One of the biggest challenges facing new runners is speedwork
• What is it?
• Is it necessary?
• How much do I need to do?
• Will I get injured?
Over the next week or so, I’ll look at different types of speedwork and give some suggestions of sessions you could do in that particular area.
But to answer our original questions:
What is speedwork?
In the SMART training system, it is any running done at faster than steady state. So, any time you run at a pace that is faster than your normal running training speed. For example, if instead of your normal 3 miles steady run, you run the first mile easy, the second mile as fast as you can to see how fast you’ll do it and then the third mile easy – that is speedwork. It can be as informal as that or as formal as a session on a track with a coach holding a stopwatch and shouting instructions.
Is it necessary?
In order to achieve the most you can as a runner – Yes. Different coaches with different ethoses (what is the plural of ethos???) may disagree about how much speedwork you need to do and what preparatory training you need to do before it but I’ve yet to find one that would not include it at all.
How much will I need to do?
That depends of lots of factors
• What event you are training for
• How much natural speed you already have
• What is your training background
• What type of training suits you body best
Will I get injured?
Many runners get injured when they start speedwork because, in addition to running at a faster pace than they are used to (which will effect the mechanics of how they run), they often change surface and running shoes to run on a track. All of these things are risk factors in causing injury. However, if the introduction to speedwork is properly managed, the risks of getting injured are no greater than any other running training.
For those of you who are already experiencing the delights of gasping for air whilst it feels like someone has chopped off your legs from the knee down (well that’s how I often felt during speedwork) feel free to download my free e book. You can get it from the link at the top right of the page and it includes a selection of ideas about speed training including instructions on how to carry out a dynamic warm up.
Please let me know what you think of it.
Train Smart!!