Wanted to get some ideas for Track and Treadmill workouts. I’ve got a full season of Oly distance races coming up and want killer workouts to do. Not interested in technique oriented stuff, just pure clean speed workouts. Currently run 3x per week (45m - 80m per), but would be willing to increase or decrease frequency and duration based on intensity. Please write to IMPRESS!
You don’t need killer workouts.
You need to run 6x per week instead of 3.
I also run 3 times a week and having been following the McMillan Running - Calculator paces/runs and def feel that I have become faster over long distances. I am not an experienced runner, but I do have 25+ years in soccer, hockey and other sports and feel that it helped a lot. Im sure if you are stirctly training for Tri’s there a more detailed plans that can help you…note that 95% of the people are going to tell you to run more often
Run 6 days a week. Include a tempo day of moderate length, a threshold day and the rest easy. And shoot to negative split everything.
Firstly, Run more frequently.
As a general guide, every week should have (in order of importance).
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5-6 runs per week. Work up to 40-60 mpw.
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Long Run. Alternate between 1.5 hr progressive and 2 hr easy
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3-5 mile tempo at threshold pace (tri 10k pace or hour race pace) or 1 hour run at 95% of that pace
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2-3 miles of intervals at 5k pace w/ equal rest, or 4-5 miles of intervals at 10k pace w/ 3/4 rest (400s, 800s, miles, etc)
Run 6 days a week. Include a tempo day of moderate length, a threshold day and the rest easy. And shoot to negative split everything.
+3… I have seen great improvements adding more runs. Went from 3 runs a week to 5-6. Check out BarryP’s running plan. At this point, you could add speedwork, but it would be risky and would probably only sharpen you up a little from your small base. If you want though, a once a week tempo of 20 minutes at around 10-15s slower than 10k pace is a good start. The rest of your miles should be nice and easy. Closer to race time, throw in some 800-1000m repeats at 5k pace. Again though, pushing mileage up to atleast 30mpw will be more helpful in the long run (no pun) than anything else.
all you need to know about running faster:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1612485;search_string=runtraining;#1612485
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If you are locked into 3x a week b/c of your schedule, you can still get faster. Our athletes have had success with:
A VO2 effort workout of 4-6 repeats of 3’ at 5k pace with 2’ of rest; usually a 45’ run (’ = minutes).A Tempo run of about 60’ that includes 2-3 miles between 10k and 5k pace.A Longer run done at about 10k pace + 1:30 per mile, that has a negative split (second half faster, maybe down to 10k pace + 1:00 per mile).
If you have time to run just before / after a bike ride, even if for 15 minutes, it can help too…good luck!
Patrick
Patrick…no one is locked into 3x per week.
If someone tells me they can’t find four other 10 minute blocks to cram in a very short run (no shower needed), then they are just not making running a high enough priority. All those short runs add up to a lot of running base over time 4x10 min for 52 weeks per year at say 2k per run is an extra 400k of running base in the year.
I remember back in 1984 (yes I am that old, but I had my priorities straight as a 19 year old), being on basic officer training course. I ran daily 10 minutes while the other guys wasted time polishing their boots and ironing their uniforms…5 min warmup with some accelerations, 2x400m as fast as I could go, 100m jog back to the barracks. The other guys had shinier boots but I won the 1.5 mile run during the PT test…much more glory winning that than having the shinniest boots…it’s all about priority management. The other guys only got 1 -3 runs in wearing uniform and rucksacks and rifles shuffling at regimental pace (on good days it was proper running in PT gear and not wearing combat boots). My extra 5 runs per week were “Bannister Style…at least I thought so…”.
Anyway, the point is, that we can all find time for a few extra short runs and they don’t have to be all out sprints like a 19 year old can pull off. Even running 1 extra mile per day at 9 min mile pace is beneficial over zero.
Wanted to get some ideas for Track and Treadmill workouts. I’ve got a full season of Oly distance races coming up and want killer workouts to do. Not interested in technique oriented stuff, just pure clean speed workouts. Currently run 3x per week (45m - 80m per), but would be willing to increase or decrease frequency and duration based on intensity. Please write to IMPRESS!
