Pick It Up With A Tempo!

Mixing it up is the best way to keep your running fresh, increase your endurance and up your speed. Hill repeats, track intervals, tempo runs, and your long runs are great ways to mix up your weekly workouts. If you're not training for a particular race, I recommend having 2 quality workouts a week. If you're training for a half- or full-marathon you can up to to three. Quality workouts are workouts (like previously mentioned) that either increase the intensity or distance. Then the rest of your weekly runs should be easy-effort runs designed for building and or maintaining your base mileage. It's best to have at least one complete rest day in the week. I usually like to have my rest day the day after my long run.

So, mixing up your weekly workouts is a great idea, but you can also mix up the type of tempo runs your running. Running the same old 4- or 5-mile tempo run can get boring week after week. In case you're new to running, a tempo run typically begins and ends with a 1-mile easy warm-up and cool-down mile. The "middle miles" are run at tempo pace (typically 30 seconds slower than your 10K or 5K  race pace). So for a 4-mile tempo run, you'll run 1-mile easy, 2-miles at tempo pace, and 1 mile easy for the cool-down. But....that's just one way to do a tempo run.

Basically, a tempo run's purpose is designed to give your body experience running fast for longer periods of time. This helps increase your speed and endurance. It's also great for pushing out your lactate threshold. That's the point at which you begin to find that "burn" in your muscles. That burn is caused when you increase your pace faster than your body is acclimated to and the body isn't able to clear out the lactate (a by product of the energy produced for muscle movement) fast enough. But, if you keep exposing yourself to faster paces over longer distances, you can actually push out the point at which you get that burn (or the lactate threshold) so hopefully you'll never experience it during a race.

Other types of tempo runs include Tempo Intervals, Race-Pace Tempo Runs and Kenyan Outbacks. Tempo intervals are very similar to fartleks (bursts of speed during a regular run). To do a Tempo Interval, simply divide your run into 10 minute intervals rotating between slow and tempo-pace intervals. So for example, if you're running a 6-miler, begin with 10-minutes at an easy conversational pace for 10-minutes. Then ramp it up to your tempo pace for 10-minutes. Continue this until you've completed your 6-miles. The last interval may actually be shorter than 10-minutes depending on your pace. Or if it's easier, don't base the Tempo Interval run on mileage. Instead, just plan on running for 60 minutes doing 6 slow/fast intervals.

Race-Pace Tempo runs are run just like a regular Tempo Run beginning with a 1-mile warm-up at the beginning and a 1-mile cool-down at the end, but instead of running the "middle miles at a pace that's 30-seconds slower than your 10K or 5K pace, run it at your actual race pace. If you're training for a 5K or 10K, then this give you a chance to ramp up your speed so your body knows what it feels like to run at the faster race pace. If you're training for a half- or full-marathon, then this lets your slow it down a bit and get a feel for what it's like to run at your endurance run race pace.

Kenyan Outbacks are similar to tempo runs, but with the second half much faster than the first. To do a Kenyan Outback, pick an out-n-back route. Run the "out" portion at a moderate pace and run the "back" portion about 30-45 seconds slower than 5K pace. This helps your body learn to "kick-it-in" or "pick-it-up" later in a race.

Mixing up your runs throughout the week not only helps keep your workouts fresher and more interesting, it also jacks up your metabolism and increases your caloric burn, keeping you fitter and leaner. It also gives your body a chance to use more than one energy-production system. Track intervals use more of the phosphagen system (the quickest and most powerful source of energy for muscle movement) and the glycolytic energy system. Tempo runs will make use of the of glycolytic system and the oxidative systems of energy  production. The long run will begin with the glycolytic system but it will mainly make use of the oxidative system. During a long run, you body can also learn to burn fat for energy production. Allowing your body to experience using all the various energy-production systems, makes you a more efficient runner.

