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any runners in OT? advice needed

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  1. dcodez dcodez is offline

    Tucson, AZ
    United States

    Posts: 466
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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 2:17pm)

    what's the quickest and best way to train to increase your running speed? i took a challenge with 3 of my friends to see who could run the fastest 5 mile run by the end of april. problem is, until last month i had never run more than a mile and that was maybe 12 years ago. i'm pretty out of shape, and the other problem is that they're all marathon runners.

    anyway, last month i started running and i can go the distance, but i need to shave some serious time off if i'm going to compete. luckily, they're not super speedy, so i think it could be possible for me to be a contender if i can somehow drop 4 or 5 minutes.

    what type of runs are best to do, and how often? i've read about farklet or something on a few running sites, but i haven't found any good sites that go into too much detail.
  2. that_pope that_pope is offline la la la...I'm so sexy

    Tempe, AZ
    United States

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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 2:18pm) in reply to dcodez

    I ran a half marathon 3 years ago and also do a yearly 4.2 mile run, which is this Saturday: Pat's Run in honor of Pat Tillman.

    Go Sun Devils!!!
  3. Wretchy Wretchy is offline whatslogic

    Las Vegas, NV
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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 2:22pm) in reply to dcodez

    if you have to run 4-5 miles, get to the point where you can run 8-10 easily, From there, train doing 800 repeats ( 2 laps around a track ) to get your time down. also, when you're out running miles, run hard for 30 seconds, rest 60 seconds jogging, and then run hard another 30 seconds. That will also help with your speed. Speed in distance = consistancy running miles.
     
  4. dcodez dcodez is offline

    Tucson, AZ
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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 3:07pm) in reply to Wretchy

    could you explain the 800 repeat? should this be done as fast as you can go? how many should i do and how long should i rest between them?
    Thread Starter
  5. mkvandy03 mkvandy03 is offline Moderator

    Seattle, WA
    United States

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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 3:54pm) in reply to dcodez

    Yeah, you need to do interval training to get some speed. Back in cross country, the hardest workouts were up to 8 800m repeats or 16 400m repeats. I'm not sure how fast you are, but you should do them at about 70-80% effort, with two 800's or four 400's in a set, with a minute or two break between them, and a few minute break between sets. I'd start off with fewer and see how you do, but these workouts will kick your ass if you do them right and greatly help you improve. If you try to do too many at first, though, they can also give you leg problems. Also, if you have a nice long, steep hill around you, try some hill training where you run (similar speed to intervals) up and slow jog back down a bunch of times.
     
  6. cdmalgee cdmalgee is offline

    Lynchburg, VA
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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 4:57pm) in reply to mkvandy03

    mkvandy is right on with this one --- intervals and hill training are going to increase your speed...

    check out www.halhigdon.com -- I think most of his training stuff is set up around an 8-12 week schedule, but just follow the last 4 weeks for his 10k training and you should be more than ready...

    GL to ya (I'm a pack and a half a day smoker <and a pothead>, and I just did the Monument Avenue 10k in Richmond last weekend) --- it can be done!!!
  7. 1.21Gigawatts 1.21Gigawatts is offline

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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 5:00pm) in reply to dcodez

    That's a pretty ballsy bet to make against two marathon runners. Did they give you a handicap?
  8. dcodez dcodez is offline

    Tucson, AZ
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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 7:01pm) in reply to 1.21Gigawatts

    thanks for the info, i'm going to do some hill training tonight and will try out those 800's later in the week.

    no handicap giga.., but no money on the line or anything. just pride. i'd love to show up out of nowhere and beat these guys.. or at least not come in dead last. when the challenge was first issued, i thought there would be a pretty slim chance i could even run a full 5 mile run by the end of april.. now that i've got that under my belt, i figure i should try my hardest to be a contender.
    Thread Starter
  9. ShortyJacksn ShortyJacksn is offline

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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 7:04pm) in reply to dcodez

    find out the course and figure out all the shortcuts now
  10. hldngaflush hldngaflush is offline UT Homer

    Nashville, TN
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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 7:06pm) in reply to dcodez

    buy a carton of Marlboro Menthols and try smoking them all within 2 days. This should greatly increase your 5 mile time.
  11. dcodez dcodez is offline

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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 7:12pm) in reply to dcodez

    3 marathon runners actually, and then me.

    and as far as how fast i am, i'm pretty slow. currently clocking in around 45-46mins and they're not too fast either around 40 to 42 mins. seeing anything but dead last is probably never going to happen.. i'll post an update with results.
    Thread Starter
  12. PokerLungs PokerLungs is offline

    Asheville, NC
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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 10:58pm) in reply to dcodez

    Something else to try is a training method called "fartleks". Yes it's really called that. It's Swedish I believe. Anyway, on your long(er) runs, say, more than a couple of miles, you would run your normal pace for maybe a minute or two, then all of a sudden, start sprinting, and keep this up for 30 seconds. Slow back down to normal pace, but do not stop moving. This will greatly increase your speed and kick at middle distances like (5 miles). The 800 (2 laps on a track) repeats also should work quite well.
  13. BigGunX BigGunX is offline Mr OT Party

    Williamsburg, VA
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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 11:02pm) in reply to PokerLungs

    ^^^What PokerLungs said. Fartlek runs are great. The US Army uses 'em in their training programs all the time.

    However, you're fucked. I would bet any amount of money you are not able to beat these guys with less than 1 month training. Not if you're out of shape and have never run more than a mile at a time.
     
  14. ShooterJ ShooterJ is offline

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    Apr 5th, 2007 (4/5/2007 11:07pm) in reply to PokerLungs

    runnersworld.com is a good site that has some training programs

    they have a few articles on increasing speed

    first you have to focus on endurance before speed, but once you have that intervels and hill repeats
  15. terva terva is offline

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    Apr 6th, 2007 (4/6/2007 12:36am) in reply to BigGunX

    What BGX said. gg bet, hope it's not money or anything embarrassing for you to do.

    gl with training tho
  16. dcodez dcodez is offline

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    Apr 6th, 2007 (4/6/2007 12:47am) in reply to BigGunX

    i'll give the fartleks a whirl. i did some hill runs tonight as somebody suggested above.

    bgx, i have run more than 1 mile at a time, now.. i started training a couple of weeks ago and have a bunch of 2 and 3 mile runs under my belt and 2 five+ mile runs. i think i'm fucked, but i still want to give it my best shot. i think i could shave at least a couple more minutes off my pace and not look too bad.
    Thread Starter
  17. Sluggle Sluggle is offline

    Minneapolis, MN
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    Apr 6th, 2007 (4/6/2007 1:00am) in reply to BigGunX

    Fartleks and interval training will both definitely help your speed but you simply can't shave 5 minutes off a 4.5 mile run in a month's time. It usually takes about 2 weeks time for your training to really show in a race.

    Only advice I can give is make sure you warm up, stretch, do your run, and then stretch again. Make sure you are stretching right too-- include that stretch where you sit down with one leg stretched out and the other one arched up and over the leg; it stretches the hip flexor and I remember my cross country coach saying stretching that muscle will absolutely make you faster.
     
  18. 1.21Gigawatts 1.21Gigawatts is offline

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    Apr 6th, 2007 (4/6/2007 1:03am) in reply to dcodez

    Sometimes you make bets like these for the sole purpose of proving to yourself that you can do it. Mind over matter. You went from an out-of-shape guy who's never run more than a mile to someone who can now do 5+ miles.

    I'd say you already won the race...

    (Gay Posts, by 1.21Gigawatts)
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