How hard should you run ?

Tom.

BR - duly bumped

ceal

Lowgrade, hi, how are you, we have certainly missed you. How is are your sprint sessions going? What track events have you got lined up?

[Deleted User]

Lowgrade - that is just wrong.

I did all my training slower than 6:45 pace and ran the Dartford 10 under 5:45 pace.
I plan to get down to 52min for 10M with nothing faster than MP, let alone anaerobic, in training. Watch this space...

Kiwi - more miles means more mitochondria = a better engine. Never underestimate the speed that easy miles can bring.

[Deleted User]

Sorry Pantman, not my experience or most athletes' - easy miles do nothing for my speed, intervals do.

[Deleted User]

Nevertheless, your statement was a blanket one. I have proven that to be wrong.

[Deleted User]

I ran 5:25 pace for a 10k with 2 sessions of 4 x 3 laps faster than that pace, or less than 1% of my training in the 3 months before that race.

If you did do all your training at 7m/m pace you would find the effort needed to achieve that pace get lower and lower, so when you run at your max in the race the pace is further and further beneath 7m/m.

[Deleted User]

My fastest ever half marathon time was done when I started training for ultra's and virtually dropped all speed training from my schedule - and just centered my training on stretching my long slow runs out towards 30 mile. With two or three hard/mid tempo 10 to 12 milers mid week. Completely stopped doing speed sessions and intervals and just focused my main effort on really working hard on the long slow run day.

I thought this would slow me down Id certainly read a few times that ultra running made you slower, but I ran a 1:24 half of the back of it - near 2mins up on my previous PB.

You could say that If I had also included the speed training then maybe I would have knocked even more off, you could also say that maybe my speed training beforehand wasnt of high enough quality. But at the very least it does mean that it is possible to get faster without speed sessions/intervals.

[Deleted User]

So Tom, not sure if you're following this thread anymore, but given the fallout from the great Folkestone 10 showdown, I reckon the evidence is stacking up in favour of the proposition that the pursuit of PBs ain't necessarily good for one's mental health.

Glad you broke the 60 minutes, by the way.

(Sorry BR, just being a tad provocative.)

NZChristine

Just read the thread - started off with a question from a 46 min 10k runner. Then it switched to - if you ran 80 miles a week you could run a sub-3hr marathon.
Then went to speed v miles. I'm a 54 year old woman - best marathon 1981 - 2.47.25 - ran 10 weeks of 70 miles a week. I am still running - not because I want PBs but because I love running and most of the time it's easy. I think your marathon time is based on your mile time. If you can run a 5 min mile you can with added mileage run a 6 min mile marathon - 2.37. Rod Dixon ran such a good New York marathon cause he could run a 4 min mile and did Lydiard style training.

[Deleted User]

BR, when is the cake baked? ;o)

Just been having a laugh reading Micksta's comments on Paula's running style thread.

Do I listen to Micksta or you guys?

I don't mind doing a teeny bit of plodding (5k once or twice a week, but you'll probably tell me I'm still going too fast anyway )), but permanent plodding???

Yawn yawn.

[Deleted User]

Kinda agree with you JennyD I've switch my training to concentrate on getting my weekly milage up in preparation for an ultra and god is it boring ! 3hrs plus on sunday !

However, when I was running fast most of the time, I only ever ran on alternate days to make sure I was not over training.