A
Simple Blueprint for Effective Training
You've probably figured out by now that running
isn't like other sports. For one thing there aren't a lot of rules to follow.
There are no "out-of-bounds" or "offsides" or
"celebrating too much after finishing." But since it's human nature to
want at least a few rules, runners have made some up! These "Four Rules of
Running" should become the foundation of your running program. They will
ensure your continued enjoyment and improvement as a runner and help keep things
fun and interesting as well.
Your training program
should consist of a combination of training stresses followed by recovery. In
other words, "hard" one day, then "easy" for a day or two.
Then hard again. This "hard/easy" approach allows you to continually
improve your fitness level-and stay motivated. "Hard" doesn't mean
that you're sucking wind at the end of your run. Maybe it's just a run where you
increase the distance or speed slightly. "Easy" can mean a day off or
a shorter, slower run that allows your body to refresh itself. Using this method
from workout-to-workout, week-to-week and even month-to-month, will help you
avoid the beginning runner's #1 Mistake: Doing too much too soon. It'll be
easier to get out the door when you're not sore or tired all the time.
- To improve their free throw
shooting, basketball players practice shooting free throws, not jumpers from the
top of the key. The same principle goes for runners. Your body improves at what
it practices. If you wanna be a better runner, you gotta run. Adding other
workouts like cycling or swimming is a great way to maintain or improve your
overall fitness level, but putting one foot in front of the other is the only
way to continually get better at running.
- The body adapts pretty
quickly to a consistent routine. Without stress, there's no stimulus. When that
happens, your fitness level plateaus, your motivation weakens and you stop
improving. To avoid this, you should vary your training from day-to-day. Use
different types of workouts. Vary the amount of training. Emphasize different
types of runs for a period of time such as a month.
Sure, you'd like to be
fit and fast tomorrow. But it just doesn't work that way. Doing too much too
soon is the highway to burn-out or injury. Instead, think like the tortoise, not
the hare. Take it slow. Increase your training gradually. What's the rush,
anyway? Be in it for the long haul.
As your fitness improves and you start moving along at a
good pace, you'll find yourself wanting more and more. More distance, more
speed. Don't make the mistake of doing too much too soon. If you run too fast
for too long without recovery, your body will break down. Instead, increase your
running by no more than 10-15% per week. And every 3 to 6 weeks, take a
"rest" week and reduce your mileage a bit. By keeping this simple
check on your enthusiasm, you'll stay healthy and steadily improve for weeks,
months and years.
Long runs are easy runs that test your endurance
boundaries. They are performed at a "conversational" pace, meaning
that you can talk and run at the same time. They can be as short as 20 minutes
or as long as 3 hours. It just depends on your ability level and time! While
building your long runs, feel free to take short walking breaks. Time on your
feet is what's important, not pace. Heart rate target zone is less than or equal
to 75% of maximum.
Stamina workouts are steady runs that will help you feel
strong as you go long. These runs are "moderately hard," and slightly
faster than conversational pace. A good stamina workout might involve
alternating periods of running strong for 4-8 minutes with periods of jogging
for 1-3 minutes, for a total of up to 30 minutes. Heart rate target zone is
80-85% of maximum.
Hill workouts are repeated strong, fast runs up a gradual
hill. Your pace is the same as in stamina workouts, but the effort is more
difficult due to the incline. Your effort level is hard to very hard. For
starters, run up the hill for 45-60 seconds- once, twice...up to 8 times.
Jogging back down the hill to the starting point serves as the recovery. Heart
rate target zone is 90-95% of maximum.
Stride workouts help bring your fitness to a peak. They are
short, faster runs that are performed once you've developed your endurance (long
runs), stamina and power (hill workouts). They're fast and fun. Try alternating
periods of fast running (not all-out, though) for 1-4 minutes with periods of
jogging for 1-4 minutes, for a total of up to 15 minutes. Heart rate target zone
is 90-95% of maximum. Stride workouts are not for beginners. Only attempt them
once you've developed your endurance with long runs, your stamina with stamina
workouts and power with hill workouts.
Recovery jogs are slow runs performed in between faster
running efforts. For example, you might perform 1-minute recovery jogs between
fast runs of 3 minutes. During this 1-minute run, you would slow down to a very
slow jog, maybe even a walk. The goal is to let the body "catch its
breath." Your breathing rate and heart rate will decrease, and your leg
muscles will revive themselves a little in preparation for the next fast run.
Never go into a workout "cold." You'll shock your
body (muscles in a resting state aren't very pliable) and increase the risk of
injury. Instead, warm up with light jogging and stretching. This increases the
blood flow to the working muscles. Begin your 10-minute warm-up with some light
stretching followed by very slow jogging. Gradually increase the pace to your
normal running speed. A thorough warm-up is required for all runs, especially
before workouts like long runs, stamina, speed and hill workouts, as well as
road race events.
Mirroring the warm-up, the cool-down is a period of light
jogging and stretching designed to protect the body from the shock of a sudden
stop. It gradually returns the body to its resting condition (slow heart rate
and relaxed breathing). It's a great opportunity to work on your flexibility by
spending a few minutes stretching those leg muscles.
Workouts are sometimes described in what looks like some
complicated physics equation. Here's the key to breaking the code.
Stamina
Workout: 4 x 3 min w/1-min easy jog.
