| Author |
Topic: Training for a One Mile Race |
runninlaw
Cool Runner |
 posted Apr-05-2007 01:13 PM
  
After my spring marathon and recovery, I am planning to start training for a mile race I have this summer. I am going to be part of a specific speed work group for 6 weeks prior to the race, but I am looking for a more comprehensive training schedule to follow for the mile. Last year I was in the endurance phase of my marathon training when I did it. This summer, I would like a program specifically aimed at the mile with an appropriate taper. Thanks for any advice.
IP: Logged |
wheaton
Member |
posted Apr-15-2007 09:42 PM
You must read Once a Runner. Best book in the world. But just for fun, it won't tell you about training at all.One thing that I don't understand about how most people that I have heard of train for shorter distances is that they do much less mileage. While it is not necessary at all to finish, I believe that it is entirely necessary to do well. The difference is the speed work (shorter faster reps with much less rest time). I don't know, but don't think that hills are important as you will run this on a track and although they will strengthen your legs, those are not the muscles you will call on on race day. I also think that striders are more important and hard fartlek workouts are very important as you will actually need the skills it gives during the race. I really want to do the same thing, but don't know of a mile race that I can participate in. I guess I'll just have to keep checking the local calendars. You obviously know more about this stuff than I do, and im rambling now, but you really should read Once a Runner. It motivates me through all of my runs especially my intervals.
IP: Logged |
Johnny J
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-16-2007 12:06 AM
quote:
Originally posted by wheaton:
don't think that hills are important as you will run this on a track and although they will strengthen your legs, those are not the muscles you will call on on race day.
Are they running the mile as a wheelbarrow race these days?
IP: Logged |
Johnny J
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-16-2007 12:26 AM
Sorry wheaton-- couldn't resist. I understand what you wrote, it just sounded funny... strengthen your legs, but those aren't the muscles you'll use on race day...I'm hoping some of the former track people will weigh in on this as I have similar plans as you runninlaw. Half marathon this weekend I've been kind of sort of training for this spring as a 'goal' race. Then I need to devise something that I can build a big mileage base working towards a fall marathon, but at the same time I would like to train specifically for a mile race the first week in July. I was thinking of running big miles (for me) for 5 weeks, then cutting back 30% and doing 200, 400, and 800 intervals for 4-5 weeks 2x/week along with one good session of longer tempo/critical velocity type intervals (10k pace) 1x/week, and cutting long runs back to 13-14 miles easy. Race, then ramp back up into marathon training. It won't be ideal, but I don't think I can train optimally for both in the time frame available. I would love to hear what #, frequency, recovery times, etc. for intervals which are good for mile specific training from those who have raced it well at some point. I'm not sure about hills. I actually don't see why they would be bad but this is an unsubstantiated personal opinion. Short 40-50 yd. hard hill sprints have helped me over the last year get faster as a minor additional stressor added to other standard fare. (Toss in 3-4 interspersed throughout other general runs to get 15-20 of these per week). I think I'm going to have to read that Once a Runner-- motivational running books are always great. Thanks for the tip.
IP: Logged |
Johnny J
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-16-2007 12:57 AM
This reminds me I need to get my Daniel's running formula back that I loaned to a friend about a YEAR ago now... I'm sure he has a good training program for the mile.
IP: Logged |
runninlaw
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-17-2007 12:41 PM
Last year when I did my speed training work for the mile we did some hills. Nothing major, but they did work it in. I definitely want to keep mileage high (for me).Thanks for the tip on the book - I will definitely check it out. I will also pull out my Daniels book and see what it says....
IP: Logged |
AndyHass
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-17-2007 12:59 PM
It's fine to keep the mileage high in your prep phase, but starting 2 months out or so you're going to have to significantly cut your volume if you are running your intervals hard enough for the mile. At least 2 good interval sessions (200, 400, 800 etc) per week. Sets will be smaller (ie 4X400, 3X800) than for distance training, but the speed will be faster...mile pace for the 800s and faster for the 400s. Recoveries will be longer....you have to be able to hit the speed. I can't give precise examples as I'm not a mile expert and have not trained like that in a long time.