The 5K Race: Simple and Effective Training Tips

The 5K race. Many runners have a love hate relationship with this distance. On the one hand, it's a short race. If you're not too concerned with time, then most anyone with a basic fitness level can run or run/walk the distance. On the other hand, however, if you're racing it, it can be a grueling distance.

To race a 5K, you're pretty much in high gear the entire race. There's very little ramp-up time and very little room for any back-sliding. That however, is what appeals to many runners. They love the rush of adreniline and challenge that a 5K provides.

So how do you train for a 5K? There are a lot of different theories on training for a 5K, but the one common thread of most 5K training plans is speed work. I personally think that three types of runs are key to 5K training—Lactate Threshold Runs, Aerobic Power Runs, and Endurance Runs.

Lactate Threshold Runs are more commonly known as Tempo runs. Lactate has gotten a pretty bad rap over the years. Ever feel that deep down burning sensation in your legs when you've pushed the intensity of a run? That's due to the buildup of blood lactate (a waste product of the energy production). Because you've ramped up the intensity so quickly, the body isn't able to clear it out of the blood stream fast enough, so you feel a burning sensation and you begin to fatigue and slow down. What many runners don't know is that lactate can actually be used as a source of muscle fuel. The key is pushing out that lactate threshold. In other words pushing out the point at which you feel the burn. A great way to do that is through tempo runs. These are runs in which you run about 30seconds slower than your 10K race or at about 80-90% of your Max Heart Rate. So, it's a slightly uncomfortable run, but not a run where you're completely wiped-out at the end.

Typically a tempo run begins with a slow mile and then you pick it up to your tempo pace for a certain distance and then pull it back down to a slow pace again for the last mile. For example, in a 4-mile tempo run, you’ll run a slow 1-mile warm-up, 2 miles at tempo pace, and then a slow 1-mile cool-down.

Aerobic Power Runs are another great training tactic to help build speed as well as increase your body's ability to take in more oxygen that's utilized at the muscle level for energy production. Aerobic Power Runs are typically run as intervals on a track. The intervals are fast and usually run at 90% of your Max Heart Rate. Each interval is followed by an equal distance slow interval or equal time but slow interval. For example if you run a 3:30 800m, then you'd either slow-jog or walk another 800 or you'd slow-jog or walk for 3minutes 30 seconds. Typically, I recommend the same-distance-slow-recovery-interval for someone new to intervals. For a more experienced runner, I'd recommend the same-time-slow-recovery-interval. Running at this high intensity level with recovery intervals in between, helps your body's ability to take in more oxygen, get it into the blood stream, and down to the muscle where it's used to make energy. This is referred to as your VO2Max. For some sample interval workouts [click here].

Endurance Runs (or long runs) are also beneficial to 5K runners. Usually when you think of a long run, half-marathon or marathon-runners come to mind. Long runs can also benefit shorter-distance runners due to the muscle endurance-building benefits of the long run. "Long Run" is a relative term. Someone training for a 5K doesn't need a run as long as someone training for a marathon. Where a marathon runner may build up to a 20+ mile long run, a 6-, 7-, or 8-miler will suffice as a long run for a 5K runner. These runs are to be run at an easy converational pace, usually about a minute to 1.5 minutes slower than race pace. Think endurance-building, not speed for these runs.

One more workout that I like to throw into the mix is what I call a 1-Mile Pacing Workout. This strategy is great for 5K runners as well as young cross country runners who need help with consistent pacing. This workout is similar in structure to an interval workout, but it doesn't have to be run on a track. It also is similar to a fartlek which is when a runner adds bursts of speed (a fartlek) into a regular run. Unlike these runs though, a 1-mile pacing workout will help a 5K runner do three things:

1. Learn the feel of his/her race pace.
2. Have more evenly paced splits.
3. Experience running consecutive race-pace miles.

Often, because a 5K race is so short, runners will bolt out at the start with an amazing (but unrealistic) pace that they're unable to maintain for the course of the race. Or, they'll start out too slow, only to need a miracle to get that last mile up to the pace they need to achieve the desired finish time.

