We’re in the deep part of the mile training season now, folks, so this week’s workout is going to focus on strength and endurance to help you hold up later in the race.
- 4:50-6:00 milers: 3-4 by 1400m at I pace, with a 3-minute recovery after each
- 6:30-7:15 milers: 3-4 by 1200m at I pace, with a 3-minute recovery after each
- 7:45-8:30+ milers: 3-4 by 1000m at I pace, with a 3-minute recovery after each
You’ll note that there are gaps in those ranges for you to self-identify or adjust based on how you’re feeling. If you’re a 6:15 miler, for instance, you could run either 1400m or 1200m, or potentially two of each.
As to whether you should run 3 or 4 reps, that depends on your weekly mileage. The goal is to hit 8% of your weekly mileage, so if you’re a 7:00 miler running 30 miles (48k) per week, 8% is about 3800m, so you should do at least 3 reps and add in a fourth if you’re feeling good.
Finally, the recovery can be a jog as we’ve been doing if you want the mileage, but as Barton gets busier, it’s also OK if you want to take the recovery walking and standing on the inside of the track. As Mike Rohl pointed out to me last week, current research suggests that there’s no training difference between moving and non-moving rest, and this might reduce track congestion a bit.
We’ll talk more at the workout about how to know when and how to cut a workout short too.
Resources
- Administration: You must be an FLRC member and sign a waiver once for 2023
- Warmup: Jay Johnson’s Lunge Matrix and Leg Swings, then 10 minutes of jogging
- Cooldown: At least 10 minutes of jogging, then Jay Johnson’s Strength and Mobility
- Pace Calculator: Jack Daniels’ VDOT Running Calculator