Running Nowhere Fast? Try These Tips for Increasing your Pace

Seems like if you want to get faster, you'd just pick up your pace. Sounds like a simple solution, but like many things in life, what seems simple often is not. Many runners have come to the studio saying, "I just can't seem to get past a certain pace. I try to pick it up, but nothing happens or worse, I begin to slow down."

To increase pace two things need to happen. 1. Increase VO2Max  2. Build endurance. VO2Max is your body's ability to utilize oxygen at the muscle layer at maximum exertion. Your muscles have a network of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that carry oxygenated blood to the muscle. If your runs are pretty even and you don't vary your pace too much, your network will be more like sprawling country roads--few and far between. To increase your pace, you need a metropolitan network of highways. Good news is that you can build those new highways of capillaries. How? By doing various types of speed work on a regular basis.

Adding one speed workout to your regular weekly running routine will start the construction process. When you consistently add those workouts, your brain will realize that you're not going to stop this. It wants your body to work as efficiently as possible, so your body will actually begin to increase the network of capillaries in your leg muscles to help meet the new energy production demands. The more capillaries you have in your muscles, the more oxygenated blood will reach the muscle. The more oxygenated blood in the muscle, the more potential for energy production.

As the network of capillaries grows your body will also increase mitochondria (the energy-making power houses of the muscles.) Mitochondria use the oxygen to create energy. So, now with the increased network of capillaries and increased number of energy-making power-houses, your body will be able to meet the energy demands to get you going faster.

It takes commitment, consistency, and hard work to create that metropolitan highway network. It may be tough at first. Expect soreness and fatigue. Anytime you increase the intensity level of your workouts, your body will react. This is called the gain threshold. Your fitness level may even dip for a few weeks. That's when most people give up. They're not seeing results fast enough and they get discouraged. "I feel worse that before I started. Why am I doing this?" But, like I tell my runners, "Trust. Believe. Conquer!" It varies from person to person, but anywhere from 4-6 weeks you'll notice that you're stronger and faster than when you started.

The gain threshold is the reason why it's not a good idea to add new intensity just before a big race. You're body will not have time to acclimate and it may hurt your performance.

The Workouts:
I like having my runners do two types of speed workouts. One type is shorter, but more intense. Intervals are a great example of this. Don't worry, for many interval-based workouts, you don't need a track. The second type is a fast run but incorporated into a longer distance. Progression runs and Tempo runs are great examples.

Below is plan to help you ease into adding speed work into your running routine to help you run faster and longer. This is just a suggested plan. You'll need to increase or decrease running days based on your experience as well as your schedule. If you're having to rearrange the runs to better suit your schedule, remember to never pair two hard runs back-to-back. Always follow the Easy/Hard/Easy rule. The workouts listed on the schedules are described at the bottom of this post.

Easy Run with 3 Fartleks:  "Fartlek" is a Swedish term for "speed play." Take one of your regular weekly 3-6 mile runs and add in 3 bursts of speed. The first week keep the burst of speed at 2-minutes for each fartlek. Remember to space the fartleks out. Do one fartlek in the first third of your run, the one in the second third and then one in the last third. Between fartleks, be sure to slow the pace back down to your original easy pace. During your second week, try increasing the fartlek duration to 3-4 minutes.

Interval Workouts:
Mona Fartleks: Mona Fartleks are a great interval workout that you can do anywhere. You don't need a track. You'll need a stopwatch or sports watch with a timer. For the workout do a 1-mile warm-up run, then run...
15 seconds fast/15 seconds slow/15 seconds fast/15 seconds slow
30 seconds fast/30 seconds slow/30 seconds fast/30 seconds slow
60 seconds fast/60 seconds slow/60 seconds fast/60 seconds slow
90 seconds fast/90 seconds slow/90 seconds fast/90 seconds slow
That's 13 minutes of fast/slow intervals. Take a 2-3 minute walk or easy jog break, then repeat for a second 13-minutes of fast/slow intervals. Follow-up the workout with an easy 1-mile cooldown.
Timed Based Pyramids: This workout is similar to the Mona Fartlek, but for this workout you'll increase the time increments and then come back down. Before the workout, do an easy 1-mile warm-up run. Then for the Timed Pyramid workout run...
30 seconds at high intensity/1-min at low intensity
45 seconds at high intensity/1-min at low intensity
60 seconds at high intensity/1-min at low intensity
90 seconds at high intensity/1-min at low intensity
60 seconds at high intensity/1-min at low intensity
45 seconds at high intensity/1-min at low intensity
30 seconds at high intensity/1-min at low intensity
Walk or easy jog  for 2-3 mins and then repeat.
Follow-up the workout with an easy 1-mile cooldown run.

