I always trust Asics - not much hype but have done the job for years… 1000 series if you have mild stability issues (2000 series is better but only really needed if you start running serious miles) If you are neutral the Gel Cumulus is lovely. There are lots of new brands, but their lack of history means that although they make some good shoes, there isn’t the consistency across the range. I do most of any run training in a set of 1000s (when my calf is ok) and race and only race in some Saucony Endorphin pro carbon plate racers.
If you haven’t try the not that expensive plated offering from different manufacturers, that might be a starting point.
I feel you when it come to how you like the shoes. I was on your same boat until recently. But then, thanks to a deep discount on Saucony endorphin pro, I’ve been spoiled forever. I have a pair of adios 4, that have probably less than 50 miles on them. The Boston that I bought at the same time have more miles, but still have a ton left on them. I just stopped wearing them thanks the the endorphin line…
I recently got the endorphin speed, and it’s a fantastic shoe for long run and easy runs and really anything.
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If you had to make the biggest impact (from a pretty low base) on your 5k time in 7 weeks what would you do?
Strides, 400, 800 and mile repeats!
Depends on your recent run history really, but yes intervals would likely feature
What he said with regards to strides, which you can do several times a week in just about every run.
I’d keep the 400’s/800’s/mile repeats at 5k or faster pace to once a week.
Also don’t underestimate the value of adding easy miles (easy being 2 or more minutes per mile slower than your target 5k pace). Just about every runner I know has a 5K PR that occurred during marathon training. In 7 weeks, you should be able to build to a pretty decent number of weekly miles followed by a 14ish day taper and then let it rip. Keep the 10% build per week rule of thumb in mind.
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I would do something like this:
Week 1 & 2:
Slowly increase mileage. Not too much too fast. Do this for 2 weeks. As mentioned add in strides, but also do a “longer” run (don’t need to go crazy here, if you are running 3-4 mile runs than maybe 5-6) and an “up-tempo” run. This can be done by negative splitting a run, cutting down the pace as you go or just by picking up the last mile, etc.
Week 3 & 4:
1 tempo/fartlek run. This can be done in the form of repeats with short rest or something like “straights and bends” (i.e. 2 x 2k striaghts @ tempo. bends at training pace). 1 day of hill repeats & 1 longer run. Recovery runs in between.
Week 5 & 6:
1 day of longer repeats @ date 5k pace, 1 day of shorter reps @ faster than 5k pace (mile/3k pace) and a longer run. Recover runs in between.
Week 7:
Nothing you can do here to get faster for race day… but you haven’t put in enough to really peak. Back off a bit (maybe a mile per run). If a Saturday race I like something like 3 x 3 x 400 @ 5k pace (200 jog recover between reps; 400 per set) or 1600-1200-800-400 with a lap jog in between. Whatever your favorite, go-to workout is that boosts confidence, but doesn’t make you “go to the well,” this is where you put it. I also have gotten great results with Thursday as total rest and a light shake-out the day before. But again, you do what gets you ready mentally and physically. This week focus on getting extra sleep. 9-10 hours a night. if possible Sleep is more important than the workout here, but if life happens its not the end of the world. Reduce stress, even if its training.
Checking back in re: minimalist shoes and foot problems. After resting for months and no improvement in plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis, I started rucking with 20 lbs in minimalist shoes and wearing minimalist shoes throughout the day at work (Xero Prio’s). In 5 weeks I’m up to 4-5 hours/week with 40 lbs.
Plantar fasciitis is gone. Achilles tendonitis is gone.
Going to keep strengthening/recovering until at least Christmas, but I’m encouraged by the results so far.
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Circling back to a very old post, just wanted to say thanks to everyone who gave me advice on dealing with an injury. I ended up replacing almost all of my run volume for about 4 weeks with similar bike workouts totaling around 15 hours per week.
Ultimately, I was able to return to running the week before my goal marathon with minimal pain and got a 35 mile week and a trail race in as a final taper heading into the marathon.
On the day, I ran a 2:48:48 which represented about a three minute PR despite unseasonably warm and humid conditions. Considering that the last month of my training cycle was nearly all bike, I’d give anyone the advice that they can replace a lot of their run volume with bike volume and not see a significant run fitness decline if they have a good run base coming in.
Hopefully this is helpful for anyone dealing with an injury that keeps them from putting in miles in the leadup to an A event.
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Great result 
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I managed 2:48 on 30 miles/week plus 2 weights sessions of 90 mins and 4 hours of cycle maintenance over the winter in 2016. That said I was a runner before that and that helps.
@jdman Was most of your intensity on the running side at this time? Were your 4 hours of cycling maintenance mostly z2? If cycling was mainly z2, do you believe you maintained most of your cycling fitness during this period?
Thanks!
