Group Speed Work

Even long distance runners need speed work, but speed work (off the track) is not always easy with a group.

Each Wednesday morning my group meets for a five mile tempo run.  There are four of us (me, CSR, LA and NSM).

Even though we all run different short distance paces (LA is the fastest and youngest of us all) we really like to run together.

Our tempo run is pretty standard.  We warm up for a mile and then take off at tempo pace for about one and a half miles until we hit the midway point of our out and back.  We regroup, recover for half a mile and then go back to tempo pace for another mile.  We finish together with a one mile cool down.

I always enjoy these runs, but I noticed that we were getting more and more spread out.  I also noticed that not all of us were getting the speed work we really needed.

So I decided to come up with a type of workout that would keep us closer, but also keep our pace up.  Here's what I came up with for our last two workouts (Note: I used Garmin Connect to program these workouts on my Garmin  405):

1 mile warm up
2 min (5K + Pace)
2 min recovery
1:30 min (5K + Pace)
2 min recovery
1 min (5K + Pace)
2 min recovery
30 sec (5K + Pace)
1 mile recovery
2 min (5K + Pace)
2 min recovery
1:30 min (5K + Pace)
2 min recovery
1 min (5K + Pace)
2 min recovery
30 sec (5K + Pace)
1 mile cool down

We were all able to run at our own pace, but stayed close enough that it felt like we were running together.  One thing I noticed was that we were all running faster.  Even LA was pushing herself harder because we were right behind her (okay, not right behind her...).

I adjusted the next workout for shorter repeats as well as shorter recoveries:

1 mile warm up

1:30 min (5K + Pace)
1:30 min recovery
1:30 min (5K + Pace)
1:30 min recovery
1 min (5K + Pace)
1 min recovery
30 sec (5K + Pace)
1 mile recovery
1:30 min (5K + Pace)
1:30 min recovery
1:30 min (5K + Pace)
1:30 min recovery
1 min (5K + Pace)
1 min recovery
30 sec (5K + Pace)
1 mile cool down


Once again, we were able to stay close and everyone moved at a faster pace.

I am lucky that my running group is okay with me experimenting on them and are open to new workouts.  They are also all experienced runners and know when to slow down and when to speed up so they don't get injured.

Do you do speed work with a group?  What workouts have worked for you?