On July 18 2012 18:57 Occultus wrote: And dont forget about the fast stuff!
If you dont want to spend a whole session doing fast running just accelerate 3-4 times for 100m in the last quarter of your runs.
+10.
While you probably don't need tons of speedwork for a half, especially when the more important factor is getting stronger aerobically and structurally its always good to "stay in touch" with speed.
What occultus described is often called strides at is just short 15-30sec pickups to a brisk (but not sprint) pace. Think somewhere between 800m-mile pace.
I usually just try speeding up a little towards the end. I suppose picking up the strides on couple times is more effective?
Also, sore nipples; bandaids, vaseline, anything else? What do you guys recommend? I definitely had sore nips after the last half marathon I ran... Perhaps it's something I should pick up while training to get used to the feeling (if I am to apply something or whatsoever)? :p
And how do you guys feel about chewing gum while running? It seems to have a positive effect on me, I'd guess this is just a personal preference case? But perhaps there's some good reasons why I should not be doing so. .
On July 19 2012 07:24 Smorrie wrote: I usually just try speeding up a little towards the end. I suppose picking up the strides on couple times is more effective?
Also, sore nipples; bandaids, vaseline, anything else? What do you guys recommend? I definitely had sore nips after the last half marathon I ran... Perhaps it's something I should pick up while training to get used to the feeling (if I am to apply something or whatsoever)? :p
And how do you guys feel about chewing gum while running? It seems to have a positive effect on me, I'd guess this is just a personal preference case? But perhaps there's some good reasons why I should not be doing so. .
Duck Tape.
I shit you not. Slap some of that over a blistered spot and your good to rock, or it can be used as a pre-preventative measure.
Picking it up towards the end is much different than strides. It's good to pick it up at the end of a run sometimes (not everyday though, maybe 2-3 times a week) for anywhere from a couple miles to 400m from the end. Strides though are done after the run, or sometimes before if your doing a dedicated workout. They are done significantly faster than any "pickup" you would do at the end of the run as 800m-mile race pace is pretty brisk. You do them just long enough to be smooth and relaxed at a quick pace, but not so long you feel tight or are working. 20 seconds is a good benchmark. You then can walk around for a couple minutes before the next one.
On July 19 2012 07:24 Smorrie wrote: I usually just try speeding up a little towards the end. I suppose picking up the strides on couple times is more effective?
Also, sore nipples; bandaids, vaseline, anything else? What do you guys recommend? I definitely had sore nips after the last half marathon I ran... Perhaps it's something I should pick up while training to get used to the feeling (if I am to apply something or whatsoever)? :p
And how do you guys feel about chewing gum while running? It seems to have a positive effect on me, I'd guess this is just a personal preference case? But perhaps there's some good reasons why I should not be doing so. .
Duck Tape.
I shit you not. Slap some of that over a blistered spot and your good to rock, or it can be used as a pre-preventative measure.
Picking it up towards the end is much different than strides. It's good to pick it up at the end of a run sometimes (not everyday though, maybe 2-3 times a week) for anywhere from a couple miles to 400m from the end. Strides though are done after the run, or sometimes before if your doing a dedicated workout. They are done significantly faster than any "pickup" you would do at the end of the run as 800m-mile race pace is pretty brisk. You do them just long enough to be smooth and relaxed at a quick pace, but not so long you feel tight or are working. 20 seconds is a good benchmark. You then can walk around for a couple minutes before the next one.
Yeah, strides are different. Strides are more like a small tune up to keep your legs feeling fresh and probably a little bit of a mental thing about feeling fast with little effort. Strides can be done on the clock too. I used to do the last 5-10 minutes of my long runs as strides on the clock. It was an interesting feeling. This was just picking up the pace for about 20 seconds and then running at an easy pace for about 40 seconds and repeating. Otherwise I'd just use strides the day before a race after an easy run.
Finishing runs fast is usually probably not worth doing. Generally easy runs are meant to build endurance and/or recover for a workout you recently did or are going to do soon. That being said, if you are pushing your easy run, even if it's just at the end, you are possibly not training in alignment with your goals. But it's a personal thing and it often times feels good and is a mental boost to pick it up at the end and feel strong. Just don't overdo it.