90s/60s: Do a 1-mile warm-up run. Then run hard 90 seconds /Run Easy 60 seconds. Repeat 5 times. Then walk or do and easy jog 2 mins then repeat the 90/60 workout again. Follow-up the workout with an easy 1-mile cooldown run.

Progression and Tempo Workouts:

Progression Run: "Thirds," involves doing the first third of the run very slow and working into an easy pace, the next third  at your regular "in-your-groove" pace, and the final third increases until you're  finish the last 3rd around your 10K race pace—roughly 80 to 90 percent of maximum heart rate. Increases in pace are not "step-wise" but gradual. Basically start really slow. Slower than you normally run and gradually increase pace until the end of the last 3rd, you're coming in pretty fast.
Tempo Run: Begin with a 1-mile warm-up run and end with a 1-mile cool-down. The miles in between are run at a pace about 30 secs slower than your 10K race pace.

Tempo Interval Run: Begin with a 1-mile warm-up run and end with a 1-mile cool-down. For the miles in between, alternate running 5 mins at a pace that's about 30-sec slower than your 5K race pace and 5-mins at an easy pace. Cycle through as many of these fast/slow intervals until you reach your cool-down mile.

Keep in mind that during the fast portion of the runs, you should be reaching a pace that's non-converstional. In other words, it should be hard to talk in more than one- or two-word sentences. Be careful not to go so fast that you can't catch your breath or that you can't maintain the interval pace. Initially start conservative with your increased paces and then as you begin to acclimate, start to up the pace. 

Following this plan for 5 weeks will help you see results in achieving a faster pace and pretty much get you through that gain threshold. Keep at it and you'll continue to see even more progress. This is a great primer for a 5K or 10K race. Start about 12 weeks in advance of the race. If you're not planning on racing any time soon, after the first 5 or six weeks, you can keep just one speed workout or tempo/progression run in your weekly routine until you're ready to kick it up a notch for a race.

VO2 What?

You've probably heard about it or read about it, but what exactly is VO2Max? The term broken down actually represents the following:

V—volume per time

O2—oxygen

Max—maximum

VO2 max is also referred to as maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake, peak oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity. It's basically a lot of fancy words for the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in and actually utilize at max exertion.

Okay, so now you know what the cryptic term stands for, but why is it important? Well, basically the idea works like this....increase your O2 uptake and you'll run faster, or bike faster, or swim faster. Your performance in any aerobic endurance activity will be improved with and improved VO2Max.

We've all seen runners huffing and puffing who look like they're about to hyperventilate (and if we're being honest, we can all probably include ourselves in that group at one point or another). It's very common to see beginning runners breathing very heavily. That's because as the new runner ups his heart rate, his body automatically knows it needs more oxygen, so the most natural thing to do is to breath faster. Problem is that the breaths are usually shallow and even though the runner is breathing rapidly, he's not taking in enough oxygen.

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The amount of air inhaled and exhaled with each breath is your tidal volume. It increases from .4 to 1L at rest to as much as 3L during aerobic exercise. An aerobically unfit person's tidal volume is going to be less than that of an aerobically fit person. Also, a person who's aerobically unfit isn't going to have a very complex network of capillaries (the smallest blood vessels woven throughout the muscle fibers) at the muscle level. A person who has a higher tidal volume and a more complex system of capillaries at the muscle level is going to be able to get more oxygen into the lungs which will eventually be diffused into the pulmonary blood which will make its way down to the capillary level and then to the many mitochondria in the muscle. Mitochondria are found inside the cell and they're the power producers. The mitochondria is where cellular respiration occurs which produces fuel for the cell's activities.