This means, after your warm-up of 5-10 minutes, you run for
3 minutes at your stamina effort (moderately hard). Then you slow to a jog for 1
minute to let the body recover from the faster running. After the minute, you
begin another 3 minutes at your stamina pace. You repeat this combination of
faster running and slower running for the number of times listed, in this case
4. You then cool-down for 5-10 minutes. In total you have a 36-minute run:
10-minute warm-up, 12-minute workout (4 x 3), plus recovery jogs totaling 4
minutes, and a 10 minute cool-down. If you were supposed to run for 40 minutes,
then just add 2 minutes to both your warm-up and cool-down.
By using a heart rate monitor, you'll actually be able to
train less and benefit more. Before attempting heart rate training, you'll need
to get the okay from your doctor for a maximum stress. Training is more
effective when it's done at the proper heart rate.
First, get permission from your doctor to run a
maximum-effort test. Next, buy or borrow a heart rate monitor. Then head for the
nearest oval running track. Warm up for 10-15 minutes. Then run a mile (4 laps),
going all-out during the final laps. As soon as you finish, note the highest
reading on your monitor.
The four building blocks of peak fitness are:
1.
endurance
training
2.
stamina
training
3.
stride
training
4.
peak
fitness training
During the first 5 weeks, you'll concentrate on improving
your endurance. Endurance, how long you can run comfortably, is the foundation
of any runner's program. During this phase, you'll gradually increase the length
of your longest run. Your heart and lungs will become stronger and more
efficient at delivering the oxygen and fuel required by your muscles. A good
rule of thumb is to increase your long run each week by about 5-10 minutes. By
the end of 5 weeks, you could add 20 minutes or more to the length of your long
run! Piece of cake, huh? You'll notice that at the end of the phase (the fifth
week), the lengths of your workouts will decrease. That's because of the first
rule of running. (Remember Rule #1? Stress + rest = progress!) You'll follow the
hard/easy approach on a monthly, as well as a weekly, basis.
Make sure your muscles are limber so you'll be ready to
perform your workout safely. Your training session should be preceded by an easy
10-15 minute warm-up followed by several minutes of light stretching. Don't
forget that warm-up and cool-down distances should be calculated as part of that
day's total running time.
In the Stamina Phase, you'll move your attention away from
strengthening the heart and lungs to developing the muscles in the legs and
rear, just the places you'd like to see a little more toned-up! Because you'll
be focusing on a new type of training, your total running for the first week of
this phase will drop slightly (around 10%). This will give your body time to
adapt. You'll also continue the stamina workouts started in the Endurance Phase.
For hill training, any hill (or part of one) will do. Find one that's away from
traffic and has a nice gradual slope with no major obstacles. Your runs will
last from 45 seconds to a minute. You don't have to sprint, but try to increase
your effort slightly above your normal training pace. Start by warming up, then
tackle the hill 2 or 3 times. Recover by jogging back down to your starting
position. As your fitness level improves, gradually add more runs. Remember Rule
# 2: If you want to be better at running up hills, then run some hills. After
this month of training, you'll welcome hills instead of dreading them.
Find a quiet dirt, grass or paved hill that is at least 100
to 200 meters long, with a moderate to steep slope. Move up the hill by
springing powerfully off the balls of your feet and your toes. Use an
exaggerated high knee lift and equally strong ankle drive and arm swing. The key
is not how fast you get up the hill but how strongly you push off and how well
you maintain your form. Rest briefly at the top of the hill by walking for about
30 seconds until you are somewhat recovered. Then jog lightly and slowly back
down the hill. Rest for about 5 to 10 seconds and run up with crisp form again.
Finish with a 10-15 minute cool-down.
Now, this is not all-out sprinting-at least, not at first.
It's gradually increasing your pace for small portions of some workouts to help
your body get a little more efficient and faster (your legs, stomach and even
your arms will also get stronger). As in the Endurance Phase and Stamina Phase,
you'll gradually increase the duration of the workouts. This will provide jolts
of variety and motivation, along with improved fitness.
Great golfers and baseball players have the unique ability
to blend total concentration with total relaxation. Great runners are no
different. Stamina runs are designed to help you learn to relax, while holding
your concentration, for long periods while running at a somewhat challenging
pace.
In this phase you'll "top off the tank," and have
some fun while you're at it. With your stride training increased and everything
else reduced, you'll feel like a kid, and zoom around like one. As in the Stride
Phase, you'll run fast for a short while, then rest until recovered, then do it
again. You'll boost your fitness level and burn tons of calories. The workouts
are intense, but loads of fun. They'll leave you pleasantly exhausted. At the
end of this phase, you'll reach a peak in your fitness level. So why not take
the time to participate in a local running event? Your legs will be fresh from
the reduced training load and the faster workouts. And, you'll enjoy the
satisfaction of reflecting on all the great training you've done over the last
several weeks.
Contrary to popular belief, a huge carbohydrate-rich meal
the night before a race isn't the only nutritional requirement for peak
performance. Throughout the entire peak phase, remember to eat a mix of simple
and complex carbohydrates, as well as protein and fats in moderation. Ideally,
your diet should consist of about 50-70%carbohydrates, 10-20% proteins and
20-30% fats. Stay hydrated every day, drinking one ounce of water for every two
pounds you weigh.
