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TrainingWorkoutfora6minutemileWrittenbyErikJanuary19,2006

Haveyoubeenlookingfortrainingtipstobreakthe6minutemile?Wellyouvecometotherightplace.Ihavetrainedforcompetitioninthemileforabout7yearstotal,in7thgradeIbeganandbroke6minutesin8th.ThroughhighschoolIran,trainingforrunningjustduringthe3monthsthatistrackseason.Iwasabletogetmytimesdowntothelow4:20'sandowemostofthattocoachingandtraining.

WithinthispostIamgoingtooutlineabasictrainingschedulesoyouwillbeabletoruna6minutemile,orfaster.Therearealsosomemilestonesyoushouldreachalongtheway,andsomeguidelinestotellyouifyouarereadytorunbelow6minutes.Iwouldliketostartoutbygivingawarning:IFYOUHAVENTBEENACTIVEATALLFORTHEPAST5MONTHSJUMPINGINTOTRAININGFORAFASTMILEWILLONLYHURTYOU.

NowontheotherhandifyouhavebeenactiveandwhatImeanbythisisgettingyourheartrateup,andmoreimportantlyallowingyourlegsjointsandmusclestoseesimilarimpactthattheywillseeinrunning;suchasrunning,basketball,soccer,somebiking,etc,thenyoushouldbeOK.Ijustwanttopointoutthatyoushouldconsultadoctorbeforeyoustartanytraining.

Nowontotraining.Ifyouhavebeenrunningandwanttogetyourtimedownthe

followingtrainingroutinesshouldhelpyouout.Ihavesplititupintoa13weekswithmilestones.IfyoureachthemilestonesearlieryoucanfeelfreetojumpaheadtothenextportionoftrainingbutIrecommend,foryourlongtermrunninghealth,stickwiththetimeline.

Threethingsyouwanttokeeptrackof:1.TotalMileage,2.LongRunPace,3.Howyourlegsfeel.Youwanttokeepyourtotalmileageupatfirstandtaperdownwhenitcomestoracetime,knowingwhatyouranisagoodwaytodothis.Yourlongerruns,onyoursocalleddaysoff,shouldntalwaysbeatthesamepace.Theserunsarewhatwewilluseasindicatorsforhowyouareprogressing.Lastly,ifyoudontkeeptrackofhowyourlegsfeelhowwillyouknowhowtobackoffsoyoudontgetinjured?

BaseBuilding

Ifyouvebeenrunningmorethan20milesaweekyoucanskiptoWeek3

Week1

Non-runner:Startoutslow,run3timesthisweekandrun1to3miles.Justgetusedtoit

Recreationalrunner:Iassumeyourun2or3timesaweekalready,ormore.Continuethisbutkeeptrackofyourpace,whatyouranforeachmile.Youshouldberunningeachmileinatleast8:00to8:30,thatsminutesandseconds.Runabout2-4mileseachrun.

ProgressedRunner:Youprobablyarerunning20milesormoreaweek.Keepthisupbutmakesureyouarerunningfasterthan8:30pace.

IhavefoundtheslowerIrunthemorepainitcausesmyjoints.Allthatpounding,therewasnomomentumcarryingmyweightforward,itwasallgoingintomyknees,shinsandankles.Pickupthepaceyoullneedto.

Week2

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Non-runner:Ifyourehurting,asinshinsandknees,consultadoctororrunless,thismaytakeyoualittlelonger,repeatweek1eitherway.

Recreationrunner:Repeatweek1butaddsomestridesattheendoftwoofyourrunningdays.Preferablyongrassfindadistancethatis50-150yardsandrunatafastpacetakinglongstrides.Stoprestandrunback.Do5ofthesethisweek.

ProgressedRunner:Repeatweek1aswellandaddsomestridesjustliketherecreationalrunner.

Week3

Non-runner:Wearestillbuildingabaseherebutyoushouldbeuptoatleast8milesofrunningaweekallatabout8:30pace,maybefaster.Trydoingstrides,50-150yardsongrassysurface,runningatafastpace,stridingoutyourlegs.

RecreationalRunner:Youveprobablyhadaneasytimewiththisandshouldberunning8to12milesthisweek(ormore).Tryandbumpyourrunningupto4timesthisweek,moreifyoucanhandleit.Dostridesagain,5timesattheendof3runs.

Progressedrunner:Youreprobablyrunning5timesaweek,justremembertokeepthepacebelow8minutespermile.Dostrides3timesthisweek.

Week4Thiswillbethelastweekofbasebuilding

Non-runner:Youmighthaveoneortwomoreweeksofbasebuilding.Ifyouhaventbeenabletorunatleast10mileswithinaweekallatbelow8:30pacegobacktoweek2andfollowthroughonthesteps.Trustmeyoullbeglad.

RecreationalrunnerandProgressedrunner:Youbothshouldbeatabout12-20milesaweek,andeachmileshouldbebetterthan8:30pace.Finishoffweekfourwiththesameamountasinweek3aswellasdoingthesameamountofstrides.Takenoteofyourlegsandmakesuretostopifyoufeelpainintheshins.Dontgoslower,yourelegswillbejunkifyouslowdownyourpace,trustme.

GetontheTrack

Onceyouvegotupto10-20milesperweekofrunningat8:30orbetterpaceyoullneedtofindaroutethatisahalfamilelong.Ipreferatrackbutifyoudonthaveaccesstothatlookforahalfmilelooponatrail,andthenifyoudonthavethatgotoaroad(notthebestforyourlegs).Thisiswhereyouwillbeginreallytrainingtorunafastermiletime.Iwillwritethisinweekformatsasabovebutassumeyounowknowwhatpaceisandmileage.