Great news is that you don't have to settle for a low tidal volume, lack of a complex capillary network, few mitochondria or even a low VO2Max. By doing aerobic exercise (running, cycling, swimming, etc.) you'll increase all of the above. The more you run, your body will actually increase and build that important network of capillaries in the muscles and when that happens you'll actually increase the number and size of the mitochondria in the tissue. When that happens your body will be more efficient at extracting oxygen from the blood and getting it to the muscle where it's needed for energy production.

A runner can improve their VO2Max even more dramatically by doing more intense workouts such as tempo runs, track intervals, fartleks, or hill repeats. New runners will see the most dramatic increases as they work to improve their VO2Max. Once you reach a certain level, the athlete will plateau with their VO2Max, but continued VO2Max training will help the more experienced runner maintain their VO2Max level for longer periods of time helping them become even more efficient runners. There is a ceiling to the VO2Max and genetics play a role in how high the ceiling is. So, if you can't seem to get it past a certain level no matter what you try, you can blame mom and dad. Also, as you age, your VO2max will naturally begin to decrease a little each year. Ain't Mother Nature grand.

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A long slow run is typcially run at about 70% of your VO2Max. Tempo runs maybe closer to 80-85% of your VO2Max and Intervals may reach the 85-90% level. Some treadmills have made it easy to gage this by using METs (metabolic equivalent scale). Once you know your VO2Max score, just divide that number by 3.5 and that will give you your VO2Max in METs. So if your VO2Max score is 40 then the METs equivalent would be around 11. On a treadmill that has METs, you would know that your max effort would be at the 11 METs setting. Your regular runs would be 70% of that so the METs setting would be 7.7. If you were doing intervals the setting may be closer to 9 or 9.5. Not all treadmills have a METs scale, but if yours does, it can be a useful tool when training.

There are a couple of different types of VO2Max test. The most accurate is in a lab setting where you're hooked up to a breathing apparatus that actually measures the amount of oxygen you inhale verses what you exhale. But, you can also get a pretty accurate VO2Max reading through a Step Test or the 1.5 mile run test. There's also a bike version and walking version of the test. Check with your personal trainer or local gym to see if they provide VO2Max testing. If you're in Greensboro, NC, contact me at runnerdude@runnerdudesfitness.com and set up an appointment for a Fitness Assessment in which a VO2Max test is included. I'd love to work with you in helping gather an array of baseline fitness data including vitals, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and stability, and VO2Max.

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So, if you're new to running, hang in there, it will get easier. Just stick with it. And if you're a seasoned runner, try mixing up your workouts with some speedwork or hillwork to up or help maintain that VO2Max.

SHAKE IT UP, BABY! 5 Tips for Increasing Speed

When you're a new runner, each race is so exciting. Because you're new to the game, your learning curve and you body's adaptability curve is huge. So, you see progress with each run. And with each race your finish time decreases. That's an awesome feeling. All that hard work you've put in is really paying off.

Skip to a few years (and miles) down the road and you're not seeing as much progress and your times seem to have stagnated. What's the deal? I hear it and read about it all the time...."I run and run, but I just can't seem to get any faster."

The good news is that you havent' become weaker and no it's not that you're declining as a runner, it's just that your body has now adapted to the stress of your normal weekly routine and because of this acclamation, your body doesn't see the need to adapt any more. So what do you?

You SHAKE IT UP, BABY! What you're body needs is a jolt...a wake-up call. Listed below are 5 Shake-It-Up-Strategies one or more of which you can add to your weekly routine to help get you over that "stagnation wall" and on your way to setting a new PR.