On July 19 2012 07:24 Smorrie wrote: I usually just try speeding up a little towards the end. I suppose picking up the strides on couple times is more effective?
Also, sore nipples; bandaids, vaseline, anything else? What do you guys recommend? I definitely had sore nips after the last half marathon I ran... Perhaps it's something I should pick up while training to get used to the feeling (if I am to apply something or whatsoever)? :p
And how do you guys feel about chewing gum while running? It seems to have a positive effect on me, I'd guess this is just a personal preference case? But perhaps there's some good reasons why I should not be doing so. .
Duck Tape.
I shit you not. Slap some of that over a blistered spot and your good to rock, or it can be used as a pre-preventative measure.
Picking it up towards the end is much different than strides. It's good to pick it up at the end of a run sometimes (not everyday though, maybe 2-3 times a week) for anywhere from a couple miles to 400m from the end. Strides though are done after the run, or sometimes before if your doing a dedicated workout. They are done significantly faster than any "pickup" you would do at the end of the run as 800m-mile race pace is pretty brisk. You do them just long enough to be smooth and relaxed at a quick pace, but not so long you feel tight or are working. 20 seconds is a good benchmark. You then can walk around for a couple minutes before the next one.
Yeah, strides are different. Strides are more like a small tune up to keep your legs feeling fresh and probably a little bit of a mental thing about feeling fast with little effort. Strides can be done on the clock too. I used to do the last 5-10 minutes of my long runs as strides on the clock. It was an interesting feeling. This was just picking up the pace for about 20 seconds and then running at an easy pace for about 40 seconds and repeating. Otherwise I'd just use strides the day before a race after an easy run.
Finishing runs fast is usually probably not worth doing. Generally easy runs are meant to build endurance and/or recover for a workout you recently did or are going to do soon. That being said, if you are pushing your easy run, even if it's just at the end, you are possibly not training in alignment with your goals. But it's a personal thing and it often times feels good and is a mental boost to pick it up at the end and feel strong. Just don't overdo it.
Yea, I'll clarify my thoughts a bit for Smorrie here. If your doing serious interval work, basically "on season" training their is usually no place for finishing runs "strongly". You want to recover from and absorb workouts, not add stress and fatigue.
If your in more of a "base-building" mode then the easy runs by and large are a little more about building endurance, and because your not doing really hard sessions their isn't as much fatigue to worry about. Consequently, this is where picking it up the last few miles (when, and only when, you feel great and the body is rearing to go) can be a good thing. There are alot of endurance benefits associated with running at MP as well as HMP/tempo paces, that are different to or more extensive, than those associated with easy running.
The key here though is that you don't want to be working hard, which is why these should only be done when your feeling great. If you try to do them on average/crappy days then it's going to be hard work to go fast...this makes the session harder AND doesn't help you build smoothness and relaxation with faster paces. If done right though it can be a solid aerobic stimulus set in a relaxed enough context that it doesn't take tons out of you. The dangers though come with doing this too often (even if your always feeling good) and pushing too hard when your doing it.
Noted coach John Kellog does a great job describing these runs so I'll quote his summary in the next post.
"This should for the most part be enjoyable. It's euphoric to feel simultaneously relaxed and invincible. Holding onto this euphoria at the fastest possible pace, not wanting the run to end, is more beneficial (and certainly more enjoyable) than fighting against your body in a "no pain, no gain" fashion.
The fast, steady, "high-end" pace of a progression run is the principal active ingredient in the outing. But it is also fine to occasionally go ahead and "release the hounds" as I call it - hammering it for a few minutes at the end - if it feels right. If you do this correctly, you'll be absolutely flying and well above (faster than) your "threshold," but you won't be spending enough time at this effort intensity to show all your cards as you would in a race. If you are currently in shape to run 5,000m in 15:00, for example, you can start a progression run at 10:00 per mile and be at 8:30 pace after 7-10 minutes, 7:00 pace after 15-20 minutes, and so on until you're cruising along at your high-end pace (circa 5:20 per mile) by the time you're 35-40 minutes into the run. Keep it there on cruise control for another 15-25 minutes (as long as you are not straining), then smoothly tighten the screws for a final few minutes, squeezing the velocity down to 2-mile race pace or faster for the last 30-60 seconds. While this finish feels hard (and can be brutal if you unwisely force the pace), the fast but steady portion of the run should not be any trouble. Strong, purposeful and aerobically challenging, yes. Labored, no.
