Extremely Experienced Runners: need race week advice

Options
TheLaser
TheLaser Posts: 338 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This post is directed at extremely experienced runners who regularly compete and do track workouts as part of their training. (I have been running and competing almost my whole life, but I rarely do 5K's, so this is where I need some advice!) I am signed up for a 5K next Saturday and a 25K on the Saturday after that. I don't have a lot of training miles under my belt this season yet because of an injury that I crosstrained through over the winter, so I'm a bit nervous about the 25K, but I also don't want to completely throw the 5K. Last week,in terms of meaningful training I did 1-2 long runs and 2 track workouts (one sprint repeats and one a speed distance workout of mile repeats). This week I didn't get in the second long run but did more track workouts in anticipation of the 5K.
So the question is: what do I do next week? I'm thinking the long run on Monday (I can't on Sunday), Tuesday is an easy run, and Wednesday is a shorter sprint workout. (and then easy stuff until the race.) Or is a Wednesday sprint cutting it too close to the race? I'd prefer not to do the long run and the sprints back to back, but if I have to I will.

Replies

  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Options
    I wouldn't do a track session during a taper week at all tbh.

    Most of my speed sessions are 10-12km, so I'd probably just do it as easy pace instead of speed.
  • Vladimirnapkin
    Vladimirnapkin Posts: 299 Member
    Options
    If your mileage is high, and you're deep into a training cycle, then you can do a moderate track workout early in the taper week. If you are, as you described, just ramping up your training, you will not recover in time for your 5k. Rule of thumb for recovery/response to any new training stimulus is 10 days. This gets longer as you get older.

    So, no sprinting on Wednesday. You could do an easy stride session, where you just roll up to speed and then roll back down, about 10 times during an otherwise easy run. These are literally 10 second strides. You want to be rolling back down before your heart rate starts to climb. You should finish feeling refreshed and ready to go, not tired.

    Good luck!

Categories