A few running questions?

Question

I have been for about 2 years now and I have improved greatly from were I started. Especially after joining track this past April. My pace has improved a lot and I ran 4 miles in 27:30 yesterday. I have been kinda stuck between 6:45-7:00 minutes miles and I was wondering has I could lower this. I've heard of fartlek workouts, tempo runs, interval workouts, and even running hills. I was also wondering how many days a week I should run? I like to stick with 3-4 days a week and have a day off in between to just stretch and do basic strength/core workouts. Is that okay? Should I be running more days? I plan on joinng cross country this fall and I'm a senior.

Answer 1

Back in the day, when I used to run, I ran 7 days a week, 3 times a day for a total of 10 miles each day. This was through town, hills and corners and would always finish my route by giving everything I had into the last hill. I lived to run and got faster and faster with each week.  I felt like c**p if I skipped a day and could barely get started if I missed two.

Answer 2

Fartlek and interval training increase your acceleration. Doing them will definitely help, bet i recommend you start running farther.

Answer 3

I'd say increase your days running to 6 a week, use the 30%-20%-10% method, and finally for speed (once you have a good base), make 1 day a week at the track doing 10x100s.  Run the straights hard, fast, controlled, relaxed; then recover, relax, jog, walk the turns.

Good Luck

Answer 4

your question to weather you should run more often you could go to 4 or 5 days a week but slowly!

doing cross country will really help! you may find the first few harder but just keep at it and you will really feel the benefit!

interval training will benefit you more that fartlek but try both and see which one works best for you and your lifestlye.

Also running hills would help (especially as you are going to do corss countrys) sprint up a hill a couple of times when you are out on your run, your recovery can be walking back down. you can increase the amount of reps you do as time goes by... but make sure you always push yourself!

good luck.