Try it that way. Let it start easy and stay easy until it feels right to pick it up. Do not pick it up all of a sudden, but make a minor increase and let breathing, heart rate, coordination of movement, et cetera all perceptually stabilize before smoothly and gently flowing into another pace pickup. The goal is to continue this process until you lock into the fastest pace that feels strong, smooth and controlled, one that will relax and train a runner (you) but kill a jogger (someone a few seconds per mile slower than you!). Hold that pace until you sense it is about to require some laboring, then either stop there or (if you are in an "I'm running to the barn" mood) gradually press the pedal toward the floor for about three minutes, finishing in a kick that leaves you not wiped out, but feeling so energized that you could conquer the world!
This obviously describes an ideal progression run. These efforts can derail just as often as they flow hitch-free. You might encounter some wind or hills or turns that break the magic spell, or you might get overeager or just suddenly hit a bad patch and run out of the zone for no apparent reason. Most of the time, rather than the wheels coming totally off, some pace or effort adjustments can get you back in the groove if you feel it slipping away from you. The perfect run, in which you don't need to make even the most minor mid-course corrections, is rare. But by becoming more and more sensitive to your body's feedback signals, you can learn to perceive when those minor regulations are needed even before a bad patch arrives, thereby avoiding strain and preserving the desired steady state of effort."
Objective methods of determining effort
If you can't find your ideal high-end pace by feel, the best available method for keeping effort intensity in the desired range is to use blood lactate data (correlated with heart rate data) to find your safe zone and go with the HR data on workouts until you know exactly what the feeling should be. A somewhat cruder field test involves performing a continuous run with pace increases at predetermined intervals, measuring heart rate at the end of each segment, and plotting a graph of HR vs. pace (or time spent running) to look for the point at which the HR no longer increased in a linear fashion. The popular "Conconi test" is such a protocol. It has a few drawbacks, but can be used in a pinch if you are desperate for numerical data.
If no physical data are available, you may use pace guidelines as "neighborhood" values. If you are a 13:00 5,000m runner, your maximum steady state of effort will likely occur at around 4:35 per mile (91%-92% of 5,000m PR pace), assuming the external conditions are similar to those during your PR race performance, assuming you are in racing shape at the moment and feel capable of a PR effort on the day, and assuming you are just as capable over longer distances as you are at 5,000m. See why pace guidelines are less predictable than perceived effort as a protocol for workouts? If you insist on use of a pace chart for determining training speeds, it is best if you use several recent race performances as indicators rather than relying on a single all- time best effort. To continue, a runner whose recent performances average 14:00 for 5,000m (equivalent to about 29:18 for 10,000m) usually sports a "threshold" pace of near 4:56 per mile, a 15:00 5K (31:28-ish 10K) runner would aim for roughly 5:17 per mile as a strong high-end effort, 16:00 (33:40) runners would target about 5:38 pace, and so on. Again, if you use pace charts, you make the assumption that you are structurally and aerobically comfortable enough at the indicated "threshold" pace to sustain it long enough to achieve a training benefit while avoiding excessive distress. In any event, you must experiment with various speeds in training until you can find the desired effort intensity.
The format of a progression run assists you in finding the limit of your comfort zone. It also allows you to "bail out" and keep the run easy throughout if you feel that a quicker pace would be a bad idea due to excessive fatigue or incipient injury. The fact that you start slowly and rarely run outside of your "controlled" zone means that you can spend some time in that high-end state a few days in a row if the magic appears, as long as you know your recovery capacities well. Another benefit of progression runs is that since they are almost entirely effort-based, they are automatically tailored to suit your strengths (e.g., muscle fiber composition, current acquired fitness, etc.) while working peripherally on your weaknesses, provided you usually run them to your ideal effort and no one else's. Of course, they can be done with one or more partners on occasion to assist in locking in to the collective energy of the group and relieving some of the normal burden of making your own pace, but be careful to avoid racing these workouts too often.
