Outside: 'How Our Totally Average Runner Broke the Sub-Five Minute Mile'

You may have answered this awhile back, but are you running on a track when you do these times or do you have a mile-stretch on a course you regularly run that you use? It is impressive, regardless. Just curious.

On a similar note, I'm just starting training for a 10-miler in October and a half marathon on Thanksgiving. I've done both before multiple times, but I'm concentrating on bringing my times down on each. I'm using a different training schedule that includes running multiple 800s at about 5K pace for some workouts. I'm currently trying to figure out where I can reliably do this. There aren't any available tracks near me. I may just have to measure off the blocks around my place and do my best with that.

 

There's a bike/running/walking path in town that starts about about three blocks from my doorstep. So I basically start my run in front of my house, through my neighborhood, and onto the path. There are about three sharp turns during the course of the 1/2 or full mile which may cost me a couple seconds on the first rep, which is when I go for PRs, but that's OK.

 

You might be better off going for your PR on the second 1/2-mile rep. Run about 80 percent on the first one to get your heart rate going good, take your interval, then go full out on the second, then another 80-90 percent on the third one after your interval, and warm down on the way home.

 

The workout I do is:

1 x 2 miles (at between 8 and 8:30 per mile)

Then the 8 x 1/2 or 4 x 1 sprints.

5K (at between 8 and 8:30 per mile)

 

I had been running on a trail with my dog for the past two weeks. Figured it was a good way to get back into it. It's almost totally on grass, which is nice on the feet and legs. But today I wanted to finally find out how fast I'm running. There is a .54 mile loop around my neighborhood. I did it six times for 3.24 miles (the long I have run this summer) and finished in 28:18 for an 8:44 pace. Not terrible. Feeling pretty good, and if I can get it under 8:00 for the pace, I'll be pretty happy.

 

Anyone ever done yasso 800 training for a marathon? Basically, do 10 8oos as your desired speed...for example if you want to do 3 hours 30 mins for the marathon, you do the 800 at 3 mins and 30 secs.

Doing a full in late October and am curious about trying this to augment my mileage.

 

Kind of. When I do the 800 workout, I red line the first one, and then aim for 3:10s the next seven.

Hamstrings were screaming at me after doing that yesterday. I think I ran my 14 miles this morning at 8:46. A 14-mile recovery run. Never thought I'd see the day.

 

Interesting. I am doing short distance stuff tonight, but will try yassos this weekend. My goal for the half was 3:30, but based on recent runs I have done...I think can go faster for all them.

Pacing had always been my issue with longer distance stuff. I ran a great half in the winter, but mainly because I was very diligent about not burning out early and ran with a friend who was attempting to go slightly faster than me. Basically, I knew if I didn't pass him and stayed near him, I wasn't going too fast.

 

@cyclingwriter2 is it your first full?

I ran my first this year. I was on my goal pace until I hit a wall at mile 18. I hadn't been consuming enough calories and bonked worse than ever. Luckily, there was an aid station at mile 19.

 

What was your final time?

I usually hit it at 22 or 23, pretty bad. Last year, I was right around goal pace, 8 per, and then dropped to about 9:30-10 per mile over the last three miles. It was sudden. Finished in 3:40 flat. This year, I'm going to try to maintain 70 miles per week for the next 10 weeks, then taper the last two, in the hopes of avoiding the wall.

 

Goal was 4:45. Finished in 5:31.26. I walked - slowly - about 30 minutes after the bonk.

Going through it with my training buddies, I realized A) I didn't eat and drink enough and B) I shouldn't have run a PR in the 5K, 10K and half to open the race. They're all experienced marathoners and ultra runners (a couple of them are running Pike's Peak in a couple of weeks) and assured me it was common rookie mistake.

 

How old are you? I ran my first one at age 24 - in 5:05.

There is virtually no way to recover once you hit the wall, "bonk," etc. It's not like aren't trying hard enough. Your legs just won't do it.

I was in horrendous pain last year for at least an hour after the race. Worst I've ever experienced after one.

I played it pretty well, too. I went out fairly slow and then made up time gradually. My training just didn't support my goal time, ultimately. Not enough miles per week for long enough.