
And these tips might help you run faster too!
Mentors, advisors, teachers, coaches, whatever you call them, they’re necessary and critical to our success in relationships, business, and endurance sport training. The right coach can help you figure out the best way to train for a race and help you achieve your goals. In my case, Mike Trees was able to give me perfect advice without even knowing me and my history. And with his coaching instructions, I ran my fastest 5k ever and am now on track to run a 15:59 sometime in the future.
Figuring Out My Training Plan
Before starting any training plan, I needed to figure out what kind of key workouts I should be doing in the lead-up to a race. Factors such as my age, experience, and running style need to be considered. In my case, given my background as an 800m runner, Mike suggested focusing on my speed and anaerobic capacity to maximize my chances of running a fast 5k. Mike also suggested a six-week block of a 3k session, speed and 5k session, and a 10k session for stamina. And with the right training, I can tweak my work to my strengths and get faster!

The Right Mindset
Running is as much about mental toughness as it is about physical fitness. It’s important to train your mind to cope with the lactate buildup and embrace the challenge. I need to get used to running some Kilometers in 3:10 km/sec range which is going quicker than race pace (5:05 per mile for you metrically senstive folks) . And if I can cope with the lactate, my absolute tolerance, not the threshold, can help me maximize my results. And don’t forget to keep things fun and light-hearted!
To Negative Split or Even Split?
Ah, the age-old question every runner asks themselves before every race: should I negative split or even split? The answer depends on the distance of the race and my personal preferences. For a 5k, I need to get out fast, hold it in the middle, and push hard at the end. I might drop a little below average in the third and fourth K, but I can cope with the lactate buildup if I’ve trained my body and mind. For a marathon, it’s best to negative split. I want to save everything for the end and avoid going into the red zone early on, or I’ll regret it later!

The Takeaway
In conclusion, the right coach can make all the difference in my training and racing success. By focusing on my strengths, embracing the challenge, and training my mind and body to cope with lactate buildup, I can achieve my goals and even surprise myself with how fast I can run. So, whether I’m a beginner or an experienced runner, I need to take the time to find the right coach for me and get ready to crush my next race!
What You Will Learn
- What kind of key workouts I should be doing in the lead up to a 5k race
- How much stress your body can handle depending on your experience
- How many sessions I should be doing leading up
- How many weeks out I should doing these
- If I should stop doing strength work and when
- And a whole lot more!
Episode Highlights and Timestamps
[03:15] Mike’s favorite training week in March
[05:53] DLake training plan and current stats
[06:06] What training is too much?
[11:45] What you should train on in the last six weeks
[14:33] Embracing the lactic build-u
[16:27] The Cooldown: Negative split or even split
[18:44] When to use even or negative splits
Notable Quotables



Question Of The Episode
During a race should you even or negative split?

Links
- 5K Racing failures – https://dlakecreates.com/how-to-learn-from-your-racing-failures/
- 5 obvious race lessons that will immediately pay off – https://dlakecreates.com/5-obvious-racing-lessons-that-will-immediately-pay-off/
- How could a running coach help you? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loZK_srjUJc
- You don’t need to negative split every race – Runner’s World – https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a38070581/why-you-shouldnt-negative-split/
- DLake/Daren Instagram – instagram.com/dlakecreates – Mike Trees – https://instagram.com/run.nrg
- Podcast Concept, Production and Marketing BY POD PASTE
NRG COACHING (MIKE TREES) – SPONSOR
This episode is brought to you by NRG – Coaching which is Mike Trees’ coaching service. Mike coaches beginners to pros and all levels in between.
No one is too fast and no one too slow. They just want a desire to learn and improve.
They focus on 1,500m to marathon running and triathlon training.
NRG Coaching is constantly overbooked, so Instagram and this new podcast venture, gives Mike and the rest of his NRG coaching team a way to reach out to more people.
Contact mike and his team NRG-COACHING.com for more info
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