It is important to do a fair portion of your progression runs on roads if you are going to be racing on the roads. Shifting from training on the grass, trails or track to racing on the more unforgiving surface of the road can lead to a lot more leg muscle stress, especially if hills or sharp turns are involved. At the least, this can cause you to struggle sooner than you would on a fast track. At worst, it can lead to injury. You also need to practice high-end running in somewhat hillier terrain from time to time, so you can get the feel for how the varied exertion should be meted out. At the same time, one of the most important aspects of high-end training is even effort, and the track is probably the best place to get those consistent foot strikes which lead to that "floating" rhythm. So you should balance your faster efforts - some on the track and some on the road.
Resist the impulse to turn every progression run into a time trial. Just run enough under control during most of it that you are able to pick up the last few minutes without fighting yourself. With enough overall mileage, this "train, don't strain" approach will pay off over time.
Well-conditioned runners often have the experience of having a high-end effort interrupted by a too-soon increase in pace and (upon recognizing the warning signals in time) slowing just briefly to recover, only to return effortlessly to that "too fast" pace and find it no more difficult than the high-end pace they had been running previously. This phenomenon is common and, once you experience it a few times, you can actually do it by design to amplify that "full of run" feeling and find a faster pace with less distress. As you get fitter, it often takes less time to warm up enough to find the feeling. When you reach this stage of fitness, you can do a short progression-style warmup (12-20 minutes) followed by a few minutes rest (maybe stretch lightly), then run for about two minutes at a little stronger effort (perhaps at current 8K-10K race pace), rest another couple of minutes, then begin a planned tempo run. If you are at a stage of fitness and at a stable running weight where everything is "clicking" for you, these tempo runs can feel euphoric and are very cost-effective training devices which serve a number of purposes that translate into good racing down the road.
This done-by-feel running should comprise most of the faster training during an off-season period of general conditioning, in which fitness is allowed to develop at a comfortable rate. During a subsequent period of more specialized conditioning, the fast sessions are geared more toward target race pace, and intensity (as well as the frequency of the faster work) is increased in stages over the ensuing weeks (allowing a suitable taper period) with respect to the time remaining until the target races.
Laboratory research only confirms some of our intuitive concepts. For example, many physiologists recommend a continuous run of 20 minutes at the "lactate threshold." As it turns out, 18-22 minutes spent at the theoretical LT pace (which is a nebulous definition in any event) during most graded exercise test protocols will result in an adequately-trained runner exceeding the LT and hitting the respiratory compensation point, producing extreme hyperventilation. Knowing this as a specific scientific principle only justifies the general common-sense idea of keeping most "tempo" runs from becoming too anaerobic for regular use. For the self-made runner who has experienced the magic and operates by zoning in to "cruise control" speed, this means preserving that energized, free-spirited, weightless sensation of strong, on-the-brink running.
Having the head knowledge without the experience and wisdom, however, can lead to following strict pace guidelines with insufficient attention paid to other important potential benefits of the desired training. Those aforementioned physiologists, as a case in point, may fail to remember that their test subject's "LT pace" was determined by a laboratory protocol which not only controlled the temperature and other external conditions, but also began the treadmill speed at a walking pace and allowed the athlete's physical markers (HR, respiratory rate, etc.) to stabilize at each stage before the workload was increased for another stage. In order to effectively use the physiologist's pace and duration recommendations, then, the runner must duplicate the conditions of the laboratory test (and must go into a session with the same degree of freshness each time). This is usually impractical in the real world, where the test LT pace is replaced by LT pace du jour.
Add to this the fact that the average physiologist does not have a clue what the magic of threshold running should actually feel like, how frequently threshold sessions can be performed, or how they interact with other workouts, and you have the makings of a one-dimensional, "cookie-cutter" training program. Such a scheme will work for the one runner out of 50 whose by-feel pace happens to match up with the by-chart pace assigned to him for that day. But it will not be quite as effective for the 49 other runners who blindly adhere to the cut-and-paste schedules they obtain from their most recent books or magazines.
