THE CORE: PROGRESSION RUNS, HOAGIES AND HILLS |
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Smart Running not Dumb Running:
Why not to do Tempo Runs! Let’s start out talking about Tempo runs. These were the new rage in training a few years back and most coaches and programs still employ these. However, for most people Tempo runs are useless! It isn’t that these can be great tools for training; it is that no one seems to know how to run them. They are usually run too hard and/or too fast from the get-go! They basically turn into Time Trials and therefore don’t do what they are supposed to do. The ideal tempo run would look something like this, so if you want to do one, do it this way! Tempo pace are done at Zone 6, 7 and 8. The distance might be 3.5 miles. Do the first mile in Zone 8, the second and third miles at zone 7 and the last half at zone 6. There you go. Well, what do I advocate instead of tempo runs? There are three other runs I think are beneficial; progressive runs, Hoagie runs and Hills. PROGRESSION RUNS: THE SECRET WAY TO GET SPEED WITHOUT SPEEDWORK! Progressive Runs are longer than tempo runs, somewhere between 45 minutes to 80 minutes in duration. You start out at a pace which is about 2 minutes slower then your 5k pace. So if you run a 5k at 6 min pace, you start your progressive runs at about 8 minute mile pace. You then slightly pick it up during the first half but still are very much in control, maybe about 1.5 minutes slower than 5k pace. Then in the second half of the run, you start to pick it up and push pretty hard towards the end, running close to about 30 sec to 1 min slower than 5k pace. Typically I run the second half of a progression run about 1-3 minutes faster than the first half. What is the benefit of a progression run? Well, they actually get closer to what Tempo runs really are supposed to do. Progression Runs are the GLUE to all the other kinds of runs. The Kenyans are masters of this type of training!! From what I have heard, probably 70% of their training is basically Progression runs, so you got some pretty good evidence that these types of runs really work! THE HOAGIE: HIGH OPTIMAL AEROBIC GRUNT-ING EXPERIENCE Sometimes it is important to crank out a hard run, and I mean HARD. But it can’t be a race; it has to be a workout. The reason behind this is that for a HOAGIE you will actually run HARDER (not faster) than a race about the same distance. Why? Well, in a race, if it is RUN SMART, you will feel very relaxed at race pace and it shouldn’t really feel that hard. So to super-stress your system, I believe you need to go beyond comfort for a WHOLE run, from right at the beginning. This probably is the hardest run you will experience on this training program and should only be done about once a month. It requires PURE mental concentration. It requires that you get used to running near your threshold of total discomfort for the whole time. I have to say this, at the end of these runs, you should be grunting, growling, yelling, and swearing as you near the end. Hoagies are the ONLY flat out hard run you do from start to finish. Not even races you will run this HARD. Everything else you do should start out comfortable and progress to faster and faster pace. Hoagies are the only run where you will do that will verge on Positive splits. In fact, if you positive or even split any workout or a race, technically it has been Hoagified! A hoagie gives you insight on running at the threshold. (Actually most people turn their Tempo runs into Hoagies!) Basics to running a Hoagie o Run about 30 seconds to one minute slower than your race pace (for the specific race you working for) right from the get go o Try to keep constant pace throughout o Distance will be about 75-120% of the race distance o Run alone o Can be run three weeks before race o Take the day off before a Hoagie to get ready mentally. . Example: Training for 5K at 6 min mile pace (18:30) o Start Hoagie at 6:45 min miles o End Hoagie at 6:15 min miles o Distance of Hoagie is 4 miles The Dumbest Run of ALL TIME The HOAGIE has the ability to be the DUMBEST run of all time too, mind you! This run can injure you and should be done with the most earnest of thinking. Make sure you don’t do one after a layoff of 3 or more days. Don’t do Track Hoagies! That is all out miles, etc on one’s own. As I said I would suggest these only once in a while. Finally, these are possibly too much for the runners over 45 and probably be deleted unless under coaching supervision! SPECIAL INTERVALS: HILLS: UP! AND 1.5 MILERS Hills UP Hills are very important and can be used instead of Intervals, a Progression or a Hoagie. They build strength, much like weight lifting. They also will help you get greater fitness at slower pace and less stress. There are different kinds of hill workouts that I like to do: . Long Hills with long rests .. Purpose: Done Faster, Build strength and speed .. Done mid-season . Long Hills with short rests o Purpose: Develop fitness and sharpening .. Less repeats for sharpening .. More repeats for fitness . Short Hills with short rest o Purpose: Speed and fitness .. Good Racing #2 season workout I like doing Hills all year. My periodization with hills may look like this . First: Every other week do Long Hills, short rests, increase number of repeats from 2 to 5 . Second: Every other week: do Long Hills, long rests, do three repeats . Third: Every Third week: Long Hills, short rests, do three to four repeat . Fourth: Two to Four weeks before race: Short hills, short rests Long hills should be between 400 meters to 1200 meters in length while Short Hills should be between 150 meters to 400 meters. Other Key Factors regarding Hill Workouts: o Total Distance of Hill workout should be exactly like TID. o Rest (recovery) is done during the downhills. o Don’t run fast on downhills, you can stress you quads out and hurt your knees o I would suggest doing most of your hill training during the beginning of your training season with well placed KEY hill workouts as the season proceeds. 