1. Intervals:

One of the best ways to improve your race time is to add a weekly interval workout to the mix. This workout will be short mileage-wise, but it may be your hardest workout intensity-wise for the week. Typically the total mileage in an interval workout is about 3 miles (maybe 4 counting the rest intervals). Find a track (or a flat empty parking lot) where you can easily keep track of 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m, 1000m, etc., intervals. The parking lot at a local park near my house is a half-mile loop so it's great for doing 800s. Typically the longest interval is a 1600m (1 mile). Shorter intervals are usually run at your 5K pace and longer intervals are typically run at your 10K pace. The McMillan Running Calculator is a great tool to help you determine the speed at which you should do various interval distances. Just plug in the race distance you're training for and hit "calculate" and it will break down the training times for a zillion different distances. For me the times are a little fast, so remember that you may need to work up to the times they recommend. Any variety of interval distances in a workout will do. I like to mix it up.

Yasso 800s—Created by Bart Yasso, the race services manger at Runner's World—are great for marathon training and are directly tied to your marathon goal time. If you want to do a 3:30 marathon, then you run a series of 800m intervals in 3mins:30seconds. Your recovery intervals in between each 800 is the same amount of time as you did your 800. So basically a 3hr:30min marathoner wannabe will run an 800 interval in 3mins:30secs then do a recovery jog at a much slower pace for 3mins:30secs and then repeat with the another 3:30 800. Note: These are tough!

I like variety, so when I'm training, each week I'll mix it up a little. Here's a typical interval workout schedule I like to use. It covers six weeks, and then I just start over with Workout #1 again. Give it a Try! Workout #6 is a killer!

Workout #1—5x1000m @5K race pace with 2-minute recovery (walk or jog) in between
Workout #2—6x800m @10K race pace with 90-second recovery (walk or jog) in between Workout #3—Three sets: 1x1200m @ 10K race pace with 1-minute recovery, 1x400m @5K race pace with a 3-minute recovery (walk or jog) in between each set
Workout#4—4x1600m @10K race pace with 3-minute recovery (walk or jog) in between
Workout#5—8x800m @10K race pace with 90-second recovery (walk or jog) in between
Workout#6—400m @ 5K race pace (30sec recovery); 800 @ 10K race pace (90-sec recovery); 1200m @10K race pace (2-min recovery); 1600m @10K race pace (3-min recovery); 1200m @10K race pace (2-min recovery); 800 @ 10K race pace (90-sec recovery); 400m @ 5K race pace

2. Hill Work

Uphill running helps you learn to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers which will help you run at maximum intensity. Learning to recruit these fast-twitch muscles will help you during an endurance run when you need to ramp it up or when you need to pull yourself out of fatigue.

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Downhill running is also great. Thanks to gravity, you naturally run faster going downhill. This is a great way to see what it's like to run at a faster pace and with a faster turn-over. This is hard to experience on flat ground. Just like adding extra miles, your body has to adapt to running faster. Ever blow it out at the end of a race and you feel like you have absolutely no control of your limbs? They're just flying everywhere? That's because you're asking your body to do something it really doesn't know how to do yet. Be careful, though. The decline doesn't have to be steep. A 5-7% decline is more than enough. You don't want to lose your balance and get an injury from rolling down the hill.

3. Faster Turnover

More and more research is showing that a shorter stride with a faster turnover rate is a more efficient way to run. It's less taxing on the body and helps to prevent heel striking which can cause a breaking effect that can actually slow you down (as well as not being very good on your feet, knees or back). So, don't worry so much about your stride length. Instead focus on improving your stride rate. Most elite runners have about 180 strides per minute. Check out your stride rate by going for a run and counting each stride for a minute. (Note: an easy way to do this is to count each time your right foot hits the ground for a minute and then multiple that number by 2.) Don't be shocked if you're nowhere near 180. But, just by focusing on cadence you'll be pleasantly surprised when you recheck your stride rate. I bet you'll see an increase. Don't be surprised if your legs are a little sore after working on a shorter stride. You'll actually kick in some muscles that may not have been recruited as much in your longer stride. Keep at it though. That soreness should subside after a few runs.

