quote:<HR>Originally posted by portlander:
MF - I live near a 440-yd track, so 4 laps to the mile. Sunday was the first time I ever tried an all out 440, so I was very happy with 62. Have you run a 400 before? Why do you think 70 would be hard for you?

I haven't run a mile race before, but last spring I ran the first mile of a 5K in 5:48 - unintentionally. I blew up and ran a painful 20:20. When you can break 20:00 for 5K, I bet you'll be very close to a 5:40 mile.

<HR>

I ran a 400 meter dash in 11th grade and finished in 67.5 seconds. I don't think I will ever beat that though if I put in the training I am sure I could. I have run 200 meters in 30.86 seconds on a dirt road. I ran a 77 second quarter last year on the track at the end of a tough workout. I am just not good at pacing that short a distance. I estimate I could run a 69 if I really wanted to kill myself.

I ran 3 miles yesterday in 6:22, 6:26, 6:24.
Not sure if the distance is exactly right for it was on the road.
I think my fastest mile this year was 6:07 but again I will really try to break some records in October after my base mileage is complete.

A 5 minute mile is actually quite tough (regardless of what the letsrun.com crowd might say). Here are some things I have observed when it comes to achieving this...

1. Your 400M time has no bearing what so ever on your ability to run sub 5. Exception - if you cannot currently break 75 you have no chance in the near future. I know people that can run sub 55 and cannot run a 5 minute mile. I cannot in my wildest dreams run faster than a 67 400M yet I can still run a 4:55 mile. The mile is an endurance event and the training should be reflective of this.

2. The best indicator I have seen is the ability to run ~2:28 800M as the LAST interval in an honestly paced track workout. I.e., don't go intentionally easy during the workout so that you can make the 2:28. If you cannot run a 2:28 when relatively fresh you are not ready to try sub 5. If you can run sub 2:28 as an added 800M at the end of a workout you should go for it EVEN IF after finishing the 800M you felt like you were going to die.

3. Bad pacing is your biggest enemy in the mile. Do not ever for one moment think you should go out in 73-74 for the first three laps so as to put time in the bank. I recommend 76, 75-76, 75, <74. Practive hitting your splits so you can do it in your sleep.

4. It is the most amazing thing to run a good mile. Typically you have been mixing in 800M intervals at mile pace during your workouts and feeling like there is nothing left each time you hit the finish line. Then, when racing a good mile you come through the first 800M somewhat distressed but get a high when you realize you can continue. The middle of the third lap is the entire race. At this point you begin to get very uncomfortable. The key is to stay with it and trust the advice the experienced runners have given you. This advice is to disregard the distress and keep on pace. Believe it or not the discomfort does not get any worse. Hang in there with the sole goal of hitting the 1200 mark within a second of pace.

5. The last lap in a mile is the easiest part of the race. If you get there on pace you will have realized that the discomfort has indeed not gotten worse. It is also time to tell yourself that there is only 400M to go. Update this in your mind after each curve and straightaway. Only 300M to go, only 200M to go, etc.

6. DO not look at your watch at any point in the last lap. The strategy is to run by feel. Concentrate on staying at what feels like the same pace for the next 250 of 400M. Then, halfway into the last curve start your best all out sprint. In your mind and body you will feel like you are picking it up. If you truely are running your best mile you will in actuality really just be shaving about 1 second off of 100M (or running 4 sec/mile under pace).

7. When you hit your mile goal time it is one of the best feelings of any race. When you miss it you will beat yourself up for weeks.

8. Be sure to have a friend time your mile. When you cross the line you may not have the motor skills to stop your watch and your vision may be too blurred to read it.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by sundog:
6. DO not look at your watch at any point in the last lap.<HR>

Better yet, don't look at your watch at all. I wouldn't even wear a watch for a mile race.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by sundog:

1. Your 400M time has no bearing what so ever on your ability to run sub 5. Exception - if you cannot currently break 75 you have no chance in the near future. I know people that can run sub 55 and cannot run a 5 minute mile. I cannot in my wildest dreams run faster than a 67 400M yet I can still run a 4:55 mile. The mile is an endurance event and the training should be reflective of this.
<HR>

I wish I have your mile time of 4:55. I can run a 400 in 67 sec if I push all-out but my mile time is still 6 min. What training do you do?



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"Improving basic speed is fairly simple. The scenario I've seen many times is this. Let me introduce you to runner "Joe."

Joe is 27 years old, was decent but no better in H.S., tried to make the cross-country/track team at the local university but was unsuccessful. Joe ran 10:00 in the 3200 in H.S., and now runs local road races with an average 5k of 17:30. Joe runs about 40 miles a week and does intervals in the form of 800m and mile repeats in fartlek form with the local club.

Joe can no longer come close to a 10:00 3200. He can't do this because 5:00 for the mile is all he can muster. An 800m in 2:20 is a race for him.

Joe has 2 big problems that are equally important to address 1) Lack of mileage, 2) No speed. Joe, however has decided he wants some more success and is willing to work for it.

I look at his recent mileage and plot out a course for raising it. We go to the track and warm-up etc. and I put him through a small true speed workout. I have him run what I call an "accela 200." He starts out at mile race pace and builds speed over 200 meters until the last 20-30 are full out. This is always the final component of the warm-up and the beginning of the workout on a true speed day.

Because he has not done any true speed work since high school he will run 1 or 2 200s. I give him 5 minutes recovery and explain that he will run this next 200 as fast as possible while staying relaxed. He jogs into it with a raised hand, which is dropped when the 200 start is reached. As the hand drops I click my watch and observe. The effort to relax is apparent but he is not relaxed and isn't generating a lot of power. The time is 29.3. He walks a bit, jogs a 600 back to the start where I meet him and ask how he is feeling etc (rest was about 8 min). We decide to do another one. Same procedure, 29.7.

I let him know that he will be sore etc. but that his speed will improve. This workout is repeated once a week with the number of 200s increased to 5 after the accela 200. The recovery is whatever is necessary (within reason) to be ready to go again. Usually starts at about 8 minutes and drops to 5 minutes after a couple months. It is never reduced to less then 5.

Joe's progression.

Week 1: 29.3, 29.7
Week 2: 28.8, 28.5, 29.1
Week 3: 28.5, 28.4, 28.6, 28.8
Week 4: 28.1, 28.0, 28.3, 28.3, 29.2
Week 5: 28.2, 28.5, 28.4, 28.5, 28.4
Week 6: 27.7, 27.6, 28.0, 28.1, 27.3
(Finally gets around to buying a pair of spikes to use instead of road flats. The last 200 of week 6 was run in spikes. Joe put them on for strides 2 times during the week. He has not been sore so the last 3 will be run in spikes on week 7. Week 8 will be completely in spikes.)
Week 7: 27.5, 27.6, 27.0, 26.8, 26.6
Week 8: 26.9, 26.5, 26.4, 26.7, 26.2
Week 9: 26.3, 26.1, 26.0, 26.6, 25.9
Week 10:25.9, 26.3, 26.1, 25.9, 25.8

(During this time mileage was raised from 40-70)

This Joe levels off about here, two Joes I have coached progressed to the mid 24's, another is currently at about week 6. All Joes increased their mileage and threshold running and dropped up there 5k times substantially--and didn't get outkicked at the end. In less than a year Joe is now running 15:30 for 5k and 4:28 for a mile.

FOR MOST SPEED IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT. "

http://This message has been edited by fredurie (edited Sep-08-2006).