I recently completed a running VO2 max test as part of a friend’s PhD project and it gave me some very interesting results.
For reference, I come from a swimming background but I would call myself an above-average runner with a 34:02 10km and a 16:30 5km. However, compared to the guys I race against, running is my weakest discipline.
Now onto the test.
I scored 70.7 ml/min/kg as my VO2max, a pretty good score. But then, after some results processing, my running economy came out as an abysmal 253 ml/kg/km (170 is considered excellent, 210 is considered poor).
The test was done straight after a fairly hard swim and I’m about a quarter of the way through a 100runs/100days block.
So my main question is, how do I improve economy? My technique is fairly good, midfoot strike under my centre of mass, good extension behind, no dropping of hips, minimal upper body movement. Is it trainable? Genetic? Technique based?
For reference, I come from a swimming background but I would call myself an above-average runner with a 34:02 10km and a 16:30 5km. **However, compared to the guys I race against, running is my weakest discipline. **
They run faster in an open run race? Or they run faster off the bike in a multisport race? Based on what you wrote I am assuming you mean off the bike.
How are your 5K/10K times off the bike vs open run races?
Those are awesome results! And I think you should be INCREDIBLY excited by the bad economy. That improves easily over time. I’d bet you have a sub-31 10k in you.
On to the list!
The lowest hanging fruit: strides. Lots of strides. After your normal easy runs, do 4-6 x 20 second strides, starting relaxed, building into it, and getting close to top speed by the end. Every pro/elite I know (especially the non-natural runners) do lots of strides. Hill sprints are a good variation on the same theme! Also short, just 15 seconds or so, focusing on power at first and working to high turnover.
Hill intervals once every week or 10 days. Something super simple like 20 min warm-up, 10 x 60 second hills moderately hard, 20 min cool-down.
Form: Aim to keep your cadence above 175 at all times.When running fast, imagine you are trying to hold a quarter in your buttcheeks.
4-infinity. Run lots. You’ve got that going with the 100/100.
Hope this helps! You have a massive well of talent to work from, so 4 alone will probably lead to amazing results.
I’m at a loss. Your technique sounds on-the-money, so where is the gap?
Did you get any details on the remaining issues that need to be fixed?
Running economy is affected by many things that are not related to technique.
And just because someone describes something on the internet, doesn’t mean much.
Here’s the thing.
You’re a good, but still average athlete. (ie. Faster than many, but sub-elite)
We have elite performance with high VO2 max and High economy.
We have terrible performance with low VO2max and Low Economy
The rest of us? We probably have one or the other, but not both. That makes us average. (Personally, I’m about 71ml/kg/min with a 5.3L/min absolute on the bike and probably can’t break 20 in a 5k. Running-wise I’m a 400m hurdles through and through).
With that said: Plyometrics and weight lifting are probably your best bets for increasing economy.
I’m at a loss. Your technique sounds on-the-money, so where is the gap?
Did you get any details on the remaining issues that need to be fixed?
Running economy is affected by many things that are not related to technique.
And just because someone describes something on the internet, doesn’t mean much.
Here’s the thing.
You’re a good, but still average athlete. (ie. Faster than many, but sub-elite)
We have elite performance with high VO2 max and High economy.
We have terrible performance with low VO2max and Low Economy
The rest of us? We probably have one or the other, but not both. That makes us average. (Personally, I’m about 71ml/kg/min with a 5.3L/min absolute on the bike and probably can’t break 20 in a 5k. Running-wise I’m a 400m hurdles through and through).
With that said:** Plyometrics and weight lifting are probably your best bets for increasing econom**y.
Those are probably the last 2 of a long list of element that could help him
Thank you, that’s really helpful and very encouraging
You’re welcome! To follow up on some other things stated: with your swim background, I really don’t think you’ll get much benefit from strength exercises (weight lifting and plyometrics). I had a similar build and switch to running–it’s all about becoming a “runner,” which entails the necessary loss of bulk and loss of non-specific strength. Given your background, my guess is that strength work will just reinforce some areas where you are already solid at the expense of the areas you need to work on.
That made no sense, but I was trying to find a diplomatic way of saying weightlifting and jumping and stuff will not help you get faster at this point
I can speak from experience here - saw a massive jump in performance in a single year. One thing: don’t think in terms of “economy” like you would “form”. Think of it as exercising the transmission at a high level of work, and some of the gains will be attributed to different mechanics (if you did before/after videos, it would look different), but most will be from improved utilization of movement timing (video would look the same, but the time vs. force plot for your stride would change, aka, you learn when to push really hard and when to totally relax). But none, exactly zero of this can be done actively while you are racing or running race-paced workouts. Just try to stay relaxed for those. The best workouts for transmission work:
30 second hills, with a fast (20-30 sec) jog down. start with 3 sets of 5, building to 3 sets of 10. It is an excellent V02 workout as well. Great for early season as you get high-intensity sitmilus without the pounding from track work.
Longer, sustained uphill runs at or just above LT (20-40 min), with the focus on completion of each stride. You might run a few % slower than if you ran with a “clipped” stride, but that does not matter.
The best and most important - “motor paced” 10 mile ( or ~50-60 min) tempo runs. Find a person who is faster than you (or will bike at a constant speed), and after a good warmup, do the 10 miles just under LT, with the last 5-6 with slightly loaded legs. Have your pacer keep it perfectly steady and you just sit in and shut your brain off and coast and think about… nothing. Just turn off and get into the rhythm. As you tire (but the pace stays steady), your body will figure out the most efficient movement patterns when fatigued. This also works on a treadmill but is pretty horrible. Learning how to run fast with tired legs is huge.
on recovery days, do strides intermixed with the easy run. Say every 6 minutes of the run for a 60 min run, 15 sec burst, then back to recovery pace. This also helps to keep the recovery run from turning into a slow tempo run, the bursts give yu a chance to get the zip out.
One of the top XC programs in the country uses this method to take HS 10:30 2-milers (so pretty mediorcre talent) and turn them into low 14:00 5k guys or sub 3:50 1500 guys.
