What strategy should i use to improve my running time?

how many days a week do u want to run and how many mpw do u want to run

then i could give u more detail

Probably everyday of the week, as much as i can. When i do run, i do an average of 5 km. but first of all is 43 minutes a good time?

43 minutes is a great time (and I'm not just saying that like as a pat on a back, it really IS a great time) for a 14 year old, especially since you haven't done any specific training for it. Now, since you had such a good time after only your 2nd race, and since you have a heavy soccer background, I'm going to give you a pretty advanced schedule.. Monday: Do what you want on this day, as long as it is not speedwork. If you need rest, take it. Do a fartlek, or hills, or easy, or tempo, whatever. Tuesday: 6 miles easy Wednesday: Speedwork ladder - this is your hardest workout of the week Do at least a 1/2 mile warmup before and after 400, 800, 1600, 800, 2x400 You want to do each one as hard as you possibly can - but only fast enough that you will be able to maintain your speed the entire ladder workout Thursday: Rest Friday: 6 miles easy Saturday: 5 miles tempo (fast but nowhere near race pace - you just want a hard effort without yourself. if this day kills you for the rest of the week you are going too hard). Sunday: 10 mile long run If you start feel injuries coming on, STOP. I gave you a pretty advanced schedule here. Make sure you take the easy days easy otherwise you will burn yourself out. You don't have to stick strictly with the miles i said, u can change them aroudn a little

With all due respect to 'xs', the session he has suggested is far to hard for a 14 year old who I imagine wants to keep running in his peak mature years 22 -24years.

At Kenyan Boi's age he should be gradually adapting his body stress, covering moderate distances and achieving efficency (relaxed running) before moving on to longer or quicker runs. Going by his post he runs regular 5kms./3.1mile
I coach a couple of private girls schools age groups ranging from 14 -18.
Our squad begins 25 - 30 min. runs over natural ground progressing onto 35 - 40min. runs after achieving the shorter ones. We run relaxed and the fitness comes, we run the hill sections strongly. We train three times a week and only three times a week especially if there is a race at the weekend.

I strongly agree with a weekly long run but not 10 mile for a 14 year old.
6 to 7 even 8 is plenty, even then this depends on a persons size, growth pattens and strength. There are also other considerations which take up time, family life, school study, social etc.

Soccer training is ideal for balancing out Kenyan's running program. It has all the elements of resistance/general strength and is an excelent speed session. All the speed work a runner of this age needs.

There is a thing called the 'law of diminishing returns' under which I include the common mistake of overtraining especially among young people. It leads to so much loss of talent and loss of satisfaction.
Too much training and or too much intensity in training leads to declining results.

There have been many young people who have posted here asking advice in the 20 or so months I have been haunting these Forums never to be heard from again after a couple of posts.

What ever happens to them?

Can I stress that it's interest which captivates the young, not pressure which erodes potential. The young athlete needs encouragement, interest which fosteres perserverance, complete confidence in an APPROPIATE program and finally a dash of faith and optimism.

I'm 14 too, turning 15 in a month. What makes you think that doing longer runs will stunt your growth and be harmful? I do them and am fine/i have grown almost a foot since i started running
He's motivated like I am, so I gave him an advanced training schedule. There are risks worth taking with a more advanced training schedule. He wants to get as good as he can. You can't expect maximum gains without a training schedule that pushes you. I know that I would rather do the most i can without injuring myself than do less than i know i am capable of doing, and i expect he wants the same. With all due respect to you, running relaxed 45 minute runs 3 times a week is not going to do nearly as much for you as far as getting faster as incorporating speedwork, tempos, longruns, and running 5-6 days aw eek, as long as you take the rest/easy days easy.
Finally, I know for one that the harder I work the more motivated I am. Speedwork days are my FAVORITE because they are the days that i can really push myself. So advanced schedule can help your motivation too sometimes
wooooowwwww long post 8O

Thanks alot xsPrint, i will try that schedule and see how it works out for me. I dont think I will get burnt out or injure myself. Before this season. during the winter, I used to play soccer for 2-3 hours straight, 6 times a week. I definately think i can handle that schedule. I started the speedwork ladder today, and i felt great after doing it. I think i worked at about around 1 minute every lap, but i didnt push my self to the fullest.

np man. if you want to do speedwork on monday that is actually fine, just make sure that you feel completely up to it and your body is up to it

P.S. What is your race distance? I made this with a 10K in mind

I'm 14 too, turning 15 in a month. What makes you think that doing longer runs will stunt your growth and be harmful? I do them and am fine/i have grown almost a foot since i started running

He's motivated like I am, so I gave him an advanced training schedule. There are risks worth taking with a more advanced training schedule. He wants to get as good as he can. You can't expect maximum gains without a training schedule that pushes you. I know that I would rather do the most i can without injuring myself than do less than i know i am capable of doing, and i expect he wants the same. With all due respect to you, running relaxed 45 minute runs 3 times a week is not going to do nearly as much for you as far as getting faster as incorporating speedwork, tempos, longruns, and running 5-6 days aw eek, as long as you take the rest/easy days easy.