IP: Logged |
wheaton
Member |
posted Apr-18-2007 11:24 AM
Ok, it was poorly worded. But hills do work different muscles. That was my point. Hills may in fact help build explosive power for a finishing kick, but so do sprints(and crazy drag 50lb sandbags behind you sprints).I believe in mileage as an essential training tool for every distance over 400m. Yes you will want more interval sessions that will be shorter and faster. But you need a good base to keep up your aerobic system and prevent injury during workouts. And a good interval session will be a pretty decent total distance. I think 400mx20 with 200m rest with 1M up and 1M down is a solid workout which is 9.5M total. You all think you should run 9.5 hard miles without running longer easier runs sometimes? I just don't think you will be able to do it. I don't know about tapering for the mile. Anybody have input on this? All I know is that you can and must taper to achieve peak performance. I haven't looked at that thread called "can you taper for a 5k". What a stupid question. [This message has been edited by wheaton (edited Apr-18-2007).]
IP: Logged |
runfastcoach
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-18-2007 12:45 PM
Here is a link to training schedule created by George Gandy, whom I respect enormously:http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=58 George had produced numerous elite milers (one ran 3:50 under his complete guidance and the other was Sebastian Coe who was trained by George when Seb was seeking his degree at Loughborough University). George, in my opinion, is one of the top 3 trainers of milers in the world. When go open the link and read the short article, choose one of the three training schedules listed which associate with fitness level. Best of luck! Tinman
IP: Logged |
Johnny J
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-19-2007 12:23 AM
quote:
Originally posted by runfastcoach:
Here is a link to training schedule created by George Gandy, whom I respect enormously:http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=58 George had produced numerous elite milers (one ran 3:50 under his complete guidance and the other was Sebastian Coe who was trained by George when Seb was seeking his degree at Loughborough University). George, in my opinion, is one of the top 3 trainers of milers in the world. When go open the link and read the short article, choose one of the three training schedules listed which associate with fitness level. Best of luck! Tinman
Thanks for the link. I think a 4 week period to work on speed for a mile race will maybe put some fun back into training this summer.
IP: Logged |
runninlaw
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-19-2007 10:04 AM
Great link, tinman - thanks! I have honestly never trained on times before rather than mileage. It will be a nice change. JohnnyJ, when is your mile race? I think it will be great fun to work up the speed this summer too.
IP: Logged |
runninlaw
Cool Runner |
posted May-24-2007 07:55 PM
bump..I was looking for this in the archives but it was gone...thankfully google helped me out......
IP: Logged |
dragonsrouges
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-12-2007 02:56 PM
quote:
Originally posted by runfastcoach:
Here is a link to training schedule created by George Gandy, whom I respect enormously:http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=58 George had produced numerous elite milers (one ran 3:50 under his complete guidance and the other was Sebastian Coe who was trained by George when Seb was seeking his degree at Loughborough University). George, in my opinion, is one of the top 3 trainers of milers in the world. When go open the link and read the short article, choose one of the three training schedules listed which associate with fitness level. Best of luck! Tinman
This may be a little off topic but I never understand what people mean when they say someone is a "top trainer"... Does that mean they train athletes who achieve big things or does it mean they help athletes achieve big things (ie: do exceptionally better than their potential would have predicted)? Whether you train a world-class athlete into a winner or you train an average athlete into a world class athlete, there's a big difference there!
IP: Logged |
Johnny J
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-13-2007 09:54 PM
quote:
Originally posted by runninlaw:
Great link, tinman - thanks! I have honestly never trained on times before rather than mileage. It will be a nice change. JohnnyJ, when is your mile race? I think it will be great fun to work up the speed this summer too.
Unfortunately many of my running plans have gone out the window as I have gotten extremely busy at work this spring. Also a bummer, but the week of the mile race I was shooting for I now have to be out of town to give some talks at a conference. I'm just hoping to salvage a fall marathon at this point after I work through a busy stretch here through the end of June. Good luck with your mile race. Let us know how it goes. My only race recently was a small local 10k where I pushed wind for 5.5 miles for a young punk (albeit smarter than me as he played me perfectly), as he sat right on my tail the entire time, whether I sped up or slowed down, etc. I tried to surge with just under a mile to go but couldn't break free. He then threw down a surge of his own and I couldn't cover. Something about nearly 40 year old legs vs. 17-18 year old. He pulled away and I never could close the gap, losing by 19 seconds eventually. I wouldn't have deserved it anyway with the makeshift, maintenance running I've been getting in anyway. Let us know how your mile race and training go.
IP: Logged |
runninlaw
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-15-2007 03:17 PM
JohnnyJ - sorry to hear your race will not work out. Is there a track club in your area? I always thought that would be a fun option. Here there is a track club and there are 4 meets during the summertime (each including the mile race). Could be an option....Also sorry that 10K slipped away...17-18 year olds can tend to have a little more spunk left in their legs!!! I just started my speed work group on Tuesday. It wasn't much of a workout as it was the first time a large group was getting together and we had a short time trial to group folks by ability.
