Sub 20, sub 90 and sub 40 in 2018

[Flaskpastorn]

Hi everyone

Found out about Tinman training on letsrun.com, which led me to this wonderful forum.
I'm a 31 y.o from Sweden, trying to set some PB's in 2018 and I thought i would share my training. I've been running for a few years, and have been "serious" about it in the last year and a half or so.
Discovered Tinman style training in June 2017. Went from a 1:52 HM / 52 min 10k in may 2017 to a 1:36 HM in October and a 42 min 10k in December. I was extremely pleased with this development.
I recently came off a very unsuccessful marathon cycle (Jack Daniels 2Q) which was plagued with injuries and ended in a big fat DNF. Trying to do too much too soon I guess. Ridiculous to try to train for a marathon off a 30 MPW base, eh?

Now I'm back on Tinman training, focusing on shorter distances with the goal of running a sub 20 5k in September, a sub 90 HM in October and a sub 40 10k in December.

So here's the base training I'm doing now (plan on doing this until the end on July). Note that I run to work on all weekdays (one way only), which is a 20 minute commute. Then I do my PM session after I get home. So I'm doubling all weekdays.

Mon: Fartlek 6 x 2 min CV + 4 x 30 sek mile pace (or similar workout)
Tue: 30-45 min easy
Wed: 30-45 min easy + hills sprints (3 x 8 sec right now)
Thu: Tempo run (usually 30-40 minute Tinman tempo or 3-4 x 1500 meter at Daniels T-pace)
Fri: 30-45 min easy
Sat: 75 - 90 min long run
Sun: Off

I usually end up around 45 MPW. I'm trying to listen to my body and not count the milage until after the week, but I'm hoping to be consistent at 50 MPW by the end of the summer. 60 MPW would be even better

My thought is to start getting a bit more specific by august and do a 2 week cycle as I've seen in other Tinman threads. Some feedback on this would be greatly appreciated. I'm thinking about doing something like this:

Week 1:
Mon: CV-reps 4-5 x 1k + 4 x 30 sec mile pace (or similar workout)
Tue: 30-45 min easy
Wed: 30-45 min easy + hills sprints (3 x 8 sec right now)
Thu: Fartlek 30 sec - 3 min in 3k to 10k-pace (emphasis depending on next race)
Fri: 30-45 min easy
Sat: 90 - 120 min long run (tempo finish if I'm feeling it)
Sun: Off

Week 2:
Mon: CV-reps 4-5 x 1k + 4 x 30 sec mile pace (or similar workout)
Tue: 30-45 min easy
Wed: 30-45 min easy + hills sprints (3 x 8 sec right now)
Thu: Some kind of tempo run
Fri: 30-45 min easy
Sat: 90 - 120 min long run or 5-10k RACE (in which case I would skip the tempo)
Sun: Off


So first I would have 6 weeks after base training before my goal 5k race. Then 5 weeks before my goal HM. Then finally 7 weeks before my goal 10k race which is my top priority. I thought maybe it would be a good idea to shift the focus of my workouts depending on my next goal race. Or would I be better served to just train for the 10K?
I really do enjoy CV-reps and fartleks but perhaps I would be better served to do race specific every week instead, and alternate between tempos and CV-reps on the other day?
Any input would be appreciated. Do you think my goals are doable, or am I dreaming?

Big thanks to Tinman and everyone on this forum. This really is a great place.
//Flask

[Flaskpastorn]

Just a quick update. I've been continuing with my base training, but with a little bit more work at mile pace. I had a mile race last weekend and managed 5:40.5. Decided to run a 5k time trial today on the track and ran 19:32 (with a strong headwind down one straight). So it would seem that my modest workouts is still paying off. Happy with my development and I'd say sub 90 and sub 40 is looking good.

I've decided to simplify my training after the base training. I'll be doing a tempo workout each week, and alternate CV intervals with faster or more race specific work. Keep it simple stupid.

Cheers

[Flaskpastorn]

Some more updates: I went a little overboard with the speed training this summer and suffered a nasty case of medial tibial stress syndrome. Tried to run through it for a few weeks, including a 5:08 1500m, as I have successfully done before, but this time it didn't work. Had to cancel my fall half marathon. It's been nearly two months since my last good week of running, but I am cheerful. I've been pool running 5-7 hrs every week, and also some biking and elliptical. I'm currently on a gradual return program, right now jogging 20 miles per week, and I've upped my water running and elliptical work to almost 90 minutes every day.

I hope to be doing some TT and CV work in a couple of weeks. I have my goal 10k i Spain in early December. Will post the result, I'm hell bent on getting my sub 40.

[Massey]

Judging by all this, you've had a great year. minus that tibial stress syndrome. It happens and I'm sure you'll bounce back. How are the preparations for the early December run going?

[Flaskpastorn]

Happy to give an update! I got my shin healed up and in September I started a 4 week "return to running after SFX-program", found here: http://www.runningwritings.com/2015/04/ ... ay-to.html.

After 2 months of barely any running (but almost daily water running) my fitness felt alright, but my calves and ankles felt terrible.

After that I increased my milage to 30 MPW over two weeks, running exclusively on grass and only really easy jogging. I tried jogging for 8 miles and it felt like a long run. I kept my milage at 30 MPW over three weeks, and continued my ridiculously easy jogging (like 10-10:30 min/miles). After that I caught a cold and had a nice down week.

This was 5 weeks before my 10k in Spain and I felt very slow. I immediatly increased my milage to 45 mpw and kept most runs very easy. I felt like I could handle jogging well, but I was afraid of intensity. I did (and am currently doing) some kind of Lydiard style marathon conditioning, but substituted many aerobic runs with really easy jogging. A typical week would look like this:

Mon: off
Tue: 90 min EZ
Wed: Easy fartlek on grass (a stride here, a hill sprint there... some 2 min pickups at around CV pace)
Thur: 90 min EZ
Fri: 30 min jog
Sat: 1 hour tempo @ Tinman easy tempo effort (around 7:40 miles for me)
Sun: 2 hour EZ long run

Come race day I felt about as fit as I did when I ran my 19:32 5k. I managed to run 40:30 for my 10k and I'm happy with that. I don't know if my approach was optimal, but I'm feeling very good.

I'm doing another 10k on New Years eve and I will make a push for sub 40. I'm confident that if I just keep the ball rolling, I'll reach my goals very soon. I plan to slowly increase my CV work, and eventually do some CV intervals. I really like to do my tempos at around EZ tempo pace, but perhaps I'll gradually shift them towards Tinman Tempo effort.