4. Tempo Runs

A tempo run is simply a run (usually 4-8 miles) that's run at a faster pace (typically a little slower than your 10K pace). Warm up for a mile, then do 2-6 miles at tempo pace and then do a cool-down mile. For example for a 4-mile run, run 1 easy warm-up mile, 2 miles at tempo pace, and 1 easy cool-down mile. Be sure to start with a shorter distance for your first tempo runs before working your way up to the longer tempo-run distances. Tempo runs are the bridge between those weekly slow runs and your fast-paced race. They help prepare your body physically for the demands of running at race pace as well as help prepare you mentally for the demands of running at a faster pace.

5. Drop 5-10 lbs.

Easier said than done, but dropping 5-10lbs will help increase your speed. Some research shows that it can decrease your race time by 1-2 minutes.

8 Tips for Increasing Your Speed!

"Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the morning last. Just kicking down the cobble stones. Looking for fun and feelin' groovy. Hello lamppost, What cha knowing? I've come to watch your flowers growing. Ain't cha got no rhymes for me? Doot-in' doo-doo, Feelin' groovy."—Simon & Garfunkel

Doot-in' doo-doo...do you wanna blow those flowers away and leave that lamppost in the dust sometimes? Not sure how to get the extra oomph you need to leave the groovy and put your groove on instead? Try a few of the following tips and you'll be blasting those cobblestones away in no time.

1. Drop 5-10 lbs. Easier said than done, but dropping 5-10lbs will help increase your speed. Some research shows that it can decrease your race time by 1-2 minutes.

2. Run with someone faster than you. I don't need any research to back that one up. I am the research. I credit my increased speed to my buddies Les, Jim, Mike, Kelly, and several others that I run with that constantly keep me challenged with speed. It's a whole lot easier to go faster with a buddy than trying to motivate yourself to run faster all by your lonesome.

3. Add fartleks to a weekly run. This is such a simple but effective technique. A fartlek is simply an informal interval thrown into a regular run. All you do is speed up for a designated time or distance during a run, then slow back down, then speed back up, then slow back down. For example, after running at normal warm-up pace for about a mile, crank it up to your 10K pace and hold that pace for 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 blocks....whatever time or distance you desire; then slow it back down again and repeat a few more times along your route. You'll be amazed how much faster you run that regular route by throwing in fartleks. In addition to the increased speed, you'll be helping to train your body to handle speeding up during times of fatigue—something that will come in very handy in an endurance run.

4. Add a weekly tempo run to your routine. A tempo run is simply a run (usually 4-8 miles) that's run at a faster pace (typically a little slower than your 10K pace). Think of it as a really long fartlek. Warm up for a mile, then do 2-6 miles at tempo pace and then do a cool-down mile. For example for a 4-mile run, run 1 easy warm-up mile, 2 miles at tempo pace, and 1 easy cool-down mile. Be sure to start with a shorter distance for your first tempo runs before working your way up to the longer tempo-run distances. Tempo runs are the bridge between those weekly slow runs and your fast-paced race. They help prepare your body physically for the demands of running at race pace as well as help prepare you mentally for the demands of running at a faster pace.

5. Run Intervals. Intervals are a great way to increase your speed. An interval workout is usually short in duration but much more intense. Typically intervals are done on a track and consist of doing several rounds of short sprinted runs such as a 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, or a 1200m. An interval workout may look something like 4 x 800m; rest 1minute. That means to run an 800 meter interval with a 1-minute rest in between four times. For more about intervals and some sample interval workouts [click here].

6. Add some Hillwork to your routine. Hillwork is another great way to increase speed. Uphill running helps you learn to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers which will help you run at maximum intensity. Learning to recruit these fast-twitch muscles will help you during an endurance run when you need to ramp it up or when you need to pull yourself out of fatigue. Downhill running is also great. Thanks to gravity, you naturally run faster going downhill. This is a great way to see what it's like to run at a faster pace and with a faster turn-over.