Finally, I know for one that the harder I work the more motivated I am. Speedwork days are my FAVORITE because they are the days that i can really push myself. So advanced schedule can help your motivation too sometimes

wooooowwwww long post 8O

xsPrINT, I was going to go into more detail and answer your reply but in the mean time Kenyan Boi has decided to go with your training program.

I wish him every sucess.


But can you answer me this; Do you have any more background Kenyan other than the posts I have read in these Forums?

Is the program you have given Kenyan Boi a program you have designed yourself taking into consideration his age and his two race experience, or is it one of those off the shelf programs tailored for a mature runner?
Or are you just guessing and cobbled together some random bits and pieces you have read about in some glossy monthly?

Can you give examples of young people you have trained using this program and are still running without injury? If so how long have they been on that program?

Sure Kenyan Boi may improve on that program in the short term. He has only had two races. If in 18 months, and he is still running (I very much doubt it on your program) what would you suggest he does to improve?
More speed, more miles? Can I suggest that if he is motivated now he certianly won't be then.

As far as my coaching methods re. relaxed 45min runs three times a week
plus a weekly long run 12.8km./8mile (undulating/hilly)
not doing nearly as much as your method. It was good enough to take one of my girls (aged 15) to the World Youth Championships in Montreal. She was spotting the other girls two years and still made the finals. 4min.25.68sec. for the 1,500metre. Not what I'd call particularly slow. Since then she has undergone two growth spurts and her running ha sonly improved only moderately but we are in no hurry and she is still motivated and understands that running has long term goals.

I'll give it to you straight this time xsPrINT your training program is a load of rubbish bordering on dangerous.

running has long-term goals. don't be that candle in the wind, i have seen high school track team kids go down to injury attempting to do too much too soon and actually putting themselves out for the season, or sometimes longer. :( i am disappointed, overall, with the coaching these kids receive which pays no attention to growth patterns and diet which goes with the age group. Phar has some very wise advice, and many years of coaching with the young runner's best interest at heart, it's very apparent. i believe in the slow and steady climb. if you feel your potential is strong, i wouldn't jeopardize that with an aggressive training program. slow and steady improvements will get you stronger and longer lasting results.

You say that you have often seen young people come here excited, and then they are never to be seen again

COuldn't it be that they smiply don't post anymore because they have gotten all the info that they needed? Or because now they are so advanced they don't feel they need to post here anymore? Or that they don't have time? And although unlikely, something as far out as they simply lost the URL to this site?

On the motivation topic - Of course I cannot speak for every single person in the world. Let me just say though that I have been doing what you would say is a dangerous program. I have improved dramatically (improved 5K time by 6 minutes, from 24:30 to 18:30 in just 5 months, and improved by 21 seconds on the 1600 (5:34 to 5:13) in just 2 months on another program you would call even more dangerous.

What i'm getting to though is that on this intense program, I have NEVER lost motivation, and if anything gained more. I run for the challenge of it, the competitiveness, and so I can get better. Whenever we have an easy day or we decide to call a rest day, I am EXTREMELY disappointed because I like the feeling of working hard. If we only did 3 or 4 practices a week, and the majority were easy, i couldn't stand it. i know that i personally need a hard, strict schedule, because i was planning on training all winter in between XC and track. i ran easy the first couple of days, no problem. then things came up so i didnt run for the next 3 days. i did another easy workout and then got too lazy to run at all the rest of the winter.

I'm wondering what you have to say that. (Not in a "So there!" or "yeah, thats what i thought" sort of way, im' saying it in a friendly, debate sort of a way, i want to know what you think in response to what i just told u about) :cheers:

and KENYANBOI, i don't want you to feel like you're a test subject here, lol. how u doin and what do u feel about this???? :LOL:

He doesn't need defending, but Phar would be one of the last ones to engage in a "So there!" type of debate/argument. He expresses his opinions and thoughts in a way far more eloquent than most of us could - including yours truly.

Challenge, question, disagree, but in all, be respectful. All sides.

just got back from my jazz band concert! :D we were great!

i know, im not saying hes talking that way, im saying i dont want him to think that i am talking that way

Then that's cool.

Ramble on - smoke 'em if you've got 'em.

xsprint, what Phar Lap is talking about isn't that Kenyan Boi will show improvement on your plan, but what the long term consequences could be. Some runners could handle the stress, but I suspect most can't. There could be burnout or injury if the program is too tough for that individual's body. And Phar did mention 18 months, not five. But I would even say 2 or 3 years down the road there is the opportunity for burnout.

I think the ultimate goal here for most of us is a lifetime of running healthy and happy.