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Training for 5k? Finish fast!

March 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
running coach

I’ve just received my May copy of Runner’s World. Amongst the running coaching articles is one entitled ‘Secrets to a Stronger Finish’ One of the suggestions it contains is to use plyometrics - jumping and bounding exercises. This is an excellent way to improve speed and running performance but, what the article fails to mention, is that it carries a very high risk of injury if the athlete is not fit enough. So, while there are benefits to be had, plyometrics represents very much the icing on the cake. So, what alternatives are there to boost performance at the end of a race? In my track days, I mainly raced 400m hurdles. To gain strength, I often trained with a group of 800m runners on the Oxford University track – the track … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 10k training, 5k training, Run Smart, Speedwork Tagged With: , ,

Law 3: Train First For Distance Only Later For Speed

September 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment
marathon training, running coaching

If you are going to contest a 26-mile event, you must at least be used to 100 miles a week...As it is always the speed, never the distance, that kills, so is it the distance not the speed that has to be acquired. In the early days of training, you must endeavour only to manage as great a distance on each practice outing as you can cover without being abnormally tired..Your aim throughout should be to avoid all maximum effort while you work wit one purpose only and that is to achieve a definite and sustained rise in average speed at which you practice, for that is the secret of ultimate achievement....You must never, except for short temporary bursts, practice at racing speed. Newton’s ideas in this law are very close to the hugely … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 15 Laws of training, Marathon training Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

To finish first, you must first finish – Rick Mears

July 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment
marathon training, running coaching

Of all the sessions I’ve written about this one is probably my favourite. Olga Bondarenko was a Russian athlete competing over 10,000m on the track in the infancy of the event for women. However, she lacked finishing speed so, working with her coach, she created this session. Run 400m @ 5k pace Recovery 400m@ marathon pace Run 300m @ 1500m pace Recovery 300m @ marathon pace Run 200m @ 800m pace Recovery 200m @ marathon pace Run 100 sprint Recovery 100m @ marathon pace. That is one set consisting of 2k of quality running – even the recovery periods are at marathon pace. Prior to winning the Olympic gold medal in 1988, Bondarenko completed 3 sets back to back, 3 mins recovery, 2 sets back to back, 3 minutes recovery, 1 set. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 10k training, Run Smart, Speedwork Tagged With: , ,

Jack Daniels was wrong!?

July 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Marathon training

Well, not entirely! For example, a famous Swedish study where runners added a 20 minute continuous run at 10 mile race pace to their weekly training resulted in a 4% increase in Lactate threshold and improvements of 1 minute in 10k times all in just 14 weeks. However, it’s just half the story! Training at lactate threshold pace enables the body to become more efficient at running at that pace as the body ‘learns’ to produce less lactate at a given pace. The second half of the story though is that the body can be trained to improve the way it clears and uses the lactate already produced – if you can use it and burn it up more efficiently, you’ll be able to run at a faster pace for longer before you crash and burn right? Research … [Read more...]

Filed Under: 10k training, Marathon training, Run Smart, Speedwork, Threshold training Tagged With: , , , ,

“It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.” George Sheehan

July 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Cruise Intervals according to Jack Daniels

The first type of speedwork we’ll look at is threshold training. In the 1980s, Jack Daniels (the world renown exercise physiologist and running coach – not the whisky guy!) introduced the term ‘cruise intervals’ to runner. These, along with tempo runs have become the mainstay of threshold training. But what do the terms mean? Threshold training – during running, the muscles obtain fuel from a process called glycolysis. As a bi-product of this process, lactic acid can be formed. When exercising gently enough, the body is able to utilise this lactic acid to help fuel the running effort. However, once you start running harder, the lactic acid can build at a pace that the body is unable to clear from the muscles. The point where the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Speedwork, Threshold training, Training plan Tagged With: , , ,
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