Warm-ups:Yourwarm-upsshouldstartoffslow(notslowerthan8:30pace)untilyougetloose,Isuggestrunningforabout10minutes.Remembertostretch.

Cool-down:Yourcool-downtimeshouldbeabout5-10minutes,justgetyourlegs

backtoresting.Remembertostretch.

Pace:Youshouldrunyourworkouts(800s,400s,and200s)allatthesamepace.Checkyourwatchat200metersoreven100metersforeachlapandmakesureyouareonpacefortocompletethelapsforthecorrecttime.

Week5Runner Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat SunBeginner1318miles 23miles 2X800@3:30pace 23milesoff 24miles off 35miles

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Recreational2227miles 2-4miles 3X800@3:30pace 24miles 24miles 24miles off 46miles

Week6

RepeatWeek1,youdontwantyourlegsbeingmadbecauseyoubegantodosomespeedwork.Justmakesureyouaredoingyourmileageat8:30paceorbetter.

Week7

Allrunsthisweekshouldberunat8minutemilepaceorbetter.Ifyouarentusedtoityoumayhavedifficultythefirst1or2runs.Butstickwithit,youllgetusedtoit.Runner Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat SunBeginner1520miles 23miles 2X800@3:25pace 23milesoff 24miles off 35milesRecreational2328miles 2-4miles 3X800@3:15pace 24miles 24miles 24miles off 46miles

Week8

Againallrunsthisweekshouldberunat8minutemilepaceorbetter.Thisweekwillprobablybethehardestweekforyourtrackworkoutday.Youshouldtryandgetthefirsttwo800'sinthecorrecttime.Theremainingtwoyoushouldof

courseworkyourhardesttogettheminthecorrecttimebutifyouslipdontthinkitstheendoftheworld.Justmakesureyoudontslipbelowyourpacefromlastweekforyour800's(5secondsslowerthanthisweek.)

Nextweekwewillgoforone800atbelow6minutemilepace.Youwillhavetopushyourselfsopracticepushingyourselfthisweek.Runner Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat SunBeginner1520miles 2-3miles 3X800@3:25pace 23milesoff 24miles off 35milesRecreational2328miles 2-4miles 3X800@3:15pace 24miles 24miles 24miles off 46miles

Week9

Keepgoingat8minutepace.Thisshouldbegettingeasyforyoubynow.

Non-Runners.Doonemoreweeklikeweek7butdropthe800timeto3:20.Fortheothertwogoontothefollowingweek9workouts.Runner Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat SunBeginner1520miles 2-3miles 3X800@3:20pace 23milesoff 24miles off 35milesRecreational2328miles 2-4miles 3X800@3:00X1,3:15X2pace 24miles 24miles 24miles off 46miles

Week10

Youshouldnowtryforrunsof7:45paceorbetterforeveryone.Ifyoucangettothispointandyouwereabletocompletelastweeks800workoutthenyouareonyourwaytorunninga6minutemile!Thatsonly90secondquarters,thereforewewillnowthrowintothemixacoupleof400meterruns(400yardsifthatseasierforyou,itscloseenough.)Weregoingtothrowintwoworkoutsthisweek.Itshouldntbetoobadifyouhavebeenabletocompletethemileageandpaceasofyet.Almostthere.Runner Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat SunBeginner1520miles 2-3miles 3X800@3:20pace 23milesoff 2X400@1:45pace off 35miles

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Recreational2328miles 2-4miles 3X800@3:00X1,3:15X2pace 24miles 24miles 3X400@1:30pace off 46miles

Week11

Remembertokeeprunning7:45paceforallyourruns,ifyoucangofasterthenbyallmeansgofasterjustdontburnyourbodyout.Thisweekwewillspeedupour400'sjustalittlemore.Foryounon-runnersyouwillfinallyrunapacefasterthan6minutemilepace.Pushyourselftogetthereandyouwillreaptherewardssoon.Runner Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

BeginTheTAPER

Week12

Youreveryclosenow.Thenexttwoweekswewilldosomethingcalledtapering.Yourlegshavebeengettingusedtorunningalotofmilesatdecentpace,buildingstrengthandspeed.Nowyouwillrunlessintenseworkoutsandyourlegswillgetenergizedforyoutorunthat6minutemileorbetter.Runner Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

Week13

Thelastweek.Runatadecentpaceforyourregularruns.Ifyouwerefindingiteasytorunat7:45pacethenkeepitup.Ifthatwasastruggledontworryaboutslowingdownthisweek,yourlegswillloveyou.Runalittlelessmileagethisweekandenjoytherest.YoushouldplantorunthemileovertheweekendbutifyoucantrunafewmilessuchasFridayandSaturdaythedaysleadinguptotherun.Dosomeextrastridesifyouneedforsomeofthedaysleadingup.Runner Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

The6MinutedayandPacingThereyouhaveit,13weekstoa6minutemile.Thedayoftheraceyoushouldgooveryourusualraceroutine.Ifyoudonthaveonetreatitlikeaworkoutday.Warmupforabout10minutes.Stretch,dosomestrides,stretchsomemoreandt

hengetreadytorun!Ifyouwereabletofinishalltheworkoutsyoushouldbeabletoeasilyruna6minutemile.IfyouarelookingforpacingIwillonlymentionthatIliketousethepyramidideal.Runyourfirstandlastlapthesamebutfasterthanyourmiddletwolapswhichshouldbethesameaseachother.Takethisforinstance:

85seconds95seconds95seconds85seconds

Whenyougettothelast200meters,kick,kick,kick.Youwilldoit.

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