by Larry EderMy first track race was in my freshman year at DeSmet High School in Creve, Couer, Missouri. That was 1972. We were running against a junior high team, and there was a freshman there who had run a sub-five minute mile. I was terrified before my first track race. I believe, I ran a 6:13 mile. The winner ran 4:57, which was amazing to me.
My coach, Jim Marheinecke told me I could run that fast some day, I had to be patient. I thought Brother Jim was absolutely out of his mind. I would die before I ran that, I thought in my 14 year old brain.
Warming up, photo by Justin Britton
Two years later, after two good cross country seasons, and a Winter of training, I broke five minutes for the first time. I believe, it was a 4:56.4 mile, on the dirt track at Bellarmine, in late February 1975. Truth was, it felt much easier than the six minute mile I had run two years before. That is how your body progresses under progressive and consistent training.
Saturday, February 11, 2017. Race day. Race 800m, 1000 meters or 2 miles. If you can not race, do the following: Warm Up, Short Fartlek workout. Forty minute fartlek, one minute fast, one minute slow, repeat 20 times, cooldown easy three miles.
Week Four, Spring 2017, Indoor Season/Winter Training
This program, for the next twelve weeks, will be geared for 800 meters to 5000 meters, and for thos who may run indoors, but the focus is outdoors.
Monday, Warm up, 6 mile run, 6 x 150 meter stride outs. Push ups, sit ups (bent leg), Ten each, cooldown.
Tuesday, Warm up, Sub maximal interval workout, 12 times 400 meters at current two mile race pace (if you can run 10 minutes, then, that means 75 seconds, if you can run 11 minutes, that means 82 seconds).with 200 meter jog (keep moving), in between). On last two repeats of 400 (11, 12 of 12 x400 meters, run the last two at your current mile pace, with 200 meter job. Ten push ups, ten sit ups, cooldown. No spikes, this workout in flats.
Wednesday, Warm up, 6 miles, on soft surfaces, 6 times 150 meters, Ten sit ups and ten push ups, cooldown.
Thursday, Warm up, 4 times 800 meters, 400 meter jog in between, 800 meter repeats at 800m for your current mile, 6 x 300 meters, 300 meters at pace of 400 meter for current mile for first four, run last two 300 meters as fast as you can. 200 meter jog in between each 300 meters. Ten push ups, ten sit ups, then cooldown.
Friday, Warm up, easy, three miles to five miles, soft ground, and finish with 6 x 150 meters, cooldown, plus five push ups, five bent leg sit ups.
Saturday, Race day. Race 800m, 1000 meters or 2 miles. If you can not race, do the following: Warm Up, Short Fartlek workout. Forty minute fartlek, one minute fast, one minute slow, repeat 20 times, cooldown easy three miles.
Sunday, Long run, 9-10 miles, with warm up and cooldown and yes, push ups and sit ups.