7. Increase your stride rate. There's a bit of controversy over whether a shorter or longer stride is better. In a Runner's World article (Oct. 2008), Patti and Warren Finke (RRCA-certified coaches for over 25 years) said that "most biomechanists think that the body chooses stride length and turnover based on its own biomechanical characteristics. Studies of elite runners show that they tend to use shorter strides with a higher turnover. Many studies of running efficiency show that, when runners try to change what the body chooses naturally, the result is a loss of efficiency. It is likely that the turnover and stride length of the elite runners is due to their biomechanics rather than conscious effort to alter turnover." So, don't worry so much about your stride length. But you can focus on improving your stride rate. Most elite runners have about 180 strides per minute. Check out your stride rate by going for a run and counting each stride for a minute. (Note: an easy way to do this is to count each time your right foot hits the ground for a minute and then multiple that number by 2.) Don't be shocked if you're nowhere near 180. But, by focusing on cadence and using some of the tips above you'll be pleasantly surprised when you recheck your stride rate. I bet you'll see an increase.

8. Expect some discomfort. There's a lot of truth in the saying, "No pain. No gain." Don't be scared of a little pain. DMSO (Delayed Muscle Soreness Onset) is expected a day or even 2 or 3 days after a hard workout. Don't mistake that soreness with injury. In order to gain some speed, you're going to have to do some work and this work may not be the most comfortable thing in the world. But those pains are a sign that you're building endurance as well as the muscle strength to handle that new speed and endurance. Use common sense, however. If you have pulled muscles, persistent pain, or extreme pain not related to the increase exertion, then back off and see a doctor.

The Benefits of Interval Training

My Marine Corps Marathon training is kicking in soon and the FIRST training plan that I'll be using along with my running buddies has us scheduled for an interval workout each week. I know interval workouts help increase your overall speed, but I wondered what other benefits you gain from doing a weekly interval workout. Here's what I found.

• You'll burn more calories. Yep, that's right. Recent studies (i.e., American College of Sports Medicine), show that short intense runs such as intervals or fartleks can be very beneficial to weight loss. The Mayo Clinic also says that the more vigorously you exercise, the more calories you'll burn — even if you increase intensity for just a few minutes at a time.

• You'll increase your endurance. As your cardiovascular fitness improves you'll improve your aerobic capacity which means you'll be able to exercise longer and more intensely.

• You'll be able to better adapt to the demands of an endurance race. Interval training works both the aerobic and the anaerobic system. During the intense running of your interval workout, your muscles use stored glycogen for energy. This is the Anaerobic system at work. Because the anaerobic system doesn't use oxygen, it gives off a by-product called lactic acid which results in that burning sensation you feel in your muscles. When you jog for recovery in between intervals, your heart and lungs work together to add oxygen back into the muscles, breaking down the lactic acid. This is the aerobic system at work. Doing intervals on a weekly basis helps teach your body to build up a higher tolerance to lactic acid buildup. It also strengthens your heart. In a nut shell, this means improved performance and improved endurance. So speed work actually helps endurance runners become more efficient runners.

• You won't need any fancy equipment. All you need is a track, but actually you don't even need that if you can find a flat area and measure your repeat distances. Getting to a track can sometimes be difficult for me, but I discovered that the parking lot at one of our local parks is a half-mile loop which is basically 800meters. Perfect for interval training.

• You'll make your training week more interesting. Not only will you have a different experience to look forward to, you'll eventually begin to see how your other "regular" workouts are beginning to benefit from your interval training.

• You'll feel amazing after an interval workout. During the workout you may be cursing, but afterward, the sense of accomplishment is very rewarding.

• Consistent interval training can help to lower your resting heart rate. The more blood pumped per beat the less your heart needs to beat each minute. The more blood pumped per beat the LESS your heart needs to beat each minute. That's a good thing!

Speed Work on a Treadmill?

Some runners can run long distances on a treadmill—I'm not one of them. Usually you'll find me on the treadmill only if it's winter and it's 20° and sleeting or if it's summer and it's 98°, with a heat index of 105° and an ozone warning. I just prefer the distractions of the fauna and flora around me on a run outside to the constant view of the sweaty people beside me and in front of me in the gym. In a previous post, I did mention that I discovered that doing fartleks on the treadmill really made those runs more enjoyable. So, I got to wondering if you could do "real speed work" on a treadmill and if so, was it comparable to speed work out on a track.