Frequency of high-end running
There is a point at which you optimally build fitness; if you go beyond that point very often, you begin giving some of it away. Your ideal frequency of threshold running (as well as your ideal mileage) simply depends on how often you can do it comfortably without needing a very slow recovery day (or series of recovery days). But it should also be regulated according to a few general rules:
1) Your age / running experience
2) Time of year (base training or competitive season)
3) Your long-term goals or lack thereof (also influenced by age)
Trial and error indicates that actually hitting that high-end pace more than three times per week will expedite your fitness at a small cost to long-term development (this is also dependent upon how much higher-intensity work is being done concurrently). The take-home message in this is that if you are a newcomer to the sport or if you are younger than your prime racing years (25-35 years old for most long distance runners), you will be better served (at least from a statistical standpoint - obviously not everyone responds in exactly the same manner) by including more easy running in your base training regimen. If you are an older, experienced runner who is in (or past) your prime, you may be better served by running at least a portion of your runs near your maximum steady state more often (4-6 times per week). If you are a high school or college runner who wants high school or college glory but doesn't plan to go a whole lot farther in the sport after those years, you will also probably be better off touching on your high-end pace four or more days per week during a base stage, as long as you have done enough preparatory running to be ready for it.
I forgot to mention another type of run related to this discussion that I used to do during my base rebuilding phase after XC and before indoor track. Pick up runs. I loved these so much especially because I'd go with one of two good running buddies. You need a buddy that is about the same level as you and is chill (effort and conversation wise) for the first part and neither a hero or a pussy for the end. Someone who will at least match your pace or at most push it just a tiny bit more during the last few miles.
You just run regular easy pace for the first 30 minutes of an hour run. Then the second half you slowly and gradually pick up the pace until the last mile or so is around tempo pace or effort. Damn, when you're in good shape you feel like a champ at the end of one of these.
You just run regular easy pace for the first 30 minutes of an hour run. Then the second half you slowly and gradually pick up the pace until the last mile or so is around tempo pace or effort. Damn, when you're in good shape you feel like a champ at the end of one of these.
That's EXACTLY what I am talking about. These runs do indeed feel freaking FANTASTIC at the end especially if it's on a good day...absolutely flying!
What I've picked up from all of this: I'm currently targeting endurance and shouldn't overstress it. Build strength and not fight my own body. Thus speeding up at the end of the run should generally be avoided, unless I'm really feeling great.
Yet... gradually building up pace after the first half of a run until the end is recommended?
Also, ending a run with 5-10 minutes of strides on the clock seems like an interesting idea I will definitely try this out. Would it be a good I implement this on every (average or better) run I do? And is this not another form of extra stress I am putting on my body though?
On July 19 2012 18:57 Smorrie wrote: I'm not sure if I understand correctly.
What I've picked up from all of this: I'm currently targeting endurance and shouldn't overstress it. Build strength and not fight my own body. Thus speeding up at the end of the run should generally be avoided, unless I'm really feeling great.
Yet... gradually building up pace after the first half of a run until the end is recommended?
Also, ending a run with 5-10 minutes of strides on the clock seems like an interesting idea I will definitely try this out. Would it be a good I implement this on every (average or better) run I do? And is this not another form of extra stress I am putting on my body though?
Interesting stuff.
Don't get too wrapped up in the details here. If you're just trying to improve your endurance just run at a fairly easy pace for now. If you feel really good and want to go faster sometimes, that's okay. If you want to do strides after a run sometimes, that's okay. These are really just details that won't matter much as long as you're putting in the miles every week. Do what feels good. Stay healthy. Have fun.
I just like to educate myself more on this + I'm just trying to make sure I'm spending the time I'm putting in as efficient as possible
Also, is there any breathing technique I can teach myself for more efficient running? I couldn't find anything in the OP about this. Right now I'm just on the move. Do you guys breathe in at step x and breathe out at step y again, or anything like that?