1.5 Milers I have discovered another type of run which can help with getting you into shape. These are 1.5 mile Intervals. I put them here because they are like Hill runs in the fact that they aren’t fast. However, they are tough. But they aren’t Hoagies because you work into them like Progression and Interval runs. Also, they are really SPECIAL intervals, like Hills are special intervals. The pace of these are done about in Zone 6 or 7 effort. Again, the rests should be 200 meters or about 30 seconds to 90 seconds. I have found that these are actually much more beneficial when done with no more than 60 seconds of rest. Usually 2-4 repeats are sufficient to do the job. LONG RUNS: THE KEYSTONE TO TRAINING! Long runs are essential to the distance runner. If you are racing anything from the 800 meters and higher, you need to do long runs. The length of the long run will usually depend on your race distance. I have found the following works pretty well. Table 4: Long Run Race Distance Long Run Distance (miles) Pace compared to race pace 800 meters – 1 mile 3-12 2-2:30 min slower 1 mile – 2 mile 6-12 2-2:30 min slower 2 mile – 5k 8-12 2 min slower 5k – 8k 10-14 1:30-2:00 slower 8k – 10k 12-16 1:30-2:00 slower 10k - 10 mile 14-20 1:15-1:30 slower 10 mile – 13.1 mile 16-20 1:00-1:30 slower Marathon 16-23 0:45 – 1:15 slower The pace of the long run is very important as well and it is sort of tricky to get exactly right because there is the tendency to run these to fast or too slow. The trend is that the longer the race, the closer you run your long runs to race pace. Strategy for running a long run Start the first mile or two at a pace which is about 30-45 seconds slower than the average pace you want. Get to expected pace in the middle of your run, and then for the last mile or so, pick it up so you are running about 30-45 seconds faster per mile than pace. RECOVERY RUNS Recovery runs are done the day after a hard workout, Interval, Hoagie or Long Run. They are particularly useful during the Monster period (will explain the periods later). They help build stamina and strength. They aren’t meant to be done hard but at a similar effort and pace as a long run but shorter in distance. The distance of these is usually between 7 and 10 miles. When you get to the point where you are running these without much effort at Long Run pace, then you know you are getting in good shape and getting FIT. These runs will actually help you know how your fitness is coming. I would suggest doing them after one of the key workouts every week. Recovery runs essentially extend the previous day’s workout because they need some effort. BENCHMARK RUNS I have found that there are some KEY workouts that help me see how I am doing in my training. These are usually very specific and are workouts you can test yourself at once a month, one a season, once a period, etc. Try to figure out what these are for you. I have three or four of these I do over the year. They are Hoagie-Like in their effort. For instance I do three repeats of a 1000 meter hill with just a steady jog down the hill for rest as one of these. I have also found that the following correlation seems to be pretty good for the Key Workouts. Table 5. Key Run Paces Key Run Key Run Pace Long Run 10-16 miles 1.25 x 5K pace 5-10 mile Hoagie 1.10 x 5K pace 8x1000/200 Interval 1.05 x 5K pace Recovery Run 1.30 x 5K pace The danger of such correlations is that one may try to Time Trial these Key Runs to reach where they “THINK” their race time should be. Thus they will run these Key Runs too fast. These correlations will only work if you follow the directions on how you should run these Key Runs! Training Runs to Fix your Training If your races are not what you expect, see where you feel what different Key Runs will help you. Maybe your Long Run is right on for a certain pace but your intervals aren’t, in this case do more intervals or slow down your Long Run. Use the Key Runs to guide you training through the seasons. CONDIMENT RUNS These types are “on the side” runs. They can be used to supplement the Key Runs. • Other Types of Hard Workouts Workouts such as Fartleks, Pyramids, etc, are kinds of workouts you can do instead of Progressive, Interval or Hoagie runs. These all are interesting. Make your own up, look in books and the internet for them and try them. But I would suggest that you not do these when you are training specifically but during the maintenance phase or Monster phase of your training season. • Easy Runs: Junk Mileage, Does it count? Sometimes doing mileage for mileage sake does pay off, as long as you know what it is for. During the middle part of a training season, you may want to up your mileage. During this period you typically won’t be worried all that much about being fast but building strength and endurance, which leads to fitness. So running two or three Non-Key runs does help. Also during the Monster period of training, you can raise up your distance. You will be running strong intervals, good long runs, etc and the extra miles will TOP off your endurance and fitness. The essential part of doing these is knowing when to back off of them and again focus entirely on Key Workouts. The pace of these “junk” miles are a little slower than Long Run pace and should not be run hard at the end. You may start about 40 seconds slower than Long Run pace and end up at Long Run pace. • Rest days: Yes, take the day off! One of the essentials of Smart Running is knowing when to run and when NOT to run. To adapt to the hard training you put your body through you need to let it recover and then adapt. This requires rest, taking days off. You need to let your muscles build in strength and to reload them with fuel and water. Given the choice of doing an easy run or taking the day off, pick the later! Key on doing KEY WORKOUTS first. • REST = FAST! You want to get FAST; then take two or three days off or cut back your distance. I guarantee you will get fast. The best speedwork you can do it REST! Therefore utilize rest optimally during Race seasons and before KEY workouts you want to have done at a very specific pace. EXTRA-SENSORY RUNNING Using a watch and a HRM are useful but the real KEY to Racing and Training right is knowing how a GREAT RUN FEELS! The best workouts and races would be done without these “tools”. If you can dump the watch/HRM during some of your runs and race and learn to SENSE the runs, the SMARTER you will become. I remember reading somewhere that Mark Wetmore, coach for the CU Buffaloes, National Champions in CC a few times, uses this technique often during training. He works on having his runners do hard runs during practices which help them gain this ability. Thus his runners in races know how they should feel as the race goes on. Wetmore instills negative splits as the best way to run races. His athlete’s learn to SENSE how to run this way by practicing it. I would encourage you to throw out the watch during some workouts. Maybe, start it up at the beginning of a run and don’t look until the end. While you do this, make mental checks on how you feel at the beginning, the first third, halfway mark and with 10% of your run left. The trick then will be to transfer this to races and other workouts. |
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