First of all, when it's July or August and there's a heat index of 115, it's just impossible to run as fast as you need to without risking heat exhaustion. So, a speed workout on the treadmill is definitely better than no speed work at all. There is a little bit of controversy as to whether or not there is much difference between speedwork on a treadmill vs. speed work on a track. Seems that most believe the biggest difference is the lack of wind resistance on a treadmill. To compensate for this you need to adjust the incline of your treadmill. The amount of incline depends on your pace. For example, if the treadmill MPH is set at 7.5 and the incline is set at 0%, the pace on the treadmill will read 8:00 min/mile. However, if you were outside you'd probably be running around an 8:20 min/mile. To account for the wind resistance, set the treadmill at a 1% incline and then your pace is more equivalent to a 7:59 min/mile out on a track. Hillrunner.com has a great chart that calculates all the equivalent paces by incline for you for from 0% all the way to a 10% incline.

A smaller camp doesn't think wind resistance really is a factor unless you're running faster than a 6:30 min/mile pace. Personally, on a really good day, I might be running a 6:30 min/mile pace, but even when I'm running at a 7:00, 7:30 or even an 8:00 pace on a treadmill at a 0% incline, it doesn't feel the same as running outside. I don't know exactly if it's due to wind resistance or just the often unnoticeable roll of the landscape, but I think running outside is not truly replicated on a treadmill at 0% incline. If you're just trying to get in 30-45 minutes of running and you're not worried about pace, then keeping the incline at 0% is perfectly fine. If you want more of a true "outside run" or you want your speed work to be more akin to your running on the track, I'd suggest upping the incline by at least 1%.

Some treadmill companies have gotten savvy to runners wanting to do intervals on treadmills and have added intervals to their program options. Some LifeFitness models have a program set up for intervals. You enter your jog speed and run speed. Then toggle between the two with the hit of a button. To me this is a little more akin to fartleks, but check it out, give it a try, and see what you think.

You Want Me to What-lek?

Okay, admit it. Even though you know you may never be the next Usain Bolt or Lolo Jones, you probably have at some point wished you could improve your 5K, 10K, or half marathon race times. No matter what the race, just running more and faster is only going to take you so far before you plateau.

So, what can you do? Depending on what type of runner you are, try to target a good weekly mileage for yourself. This could be 15, 25, 30, or 40+ miles depending on your level of running experience and the types of races you enjoy the most. Be realistic and set a mileage goal that's obtainable without completely wiping you out. Once you have a good weekly base mileage established, start devoting one of those days to some speed work. No need to freak out. Speed work doesn't mean you have to dawn a unitard jumpsuit that the Olympic track stars wear. Maybe one day, but for now just keep on your regular running shorts. Speed work just means you're going to devote one of your weekly runs to some type of increased speed. Speed is relative. Increase speed for a new runner is going to be very different than speed for an experienced runner.

I know what some of you are thinking...."I can't do speed work, because I don't have access to a track." WRONG! Tracks are great for speed work, in particular for doing intervals or repeats(see Speed Work 101), but you can get in a good speed workout without a track. How? By doing Fartleks. Yes, I spelled that correctly and no you're not going to increase your speed by breaking wind as you run.

What is a fartlek? Fartlek is a Swedish word that means "speed play." Basically, incorporating some short periods of increased speed into a regular run is a fartlek. There are no rules to the length of a fartlek, but they are usually fairly short in distance such as 200-400m. Since you won't be on a track, just pick some landmarks for the beginning and ending of each fartlek. Maybe start your first fartlek when you pass the Smith's house and end it when you get to the gas station on the corner. Once you finish a fartlek, drop back to your normal running pace to recover; then repeat with another fartlek. It's hard, but make sure you drop back to regular pace after each fartlek. These little speed sessions sprinkled throughout your run will help improve your speed as well as your anaerobic threshold. Shannon Sena, a New Jersey corporate fitness manager, marathoner, and coach says, "You need to periodically train at close to your anaerobic threshold in order to advance that threshold and teach the body to run faster before fatiguing."