IP: Logged |
Brian McN
Cool Runner |
posted Jun-25-2007 05:50 PM
I can't help but weigh in on the whole hill thing. Those short hill sprints are an essential part of training. I know for a fact that guys like Nick Willis look for steep hills that slowly level off to surge over and kick during their workouts. It increases their power to weight ratio.
IP: Logged |
runninlaw
Cool Runner |
posted Jul-26-2007 08:41 PM
Well, the race is coming up this weekend!! I am very excited!!I have trained for 6 weeks with a group on a local track. it is far from scientific or individualized, but it got me out on the track running fast once a week! I am tapering from my marathon training this week to hopefully get some spunk back into these legs. As I am a total newbie at this fast stuff, I am looking for any last minute suggestions on warm-ups, pacing, pre-race fueling, etc.!! Please feel free to chime in if you have any tips! Thanks!
IP: Logged |
joev9
Cool Runner |
posted Jul-27-2007 08:34 AM
be prepared to suffer! joking aside, i ran the mile in HS and just remember it being hard from almost the get go. pace the first 1/2 mile then its just a matter of how much pain you are willing to endure for that last 1/2 mile. is this a track mile or a road mile???
IP: Logged |
thereshegoes
Cool Runner |
posted Jul-27-2007 08:35 AM
Hey, runninlaw! I think the best thing to do now is to relax, trust your plan, don't sweat the details--just do what makes sense to you, and get to the line and excited to nail the race! Just warm-up like you usually do for track workouts, don't eat anything weird the day before and day of and you should be good to go! Oh, and don't forget to have fun 
IP: Logged |
MichiganFlyer
Cool Runner |
posted Jul-27-2007 09:16 AM
I came across a website that broke the mile race down into 4 segments.I will try to recollect how it called the race plan: Lap 1 you have so much adrenaline it will take care of itself. About halfway through lap 2 the adrenaline will leave you. Lap 3 is the toughest lap. You will have to concentrate to put forth more effort and it will feel like you are running faster when in reality you are running the same speed as the lap 2. Lap 4 it says to pick a person in front of you to hate. Look at the shirt of the person in front of you and imagine that is someone you despise. You need motivation to get though lap 4 and this might help you. Good luck!
IP: Logged |
jtv
Cool Runner |
posted Jul-27-2007 12:32 PM
Runninlaw,Good advice from everyone else. Just relax, and have the confidence that you have done the training to meet your goal. I like the breakdown on the race that MichiganFlyer posted. It reminded me of my mile PR, when I just stayed a few strides behind a good friend the entire way. I concentrated on his back, let him set the pace, and didn't realize how fast I was going. FYI - this mile PR was set only 2 weeks before my marathon PR, so you can run a good mile during marathon training. Good Luck!
------------------
My Profile
IP: Logged |
fredurie
Cool Runner |
posted Jul-27-2007 01:10 PM
quote:
Originally posted by jtv:
Runninlaw,Good advice from everyone else. Just relax, and have the confidence that you have done the training to meet your goal. I like the breakdown on the race that MichiganFlyer posted. It reminded me of my mile PR, when I just stayed a few strides behind a good friend the entire way. I concentrated on his back, let him set the pace, and didn't realize how fast I was going. FYI - this mile PR was set only 2 weeks before my marathon PR, so you can run a good mile during marathon training. Good Luck!
4:33 and 2:50 - the mile was better. If your target had been middle distance, I wonder what your PB would be.
IP: Logged |
fredurie
Cool Runner |
posted Jul-27-2007 01:15 PM
If you came off the marathon training but didn't race it, and then did 8 weeks
of mile specific speedwork with a mile race or time trial every couple of
weeks, how fast would your PB be?4:10?
IP: Logged |
Johnny J
Cool Runner |
posted Jul-27-2007 03:25 PM
Good luck. Make sure you don't run the first 200 too fast and blow the race. Have a realistic goal pace, and try to hit that the first 200, then keep that up through 800. Don't lose concentration from 800-1400, that is when you may sag and lose time. Force yourself to push hard through that point. Then the last 200-300 do what MichiganFlyer said. Race the 3-6 people in front of you and do your best to beat them to the line. I'm no pro, but I would advise eating nothing other than a few sips of gatorade or something like it the last 2-3 hours before the race, and don't eat any big meals that day, you want a relatively empty digestive tract so no blood has to be wasted digesting food that can go to your leg muscles during the race. Have fun.
IP: Logged |
Facebook 
Twitter
i