Hi

My approach with the endurance work was to have the athlete work at slightly slower than their 5k pace.

To determine their potential time I use Frank Horwill's 4 second rule for men and 5 sec rule for ladies

Basically for a 400m runner we can determine potential ability at 800m by adding 4 sec to the 400m time and multiplying by 2. We can take the same approach of adding 4 secs from 800m to 1500m and 1500m to 5k.

Based on a 4m 30s 1500m we have a 72 second 400m (270/1500*400)
Add 4 secs gives us 76 seconds per 400m
Which gives us a potential 5k time of 15 min 50 secs (76/400*5000)

By using 1500pb+10% in the training program I was trying to estimate the athletes potential 5k time.

Based on the 76 sec lap (potential 5k pace) the 1500m should be run in 285 secs
Where as 1500m +10% is 270+10% gives 297 secs
So target time is slightly slower than potential 5k pace.

It is interesting that the vVO2 session result matches potential 5k pace but only for 6mins
3m 10s/km approx 1895m in 6 mins
At 5k pace of 76sec/400m - in 6 min complete 1894metres
As he is only running for 6 mins and not 16mins (5k time) then I might expect his distance in 6mins to be slightly higher

Perhaps the way forward is to use your athlete’s actual 5k pace + a small percentage rather than 1500m+10%

Hope this helps

Brian

Thanks Brian for your complete explanation.
Though I work as an engineer I always feel the challenge to find out the right way to improve athletic performance. I joined to your newsletter to enhance my experience and can help other athletes.
I have been running for 23 years –now I am 40- I still compete and also coach a running team.
I am designing phase 2 of training program focusing in specific aerobic endurance.
The reason for I asked about 2*2*2000 at an intensity 1500 PR +10% is that I personally find difficult to complete at least one serie for group 1.(See below)
I saw on field that there are two types of athletes :
Group 1: Those that are fast for 800m-1500m and decline theoretical performance in 3000 and 5000.
Group 2: Those that are not very fast but keep performance in 3000m and 5000m and can cope with the work 2*2*2000 at an intensity 1500 PR +10%

This last group match Frank 4 sec rule very close but group 1 fails.

An example of an athlete of Group 1 is :
PR 1500 4.20
P.R.2000 6.07
P.R.3000 9.27
P.R. 5000 16.48

If I plan according to his theoretical and potencial PR for 3000 or 5000 he will find difficult to make interval trainning with distances greater of 1200m .
My doubt is the following :
I think that he must improve Lactate Threshold ,I suppose VO2max is high for he could run 1000m in 2.42.
Referring to series of 2000 I prefer to give him short recoveries to teach his muscles to buffer lactate.
As in phase 2 his potencial 1500 PR falls to 4.30 as he comes from general endurance and is not very fast I suggest to work :
3x2000 at 1500+20% (For 1500 4.30 means 3.36 per Km) and recovery only 2.30” .
This is the number of repetitions he can do for that intensity and recovery.
My question is : Am I in the right way ?
Should I increase intensity and expand recovery time ?
I think that decreasing recovery I force the muscles to remove more lactate in less time.
Have you seen this type of athletes ?Which is your advice to improve their resistance to speed for long distances?
Yours,
Fernando.