as important as working on the legs. I'd suggest doing some runs that you really enjoy, maybe an easy pace in a very scenic area, or a competitive local 5k to hone your racing focus. I think that if you're hitting that schedule every week, you'll burnout in no time, and it will only hurt you. Without focus and determination, your great legs won't mean much.

Newbie

3 miles. I'm going to be training for track after this season. I intended the 3.5 mile race pace run was to be able to have more stamina than what was needed exactly. Should I replace those with simply lifting weights? Or include a short easy run on those days? And do you think this will improve my 3 mile time? If not, what do you think would help a 3 mile time?

Member

A surefire way to lower times is to run more miles, but you're pretty young and (to my knowledge) most people don't run high mileage until college or later. Schedule a meeting with the team coach and get him to help you devise a workout (it's his/her job after all) - if your coach is halfway decent, he/she will be much better able to help you than someone on a running board who knows little of your running history and performances. That being said, I'd probably stick to the general workouts that are done during the season, with more emphasis on longer, slower runs to build a good base.

The Movie Geek

Besides not following hard days with easy days, you might want to consider a true "rest day" where you don't run or just run very lightly.

Offseason training should be more about building distance and a training base to lead you into the next season than trying to hammer interval work several times a week.

Hopefully jrjo will come in here because this seems to be up his knowledge base.

Honestly, I think you're doing too much at too high an intensity, but I couldn't give you a good program. If your coach is worth his or her salt, you should talk to him and get an off season program to work on to best prepare you for the coming season.

Pyromaniac

If your coach can't come up with a plan to help you out I'm sure we can devise one for you. The one you have posted, like the others have said, has entirely too much speed work in it. Especially for the off-season. Off season should be devoted to building a base with an occasional tempo run thrown in for good measure. As your track/cc season approaches you'll begin cutting back the mileage and start incorporating the speed work. Also, on your days you lift don't forget working your core muscles (abs/back etc).

Newbie

Yeah, my coach is not worth his salt, whatsoever. I have alot of questions for this schedule, like if I should just do LSD or whatever, and what speed work has to do with XC running. About the building base though, should I do speed work all the time for track, seeing as how it will mainly be speed I'm doing? Sorry, I know I have alot of questions, but I just want to get stuff straightened out.

I've read alot about this V02Max thing, is it THAT important? Also, do yo uthink it's humanly possible to take my PR down 5 minutes between Freshman and Senior year? I broke my PR by a minute yesterday, so I'm at 19:28 for my best. Do you think I can bring it down to the 14's? I've got some more questions, sorry =). Do you have any tips for keeping my second mile strong without burning out? Usually my mile split is 6:30, and I have no idea what my second is, and I usually finish around late 19's or early 20's. I seem to lose alot of energy second mile, but I'm good for my last mile. Any pointers?

My winter/summer schedule.

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