If you think about controlling your breath you're either not running relaxed enough or not running hard enough.
Trust me, if you go out hard there is no blood in your brain to deal with thoughts. Just you and the finish line. There is no real secret or big theory behind running. Run relaxed or run hard and time will do the rest.
If you want to make your running more efficient, check this form drills out.
I do these kind of drills multiple times a week and as a warmup before speed sessions. Just repeat and repeat and your form gets better as time goes on. Do every exercise in the Video 2 times once per week and youre fine.
Yeah i just ignored it and ran through with slightly reduced intensity and volume. Like all of my injuries this year this wasnt really a sudden-sharp pain injury like a fracture or pulled muscle. More like creeping signs of overuse. Things didn't get worse at all and i PRed in a 5000 last week. (17:49) Not really happy with it cause i was in 17:30 shape and it was the last race of this track season but anyway. PR is PR so I dont wanna complain about it.
Now 2-3 weeks of pausing before the new season kicks in in September. This year was quite a long journey for my first year of running. (from couch to average 30mpw for 13 months straight) Not the highest mileage but it was kinda my limit because of the mid distance training intensity.
Now i should be able to handle higher volume in winter paired with some xc races. Goals for next track season: 400m: closer to 60 (current 66...sigh) 800m: ~2:12 (current 2:22) 1500m: 4:30 (current 4:48) 3000m: sub 10 (current 10:31) 5000m: sub 17 (current 17:49)
And thats it.
BIGGEST thing ive learned this season is not to be afraid of races and the hard effort, how to approach different races, how to do a proper pre-race routine (i can post this if you want to hear it, before this i always had problems with weak bloodstream and in-race dizziness) and that a slow or fucked up xc/road race always is the best training even if the times are weak.
@L_Master: how are things going for you? I hope you dont go turbo mode now in our sub 17 race :D
On July 20 2012 17:34 Occultus wrote: Yeah i just ignored it and ran through with slightly reduced intensity and volume. Like all of my injuries this year this wasnt really a sudden-sharp pain injury like a fracture or pulled muscle. More like creeping signs of overuse. Things didn't get worse at all and i PRed in a 5000 last week. (17:49) Not really happy with it cause i was in 17:30 shape and it was the last race of this track season but anyway. PR is PR so I dont wanna complain about it.
Now 2-3 weeks of pausing before the new season kicks in in September. This year was quite a long journey for my first year of running. (from couch to average 30mpw for 13 months straight) Not the highest mileage but it was kinda my limit because of the mid distance training intensity.
Now i should be able to handle higher volume in winter paired with some xc races. Goals for next track season: 400m: closer to 60 (current 66...sigh) 800m: ~2:12 (current 2:22) 1500m: 4:30 (current 4:48) 3000m: sub 10 (current 10:31) 5000m: sub 17 (current 17:49)
And thats it.
BIGGEST thing ive learned this season is not to be afraid of races and the hard effort, how to approach different races, how to do a proper pre-race routine (i can post this if you want to hear it, before this i always had problems with weak bloodstream and in-race dizziness) and that a slow or fucked up xc/road race always is the best training even if the times are weak.
@L_Master: how are things going for you? I hope you dont go turbo mode now in our sub 17 race :D
Nice....glad to hear to wasn't some major sideline that knocked you out for several months. Nice work on the PR again...even if it could have been faster a PR is still a PR! And yea, I feel like both of us have come a LONG way since 12-14 months ago.
Goals for next track season: 400m: closer to 60 (current 66...sigh) 800m: ~2:12 (current 2:22) 1500m: 4:30 (current 4:48) 3000m: sub 10 (current 10:31) 5000m: sub 17 (current 17:49)
A 2:22 off of 66? Damn. That's pretty solid, but I guess it makes good sense since your endurance seems to extend nicely to all events unlike many new runners.
I feel ya on the 400 thing, really trying to work on the base speed for that but for me for whatever reason my 400 is definitely lacking. I can do 100m in 12.9x/13.0x with a 2 step lead in but 400m in only 63 low so far. Maybe I just race it bad though, dunno.
