Racing and Training Tools
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Easy runs
Top coaches and exercise physiologists believe that most runners should do
80 to 90 per cent of their weekly training at the easy run pace (this includes
your long runs, done at approximately the same pace). Easy runs build your
aerobic fitness, and your muscular and skeletal strength. They also help
you burn more calories and recover for harder workouts.
Tempo runs
Tempo runs help you improve your running economy and your running form. They
are sometimes described as 'threshold' or 'hard but controlled' runs, and they
will help you
prepare for races of 10K to the marathon. Tempo sessions generally
fall into one of two categories: steady runs of 2 to 6 miles; or long intervals
with short recoveries. Here's an example of the latter: 4 x 1 mile
at tempo run pace with 2 minutes of recovery jogging between efforts. You
should do tempo runs no more than once a week, and they should make up no
more than 10 to 15 per cent of your total training.
VO2-max runs
VO2-max training helps you improve your running economy and your racing
sharpness. These sessions are sometimes called 'intervals', and are most
useful when you are preparing for a race of 5K to half-marathon.
Here's an example of a good VO2-max workout: 6 x 800 metres
at VO2-max pace with 4 to 6 minutes of recovery jogging between efforts.
You should do VO2-max workouts no more than once a week, and they
should make up no more than 6 to 10 per cent of your total training. (When
you run these workouts, you are running at or near 100 per cent of your maximum
oxygen capacity, which scientists call VO2-max.)
Speed-form runs
Speed-form workouts help you improve your running economy, form and leg speed.
These are also interval sessions tailored to help you prepare for races of
800 metres to 5K. Here's an example of a good speed-form workout:
8 x 400 metres at speed-form pace with 3 to 4 minutes of recovery jogging
between efforts. You should do speed-form sessions no more than once a week,
and they should make up no more than 4 to 8 per cent of your total training.
Yasso 800s
Yasso 800s are an invention of Runner's World US writer Bart Yasso, who
has run more than 50 marathons and ultramarathons. They're simple: if
you want to run a marathon in 2:45, 3:29 or 4:11, you should train to
the point where you can run 10 repetitions of 800 metres in the same
time: 2:45, 3:29 or 4:11. The only difference is that your marathon
time is hours:minutes and your 800 time is minutes:seconds. Bart
suggests doing Yasso 800s once a week as part of your marathon
training. Start with perhaps 4 x 800 and build up to 10 x 800. Between
the 800s, take a recovery jog that lasts as long as your 800s. A good
Yasso 800 workout: 6 x 800m at Yasso pace with recovery jogs between
the 800s.
long runs
long runs form the foundation of all marathon training programs. long runs
build everything from your confidence to your discipline to your fat-burning.
So, even when you're not training for a specific marathon, it's a good idea
to do at least one semi-long run a week. Because long runs are done at a
relaxed pace, there's great latitude in how fast you actually run. In general,
we believe that slower is better than faster. Let your long runs be your
slow runs, and save your legs for other days of the week when you might do
tempo runs or maximum-oxygen runs. But there are a thousand theories about
how to do long runs, none of which have yet been proven superior to the others.
The important thing is building up the distance and training your body to
keep going for 3, 4, 5 or however many hours it's going to take you.
Putting it all together
Don't overdo your training!
Hard
days
We recommend that most beginner and intermediate runners do just two hard
days a week. More advanced runners can do three hard days if they're
careful. Each of the following is a hard-day workout: tempo runs, VO2-max
sessions, speed-form workouts, Yasso 800s, long runs.
Hard days/Easy days
A hard session should usually be followed by one or (even better) two
easy day sessions. Easy days can include rest days and cross-training
days.
Rest days
Most beginner and intermediate runners should run no more than 4 to 6 days a
week. We
recommend one or two rest days, when you do no training at all (or just take
a relaxed 30-minute walk) and one or two cross-training days.
Cross-training days
The world of cross-training has expanded dramatically in recent years.
While research indicates that cross-training probably won't make you a
faster runner, it can make you a stronger and healthier and less
injury-prone runner. Runners do best with cross-training exercises that
are non-weight-bearing. This includes swimming and aqua-running,
strength-training, bicycling and rowing. We also like non-impact
exercises, which include nordic skiing, elliptical training and step
climbing.
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