Dear Coach Jay,

My name is Anna. I am a entering my final HS outdoor track season this spring and hoping to set some big PRs!

Over the past two seasons, I’ve run really well in the mile. I hold our school record, with a big PR at the end of last season. My time was 5:06. Prior to that, my PR (from sophomore year) was 5:13. I’ve also broken 2:20 in the 800 four times over the last two seasons in outdoor meets.

Going into this final HS track season, I am running strong, and my fitness level is possibly the best it’s ever been. I’ve put in a solid winter base-training regimen, and I am now ready to work on my speed. I have a great coach, but I am wondering what you consider the one key workout you’d recommend for the track to really ensure that I am ready to race fast in the 800m and the mile this year. OR: …the one key track workout you’d recommend to really ensure that…?

Thanks, Coach Jay. My HS coach and I hope to hear your opinion!
Anna

Congratulations, Anna, on your PRs. Hopefully you can break the five-minute barrier this spring!

The first thing I'd like you to do is read this short paragraph on speed: http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_training-en_US/2011/08/18/what-do-you-mean-when-you-say-speed-work. To me, speed is the fastest you can possibly run…and you can run that speed only for 30m or so. A pace of 2:16 for 800m or a pace of 4:56 for 1,600m isn’t speed; rather, it’s 68 per 400m and 74 per 400m. Or if you break it down to 200s, that’s 34 and 37 seconds, respectively. No doubt you can run 200m faster than 34 seconds. So never use the term “speed” when you’re referring to workouts run at an 800m pace or a 1,600m pace, but rather use the term “race-pace work.”

So the question is: when should you be doing faster strides—800m pace or faster—and when should you be doing race-pace workouts—workouts that will help you “dial into” PR pace? I think you should be doing strides—80m to 150m—three times a week. They should be run at an 800m pace or faster, depending on how you feel. And they should be run in your spikes. 

In terms of workouts, there are many you could do to go from 5:06 to sub 5:00, but one that I really like goes as follows. Run 5 x 300m with a 200m recovery jog (this will add up to 2,300m of total running). This is a continuous workout: you run 300m, go right into a 200m recovery jog, and then go right back into a timed 300m…with no breaks. Run the 300s at 51 seconds, which is 4:56 1,600m pace. Try to hit the 300s right on the nose—right at 51:0—and the first time you do this, don’t worry about how fast the recovery jog is. Take your total time, including the recovery. Once you’ve done 5 x 300m with 200m recovery, then take 5 to 10 minutes of easy jogging, and then do it again (so another 5 x 300m with 200m recovery). Repeat this workout every 2–3 weeks. The goal is not to run the 300s faster (you’re already practicing PR pace) but rather to squeeze down the pace on the 200m recovery so that by the last couple of 300s you’re practically running threshold pace in between the 300s.  After one set of 5 x 300m with 200m recovery, take the same 5- to 10-minute recovery before the next set.

The reason I like that workout is threefold. First, you get in 3,000m of work at a 1,600m pace, which is a solid workout. Second, 300s are easy mentally, and even if you’re having a bit of an off day, you can still run quality 300s (though your 200m recoveries may have to be slower). Finally, if you’re feeling well and having a good day at the track, you’ll be able to run the 200m recoveries at a good pace. This workout forces your body to deal with lactate during that 200m recovery, and the metabolic adaptations that take place will help you reach your goals for later in the year.

Good luck, Anna. Stay patient and positive this year, and I wish you the best in your quest to run PRs.

Jay