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Runner's Training Tips: Speed Workouts too fast or goal too slow?

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    • CommentAuthorFree Memberbudino
    • CommentTimeAug 20th 2008
     
    budino

    Hello!

    I am in training for a half-marathon in october.  I ran one in may where I did a 1:54:45.  I am hoping to get my time down around 1:50.  I have been doing both tempo runs and intervals to increase my speed.  However, when I do these speed workouts, I always end up going roughly 30-40 seconds faster than the suggested paces for these workouts.  I dont feel horrible or in pain or completely out of breath when I do this.  So I am wondering if I should just keep doing what I am doing as long as I feel okay or should I try to slow down to reduce risk of injury?  I also then wonder that if I am able to run faster, is my goal to slow, should I try to make my goal faster to correlate to my speed workouts?  If this is the case, then I am on track to do less than 1:45 and that seems really fast.   

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberspudsmac12
    • CommentTimeAug 21st 2008 edited
     
    spudsmac12
    That depends, the paces are only recommendations and your body is the best judge of what you are doing. Keep in mind that their are differences in cruise, stamina and speed work outs. As long as you understand what they should feel then your doing fine. It also depends on how recent your 1:54:45 was, if you've improved since then your training paces will be slower then they should. Generally I don't increase my pace until I have increased my distance. So before dropping a couple of secs off of a 6x4 I'll run a couple of 8x4 or 10x4 before a couple of times prior. You can also reduce your recovery time, depending on the work out.
    • CommentAuthorFree Membermeeneghan
    • CommentTimeOct 1st 2008
     
    meeneghan
    You may want to check out Greg McMillan's web site.  He has a running calculator (link in upper right-hand corner).  You plug in your recent race (or goal) time and it will spit out a range of appropriate paces for various workouts, including track work.  I've found it very helpful.  It's not the end-all be-all, but at least it will give you a reference point.  Good luck!
  4.  
    runlikeagirl1982

    The best way to tell if you're going too fast or not is to train according to your heart rate.  I'm currently training for a marathon and that is how I train.  What u have to do first is calculate your max heart rate, then find out what your lactate threshold is which is usually between 85 to 90% of your max heart rate...my max is 195 and my lactate threshold is 173.  So, when i do tempo runs I where a hr monitor and keep my hr at 173. any higher than 173 would build too much latic acid.  You're wanting to train your body to run a long time while accumilating little latic acid. 

    Check this site out for a better explanation and to find your max heart rate:

    http://pfitzinger.com/labreports/hrm.shtml

    when you do speedwork/interval runs that is when you can go full out b/c these workouts work your VO2 Max.  Make sure you're doing recovery runs and using the hard easy principle so your body can rebuild after hard workouts.  Hope this helps!

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