So, give it a try. I mean, really, how often are you given permission to fartlek? And, you don't even have to say excuse me!

Speed Work 101

In the posting "Stuck In A Rut" I mentioned adding speed work to your weekly runs. Speed work is exactly that, adding speed to a weekly run. This can be done as fartleks—mixing slow and fast running in a workout—or it can be more formal as in running intervals at the track. Whether fartleks or intervals the total distance usually isn't more than 3 or 4 miles. The purpose of these runs is adding the increased speed, not distance.

This posting is going to focus on running intervals. If you didn't run track in high school or college, you may be wondering what the heck is a 200m, 400m or 800m? Well, you're not alone. All I knew when I first started running intervals was that 4 laps around the track equaled a mile. To save you the frustration I went through, here's a little cheat sheet:

• 200m = 1/2 lap (~1/8 mile)

• 400m = 1 lap (~1/4 mile)

• 800m = 2 laps (~1/2 mile)

• 1000m = 2.5 laps (~5/8 mile)

• 1200m = 3 laps (~3/4 mile)

• 1600m = 4 laps (~1 mile)

Usually intervals are run at a 5K or 10K race pace. So, now you're probably wondering how in the heck do I figure out what my 5K race pace would be for a 400m? Well, you can calculate it out, or you can go to McMillan's Running Calculator and let it do the work for you. Once at the site, simply select 5K (or 10K) and enter your best time and then voila! you have every imaginable distance/time calculated out for you. It actually varies the times for middle-distance runners and long-distance runners. For example, for your speed workout (if your best 5K time is 22:00) you'd run a 400m at 1:34.7 to 1:38.8 (middle-distance runners) and at 1:36.6 to 1:42.2 (long-distance runners).

Keep in mind that it may take a few speed workouts before you're able to run the calculated speed. Also, keep in mind that you'll need to allow some time to warm up before doing your speed workout. Usually a lap or two is good. This will help prevent injury.

I think it's good to mix up the types of intervals you do each week. This keeps your body guessing. Listed below are some workouts for you to try. For the most part, the workouts increase in intensity. To begin with you might try doing workout#1 in week #1; workout #2 in week 2 and so on. Later you can mix it up however you want. Also for those who aren't savvy in track lingo, "4x800m" translates "run 800m 4 times."

Workout #1—5x1000m @5K race pace with 2-minute recovery (walk or jog) in between
Workout #2—6x800m @10K race pace with 90-second recovery (walk or jog) in between

Workout #3—Three sets: 1x1200m @ 10K race pace with 1-minute recovery, 1x400m @5K race pace with a 3-minute recovery (walk or jog) in between each set

Workout#4—4x1600m @10K race pace with 3-minute recovery (walk or jog) in between

Workout#5—8x800m @10K race pace with 90-second recovery (walk or jog) in between

Workout#6—400m @ 5K race pace (30sec recovery); 800 @ 10K race pace (90-sec recovery); 1200m @10K race pace (2-min recovery); 1600m @10K race pace (3-min recovery); 1200m @10K race pace (2-min recovery); 800 @ 10K race pace (90-sec recovery); 400m @ 5K race pace

Remember that it will take some time for your body to get use to speed work. So don't be discouraged if you aren't able to complete some of the workouts, especially early on. Just keep at it and you'll get there. Don't have a track nearby? I don't either. I found a large parking lot that makes a big loop. One loop equals 800m. Look around, maybe you can find a "makeshift" track near you too.

Marathon Training Plans

Many of you are tapering in preparation for your fall marathon or you've just finished up your fall marathon. I'm interested in what training plan or plans you used. Did you use a specific plan, create your own, or did you do like me and take bits and pieces from different plans to create your own? This link will take you to a plan from Runner's World that I used. It's a tough plan and I ended up having to alter it.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-11938-0,00.html The one thing I did learn from using this plan is the importance of speed work.I used the plan last year in training for Chicago and my endurance was the best it's ever been for short- and long-distance races. This year I didn't include as much speed work and my endurance and speed weren't anything compared to last year. So, send me some links to plans you've used. Thanks!