What is your base speed for 100m? Ever run it?
@L_Master: how are things going for you? I hope you dont go turbo mode now in our sub 17 race :D
Seems like things are going pretty good, though I haven't raced in a LONG time other than one 1500m at an open track meet. It was a decent race in 4:56, but the conditions were crap with the winds blowing 20-30mph the entire time. Would have been much better had I hung with the lead pack and had a wind break, but I got scared of the opening 74 and backed off and found myself mostly stuck in no-mans land.
Runs seem to be going well for the most part and seem to be naturally progressing faster without increased effort. Was at sea level a week ago and felt absolutely BEAST MODE there though, easy runs around 7:00 and did a 3M tempo at 5:56 pace and that was very much on the comfortable side of "comfortably hard". Coming down 7,500 feet is good stuff ^^
Racing 10k tomorrow so we'll see how that goes. On the one hand I'm doing nothing but basework and am training right through as I'm looking for 85 miles this week but at the same times it's a fairly quick course. It has rolling hills but is all pavement with a net 150 or so foot drop. I'd venture to guess it's a little bit faster than a track 10k would be as a result of the drop and the fact that the hills aren't too bad.
Nah, dont have a 100m time. Only thing is my 28s 200m time in trainers but that was run 5 minutes after a workout just like my 66 400 time.
I discussed this topic alot with my coach and the time you invest in pure sprint trainings is not worth the effect you get out of it as long as you are a an endurance 1500-5k guy. Everything you can do is strides, form drills, short reps (classic 200-300's) and HILLS (!!). Run up hills on the beach barefoot, run long hills (200m) with decent ascent (<10%) or short and very steep ones. Barefoot work on grass is also very helpful and thats all you can do.
And even though im more of a slow guy, I like the 1500m. Its hard and your teeth are full of acid at the finish line but its so cool to go out fast and dance on your spikes. Feels like a fast forwarded 5k where you just skip the 'easy' feeling of the first 4 kilometres and get straight into business.
Nah, dont have a 100m time. Only thing is my 28s 200m time in trainers but that was run 5 minutes after a workout just like my 66 400 time.
Ah, that's a big asterisk there then, especially depending on the workout. I wouldn't be surprised to find you could run this much faster.
I discussed this topic alot with my coach and the time you invest in pure sprint trainings is not worth the effect you get out of it as long as you are a an endurance 1500-5k guy. Everything you can do is strides, form drills, short reps (classic 200-300's) and HILLS (!!). Run up hills on the beach barefoot, run long hills (200m) with decent ascent (<10%) or short and very steep ones. Barefoot work on grass is also very helpful and thats all you can do.
I don't know if I necessarily mean full sprint training, but definitely some work on basic speed (i.e. some flying 30's/60's, uphill sprints, etc) I feel is very important. If you want to run fast, you have to run fast. While obviously very, very, very few people can even get close to this level if you can't run 60 in the quarter obviously there is no way you can break 4 in the mile (realistically it needs to be more like 50-52) and by extension almost no way your going to run much faster than 13 high in the 5K. Yes, that's light years faster than anyone here is likely to get, but it illustrates the point well. If the best you can cover 100m in is something in the 14's then your never running a 60s quarter. It's all interrelated.
More importantly, this short of running also helps teach a person how to run fast and improves neuromuscular efficiency and motor unit recruitment. All the stuff mentioned like strides, drills, fast short reps, hills, etc are all important and definitely things someone looking to be a good runner should be doing on a regular basis, however I think "pure speed" work also belongs in that category. Strides and 200m reps are just not going to help your raw speed, and if that isn't fast enough then you are limited in how fast you can ultimately be.
The fact that people like Alberto Salazar and Renato Canova recommend and employ small sprinklings of sprint training (Salazar especially with Rupp to help him develop his kick) makes me inclined to believe their is benefit to that kind of work even at the absolute top of elite level.
*gulp* you guys are so amazing. I recently started running and ran 7km in 49 minutes today. I was very pleased with my run, but seeing all of your amazing times I cannot help but feel ashamed lol. I'll try my best to catch up I suppose
EPT