The 1-mile pacing workout will help a runner achieve a more evenly-paced run which will often result in having a little left in reserve at the end, so if desired, he/she can pull out the stops during that last tenth of a mile for a fast finish.

First the runner needs to determine the desired race time goal. For an example, let's say a runner want' to achieve a 21:00 5K. His 1-mile pacing workout would look like the following.

5-10-minute warm-up jog

1-mile at a 7:00min pace

4:00min recovery run at slow pace

1-mile at a 7:00min pace

4:00min recovery run at slow pace

1-mile at a 7:00min pace
5-10-minute cool-down jog

During the next 1-mile pacing workout, the runner repeats the same workout, but decreases the recover runs to 3-minutes. During the next workout, the recover runs decreased to 2-mintues, then 1-minute, and eventually to 0 mins and the runner will be doing three consecutive 7-minute miles.

Note: If your goal is to run a 21:00 5K, but you're not yet capable of running a 7:00 mile, then your initial set of workouts should be at a pace you can run. So, maybe you begin with 8:00miles and once you can do three 8-minute miles consecutively, then you can go to a series of workouts running 7:30-minute miles and so on until you get down to the 7:00 minute pace.

Beginning Runners: Take it Slow

I was excited when the newest issue of a health/nutrition magazine I get arrived the other day. As I was skimming the table of contents I saw an article about a beginning running program. The tagline pitched a 6-week walk-to-run program. Of course this caught my attention so I quickly flipped to the article. The 6-weeks made me a bit skeptical. So, I read the article.

The article does provide the reader with some good info—you don't have to be in perfect shape to begin a running program; running provides an extra 70% reduction in risk of stroke and diabetes; running can help bust a weight-loss plateau; help maintain bone density, doesn't damage knees; and helps improve mental sharpness. The only problem I have is that the proposed plan, will have some runner wannabes throwing in the towel after the first run or two.

-

The "grabber" tagline at the beginning of the article reads, "Our 6-week walk-to-run program will have your clocking miles in no time!" Having worked with beginning runners, I'm thinking this may be a bit of an oversell. The tagline bills the program as a "walk-to-run" program, yet, Monday they run, Tuesday they cross-train, Wednesday they run, Thursday they rest, Friday they run, and finally on Saturday they walk before another rest day on Sunday. The other thing that worries me about the plan is that it has new runners running 1.5 miles on the very first day of the plan. Now if you're a seasoned runner, that sounds like nothing, but if you're a newbie to running, that can be quite a task. One of my running clients has the fastest walking pace of anyone I know. I can hardly keep up with her. But when it came to running, she was good for spurts of about 30-60secs at first.

Now to give the article some credit, it does say to take walking breaks as needed during the runs and if you can only run 15-30 seconds at a time to begin with, that's okay. My stance though is why, make it seem like the person is compromising by walking? It kind of reads like, "It's okay if you need to walk." Also, the workout schedule grid just says "Run 1.5 miles." So, for the skimmer who doesn't read the entire article, they're going to be trying to run 1.5 miles on day one of the program and not know it's okay to take walking breaks.

The other thing I find odd is one of the motivation tips it provides. It reads, "It's more efficient (and fun) to track miles instead of minutes." Huh? If you're not up to a mile yet, this will be a little hard to do. Plus you'll either have to be running on a track, go out in your car and figure out mileage or spend $300 on a GPS.

In my opinion, it's best to start with a run/walk method, but forget distance and focus on time. Begin with a cycle of a short achievable running segment that's paired with a longer walking segment. For example, on day one of the plan, you might start with a 5-minute warm-up walk. Then run for 1 minute at a slow steady pace followed by a 4-minute walk at a steady pace. Repeat this 1-minute run/4-minute walk process for 30 minutes (you'll repeat it 5 times). Then wrap up with a 5-minute cool-down walk. Do this for 3-4 times during week one. Then gradually increase the running segments and shorten the walking segments throughout the course of the program. For example, in week two, increase the running segment to 2-minutes (still at a slow steady pace) and decrease the walking segment to 3-minutes. Continue this process over a ten week period. Over the course of the program, work up to running 5 days a week. By the 9th week of the program, you'll be doing just two run/walk rotations that look something like 14-minutes running/1-minute walking before the last week when you'll run the entire 30 minutes covering approximately 3 miles.