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Hi - I never did a lot of intensity for running in marathon training. I would do a long run of 20 miles every second week which include 3 miles at MP at the end 2 or 3 times. The other 2 runs would be an 8 mile cut down run where I ran each mile quicker starting at an easy pace and finishing with 3 mile at MP/half/10k pace. The other run was a 2 mile jog after a turbo session. On the weeks I did no long run I would do 12 miles with the last 9 at MP plus a couple of 8-10 mile steady runs. The cycling was a zone 2 2 hour spin or 90 mins on the turbo plus an hour SS - maybe 2x20 or 3x15 at 88-90% plus an hour turbo with 40mins@ 80-85%. I included one road race in the build up where I ran 2:05 for a flat out 20m undulating accurate 20 mile race - eased back for it and ran it hard as I tried and succeed in winning the vets cat and finished top 10 overall. Overall however I felt it was the all round robustness I developed from the gym that helped me hold it together in the last 6 miles and also run a negative split…that and purposefully going out at exactly 20mins/5k pace all the way until 35k when I surprisingly managed to up the pace 
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I know it’s 2023 but thought I’d circle back to share how the rest of my running went for 2022.
Following Chicago I took about two weeks off before resuming a lighter run schedule to run a HM in early December. I had about two and half weeks of decent mileage (40 mph vs 70 in prep for Chicago) before catching a sever cold and forced to take 5-6 days off.
I got back to things as soon as I could and jumped into the local Turkey Trot. It was cold and rainy but not terrible so I still gave it a proper effort. I finished the 5k at 17:21… This was a 5 second pb which I ran in the same race three years ago. I recognize it isn’t the fastest times but I never do any 5k specific work. Still, I was happy with a PB finish and the fact I was tied for 10th as a 40 yr old while everyone else was 17-21 yrs old.
Following the Turkey Trot I had roughly two weeks before the Half Marathon. Against my better judgement I thought to run as much as I could the week prior before tapering the last 6 days going leading up to the race. I ran 70 miles and then tapered in hopes there would be a super-comenstation effect.
Race day came and I felt good. Weather conditions were ideal. I really didnt have a specific finish time goal other than sub 120. The gun went off and I of course took off a bit too hard mostly due to the first mile being a downhill and getting caught up in the moment. I looked down at my watch and noticed my HR was in the mid 160’s… Which for me is on the limit. For reference, my Marathon HR is 155’ish. So my goal is to keep it closer to 160 for a half… I pulled back and tried to settle in while trying not to let off too much.
I ended up running a 1:19:45… I was happy with the PB but felt like I have a ‘faster’ finish time in me. It’s well known the course is long (13.3x) and according to Strava my HM finish time is 1:18:29. This is something more along the lines of what I think I can do. At least on that particular day.
The biggest takeaway however was that I may have been holding back in previous HM races by capping my HR at 160. My average HR for this run was 164 where towards the end of the race I was 167. Lesson learned.
The HM marathon was my last planned race for the year so I took it super easy the subsequent week barely running 15 miles. About 10 days following the HM a number of friends were signed up for a weeknight 5k which is more a party than race. My evening was free so I signed up the day before.
The day of the race I had a work zoom happy hour so I definitely didnt expect to ‘race’ or run well that evening. I went to the race lined up and took off with the mindset of just run as hard as I can based on how I feel. Not once did I look at my watch. I was toward the front so I assumed I wasn’t running great. It was dark and the second half of the course was on a running trail in a creek (read dark)…
At some point I felt the inevitable blow up about to happen so I tell the guy behind me to go ahead overtake me. The second he did we started up the little climb out of the creek and right into the last 100 meters to the finish. This was upsetting, I gave up 2nd place at the very end of the race. And to make things worse, as I’m nearing the finish line I see the clock and see 16:51. I tried kicking the last 100 meters and crossed right at 17:00 while yelling out ‘f#ck’… My watch registered 16:59 but official chip time was flat 17.
I was blown away. This was huge for me… Totally not expected and still trying to figure out how I managed to run so much better than just two/three weeks before. Either I was finally able to shed the fatigue from the high mileage and/or the introduction of the SkiErg.
I picked up a SkiErg in early November and immediately loved the machine. I was using it almost daily 10-25 minutes. Mostly all steady state efforts. It’s a great conditioning machine and feel like it’s a perfect crossing training tool for runners (cyclist too) as it’s predominately upper body.
Anyway, quite happy with my running in 2022; Marathon, Half Marathon and 5k PBs. Feet are tired so I plan to take some time to focus on the bike before cranking running mileage back up.
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Great races! Those are fantastic times! A <17 5k and <1:20 HM are goals of mine for this fall after Tri season is over.
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Great racing. You recovered really well to be racing so well after a marathon which is a testament to your fitness and training.
I am also in my 40s so you probably remember a time before Strava, GPS watches & heart rate monitors where you just had to go out there and raced. Occasionally a mile marker would be way off or maybe not there at all. The distance was short or long… You just had to go with it. (Annoying as it was sometimes.) Sounds like you found that “old school spirit” again in your last race. Way to go!
As for timing, the tenths round up in road races so you probably were 16:59.x. As for the distance of the half it probably was 13.1 officially but it’s hard to run the tangents. If the race is coming in exactly right for GPS the course is probably short in my experience. Two legit strong PRs. And dang fast for masters division!
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Where is the 2023 thread?!
I’m excited since I have started to move again, wouldn’t call it running yet, but that’s the goal!
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I think I’m going to have to bow out on this one - I struggled last year to keep the Ironman thread going so I’ll open it up to the forum and pass on the torch!
I’ll take up the reins and give it a go for 2023!
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