Improving Run Performance (Page 2)

You've gotten some very good advice already about building frequency and volume while not worrying about speedwork for the time being (and conversely, some advice that I would avoid like the plague).  Without knowing anything about your training expect your 5km, here is roughly how I would organize the next six weeks:

Weeks 1-3:  run all of your time at Daniels E pace (11:48/mile); aim to increase your volume (no more than 10%) and frequency (i.e. run 4x in week 1).  The goal effort for each run is an effort that would not prevent you from going out and doing it again tomorrow.  You can do a long run but it should be no more than 25-30% of your total running volume.  In one or two of your weekly runs, include thirty second strides to about 5k pace with long or walk back recovery.

Weeks 4-6:  still running all your time at E pace but can begin to length out your long run; it should still not make up anymore than 40% of your total running volume.  Strides can be included in two or three of your weekly runs.

After that you should have be running 4-6x/week with decent volume and you can begin to reintroduce tempo runs in one of your weekly runs.  This would be at Daniels T pace (9:33/mile) and is all the faster running I would recommend for you.

Shane

My 0.02....move back East to train with your brother (me).  Great advice you have gotten here...now get out and run!

Again.

NO ......

YOU .....

DON'T .....

In running, you need VOLUME to gain speed. 

You can do speedwork till you're blue in the face, but you'll only end up frustrated and with injuries if you have a weak mileage base. Particularly at any race 10k and over. 

This is my 6 year doing tris. My run speed fluctuates but this year I have run both more frequently and more distance and once I hit doing 30mpw my pace started dropping about 40 seconds a mile over the last 4-6 weeks. What Johnnykay said is true for me as well about run frequency and injuries. The two years prior to this year I had reoccurring little injuries, this year none. Other thing I noticed is long runs don't beat me up as much and often I feel pretty normal my dinner time after my long runs in morning.

Most of my runs are very easy and what most folks would call zone 2. I do strides and little pick ups at times and have learned pacing doing my long runs picking up the pace as run progressed based on pace goals.

I do have a coach and I follow the training program as close to the letter as I can.

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Excellent!  a running partner makes it more fun. 
Donzy, move to CA instead! 

Has no one else written about running FORM?

If you're striking hard on your heel, you'll always be slow.  The first step before you start adding more miles, or adding in speed work is to make sure that your running form is correct.

Here's a decent video about it:

http://video.about.com/running/Proper-Running-Form.htm

Galloway's book on running also has a good section about running form.

Would love to move out West...better weather, longer season.....but too damn expensive. 

Actually, running form has been quite intensely studied in the past. (See Lore of Running by Noakes for a good review.) Turns out that humans naturally gravitate toward their most efficient running form with training. There have been very limited speed increases, if any, due to running form per se. It's true that sprinters (<800m) do high knee drills etc. to further refine spriint technique, but for distance runners 5k+, those are near bottom priority in terms of training.

Heel striking versus forefoot striking is an oft debated subject with virtually no data that shows a convincing difference.

Also, some people have strange-looking running forms that actually works very well for their biomechanics. I know a collegiate womens x-country runner who had a huge side flail to her stride that looked hideous, but her results were excellent. (low 17s 5k.)
 
This is obviously completely different from swimming, in which you have to learn from the ground up how to move efficiently and effectively. little by little. Scientists postulate with convincing evidence that our brains are hardwired to run efficiently innately; in other words, it's "preprogrammed" for us. (The spinal cord reflexes are sufficient to run/walk even in complete absence of cortical stimulus. That doesn't happen with swimming motions.)