One of the biggest reasons new runners give up is trying to do too much too soon. So, choose a plan that you can succeed at. There's no rush. Take your time. Start with those short running segments and build up. Run at a slow to moderate pace. Don't sprint. Don't worry about distance. Once you can run 30-minutes without stopping, then you can begin thinking more about increasing your pace and mileage.

If you're in the Greensboro, NC area, I'll be starting a new beginning running group 10-week program on August 3rd. Email me at runnerdude@runnerdudesfitness.com if you're interested!

Is a Slower Start the Best Start?

Recently at the USA-Track & Field Level 1 Coaching training weekend I attended in Charlotte, NC, the instructor mentioned a research study that kind of goes against the grain of what most runners think about when racing a 5K. Usually a runner starts off a little more reserved, builds up his/her momentum, and then blows it out at the end of the race. Of course a 5K start is usually faster than a 10K and a 10K's start is faster than a Half, and so on, but within a given race, you're usually encouraged to start off at a slower pace in order to save some for the finish.

The study mentioned by the instructor showed that a faster start can reap a better race time. So what gives? Well, of course I had to dig up the study and see what the scoop was all about. The study was done in 2006 by researchers at the University of New Hampshire. Their goal was to examine how different pacing strategies would effect performance in a 5K race. Researchers worked with 11 runners from New Hampshire's women's cross-country team. The runners in the selected group were similar in that they all logged about 35 miles per week and their 5K PRs were in similar ranges (18-21 minutes).

The study began with establishing a baseline pace by having each runner run two 5Ks. Next, the runners ran three more 5Ks each one with a different pace strategy. Each runner ran the first mile of the first 5K at their established baseline 5K pace and then miles 2 and 3 were run at a pace of the runner's choosing in order to finish as fast as possible. The second 5K was run in a similar fashion, but the first mile was run at a pace 3% faster than the baseline base. The first mile of the 3rd race was run as a pace 6% faster than the baseline pace.

The results? Eight of the 11 women achieved their fastest time running at the 6%-faster-than-baseline pace during the first mile. The remaining three women ran their fastest time at the 3%-faster start pace. None of the runners ran their fastest race using the baseline pace. Most of the runners who tried to continue with an increased pace did slow their pace some at the end of the race, but they still ended with PR times. When running the slower start, most of the runners kept an increased or even pace going through the end of the race, but it wasn't enough to overcome the slower start and failed to produce any PRs.

So what does it mean? Well, the researchers were surprised by the results. They discovered that the slower start had runners running at only 78% of their VO2Max. The faster starts had runners running at 82-83% of their VO2Max. The higher VO2Max is in the range typically achieved by experienced runners running a 5k. The researchers netted out that less-experienced (beginner and recreational) runners probably should not increase their start speed, because they have not yet conditioned their bodies to the faster speed and may not have the ability to keep or increase the pace throughout the remainder of the race and their times may suffer. On the flip side, elite runners shouldn't change what they're doing, because they're already running that first mile in the higher VO2Max ranges.

So, who's to benefit? The more moderately-trained runner may benefit from a faster start. They're probably underestimating what they're capable of doing. Researchers also, reinforced that their study was based on a 5K. So, starting out with a 3% or 6% faster pace in a longer race such as a half or full marathon, may not have comparative results since you have so much further to run after that first mile.

Runningplanet.com has put together a great chart showing how various types of runners may approach that first mile in a 5K. [Click here] to get more information on the pacing strategies listed in the chart.

So, if you're a moderate runner and you can't seem to break your current 5K time, try uping the ante in that first mile by increasing your start pace by 3% or 6% and see if it improves your results.