Tips &

Advice

 

Introduction

 

Before you embark on a winter programme to improve your running, it is important to establish where you are now. A good indicator of this is to determine your current racing threshold pace. For example if your last 10k was run in 40.30 then your average mile pace was 6.30, this is your current threshold racing pace.  If  you were to increase your tempo to say 5.45 per mile during the race, you would be exceeding your threshold and quickly fall into oxygen debt. (most of us have experienced this feeling – commonly known as blowing up !)  So the training goal is to improve your threshold pace by over stressing your body for short periods of time, with reps much shorter than race distance, but quicker than your average mile race pace. (Interval Running).

 

Threshold and Heart Rate (HR)

 

If you would rather work on heart rate as opposed to pace per mile then the general formula is 90% of your theoretical max HR. For example a male aged 40:

 

Theoretical max HR = 220 Beats per Minute (Bpm) - 40(age) = 180 Bpm -10%

=162 Bpm -  threshold HR

 

With your threshold pace/HR established, you can then work out the times you need to be running in your intervals. The idea is to gradually teach the body to cope with a faster cruising speed, and subsequently a faster threshold racing pace.   The fitter and more efficient your body becomes, the faster you can run, for longer, with the same heart rate.

 

Intervals

 

As I have already mentioned, an effective way to develop a higher threshold tolerance and ability to hold an increase  in pace, is to break the 10k down into manageable repetitions or interval runs and to run them quicker than your current race pace.  As a rough guide, in the spring and summer, triathlete 10k runners should aim to cover a total of approximately 75/% of the race distance during an interval set, i.e.: 8/10 x 800m or 4/5 x 1 mile.  In the winter months you should be trying to build up base endurance, so you will be aiming for up to 90% of the race distance. For example, 10 x 800m, 8 x 1k or 5 x 1 mile.

You should be aiming to complete your winter interval sessions at 15-20 secs faster than your current average race pace per mile, or slightly higher than your current threshold HR. Remember it is not important to worry too much about flat out speed this time of the year, try to concentrate on endurance by keeping your volume high, and times even. Running your reps a little slower for the first few weeks to keep them even paced, is a good way to start and too learn pace judgement.

 

The longer interval sessions are stressfull and should not be completed more than once a week.  I prefer to do the long interval sessions on a Monday and shorter faster intervals on grass on a Thursday, but whatever you choose, try to be consistent in your training over the winter months, as this is a vital ingredient for improvement.

 

Mileage

 

To avoid stress related injuries, it is important not to increase the volume covered in interval sessions and the distance of steady runs at the same time. Do not increase your total weekly mileage or single runs by more than between 5-10% a week.  Allow 4-6 weeks to get used to longer intervals and then start to add a couple of miles to the steady runs.  If you keep training through tiredness or a minor injury, you may end up having to take weeks off anyway, when the niggle turns into a serious injury.

 

Rest and easy training between hard runs is the best way to improve. To train hard on the key interval days, you need to be fresh!!

 

Your body needs time to adapt to the increased workload.  No rest and training hard, hard, hard, is a guaranteed way to get injured!

 

Long Slow Distance (LSD)

 

Some people love it, some people hate it. Personally, and this is only based on my own experience....I much prefer to do my Sunday runs at a steady pace...so instead of 20 miles at  2 min per mile slower than race pace, I prefer to do15 miles at approx 1 min slower than race pace. This obviously depends on tiredness from the previous weeks training or a heavy bike session on the Saturday, but the message is try not to train yourself to run too slow or else you may just become an expert at it!  The quicker tempo may be tough at the start but you will soon adapt to it.

 

Winter Example 1:     Current pb of 43 min for 10km (aiming to run sub 40min).

 

Mon                                2m warm/2m w down. 6 x 1km in  3.50  with 90 secs jog  recov

                                       or 4 x 1mile in 6.15/20 with 90 secs jog recovery

 

Wed                                6/7 mile steady run approx  7.15/30 mile pace

                         

Thurs                              2m warm up/2m warm down. Pyramid set of  2 mins, 90 secs, 1 min, 30 sec. 1 min jog

                                        recovery between runs. 2 min jog between sets. Repeat set 4 times. total 20 mins of intervals.

                                       Or 5 x 2mins steady then10 x 1 min hard, 1 min recov between runs.

 

 Sat or Sun                     10/12mile steady run  7.30 pace

 

Total 30-35 miles

 

 

Winter Example 2:     Current pb of  40 min for 10 k (aiming to run 38 min)

 

Mon                                2m warm up/2m warm down.  8 x 1k in 3.40 with 90 sec jog recovery

                                       or 5 x 1mile in 5.50 with 90 secs recovery.

Wed                                8m steady  6.45 - 7 min mile pace.

 

Thurs                              2m warmup/2m warm down.   Set 1 - 3 x 3 min,  Set 2 - 4 x 2 min,  Set 3 - 5 x 1 min.

                                       On grass if poss. 60 secs jog between all runs. Increase pace in set 2 and again in set 3.

 

Fri                                   5m easy recovery run

 

Sat or Sun                      10/12mile steady run 6.45-7 min mile pace

 

Total approx 40 miles

Winter Strength & Endurance

 =  Summer Speed