No, I will not offer you my opinion but will answer straight to your question, lately, this has been a killer workout for me:
MS 5x1000m(90sec)@ Daniels Interval Pace, go knock yourself out, it may bring you to tears or you may loose your breakfast.
How bout Yasso 800’s. Not just for marathons.
I agree. I’ve been swimming 4x per week and I was thinking…why am I not running more if I want to get faster (currently 6:40 race pace 10k leg)? I definitely could include some more runs per week, I’ve been getting by with the excuse of making my 3 runs hard. If I do up my running to, lets say, 5 days per week, would it matter how hard I run on those 2 extra days?
- Once a week 8 x 4 minutes at your 10 k PB speed (incline, say 1, and increase speed slightly every time, if nothing else by 0.1 just so you do not have to count!). 1-2 minutes slow speed in between.
- Alternatively 4 x 8 minutes at half marathon PB speed (same as above)
To get fast, run easy all the other days (50 minute jog) and do both the above every week (eg. Wednesday + Sunday). Increase speed or length every third week.
Dev, I am not one to say whether they can/can’t find those extra sessions, I am just saying that building run speed isn’t dependent on that other time. It is, however, 100% dependent on the commitment and drive for excellence that you outline in your story…that’s all good stuff. Until I started my IM build this year, I was running 3x a week from Nov to Feb and set multiple PRs at the 5k, 5mile, 10k and half marathon distance. Of course, I have been doing this stuff for 10 years and I have a lot of running and IMs in me…I am convinced I personally benefit from non-running days (cycling or rest) as I do from running ones!
Here is a rough guide to what my run schedule looks like this week with my A-Race (Aus Champs in 3 weeks), the course is quite hilly, a big focus for me has been strength endurance efforts and lengthening my stride (hence the hill). Current workouts suggest I’m a low 16 5k runner (want to do a 5k ASAP so I can improve my official PB).
Here is a basic guide to what I’m doing. The Tue/Thur sessions are brutal (this is one of my big/intense weeks) but it gives some sort of guide to the work you can do. The next two weeks the thursday session will be replaced by a track session working on leg speed (e.g. 20x200m with lots of rest). The reality is there is no shortcut to getting faster, there are three pillars of good run performance. 1. The Long Run, 2. Mileage (accured through consistent running, most of it at an aerobic pace). 3. Intensity (intensity is no shortcut for the other two).
Mon: Easy 1hr hilly run (12ks)
Tuesday: 70min Run with 5x2min Hill Repeats EASY!! and then 3x8mins at 5k pace with 2min JOG reco.
Wed: Easy 30min Reco Jog (5.5ks)
Thursday: 70min Run with 10x1min Hill Repeats EASY and then 10x2mins (1.20 at 5k pace, 40s reco).
Friday: 40min easy jog (8ks)
Sat: 30min Easy Run off 3hr bike (6ks)
Sun: Easy 80min run off 1hr bike.
Here is a rough guide to what my run schedule looks like this week with my A-Race (Aus Champs in 3 weeks), the course is quite hilly, a big focus for me has been strength endurance efforts and lengthening my stride (hence the hill). Current workouts suggest I’m a low 16 5k runner (want to do a 5k ASAP so I can improve my official PB).
Here is a basic guide to what I’m doing. The Tue/Thur sessions are brutal (this is one of my big/intense weeks) but it gives some sort of guide to the work you can do. The next two weeks the thursday session will be replaced by a track session working on leg speed (e.g. 20x200m with lots of rest). The reality is there is no shortcut to getting faster, there are three pillars of good run performance. 1. The Long Run, 2. Mileage (accured through consistent running, most of it at an aerobic pace). 3. Intensity (intensity is no shortcut for the other two).
Mon: Easy 1hr hilly run (12ks)
Tuesday: 70min Run with 5x2min Hill Repeats EASY!! and then 3x8mins at 5k pace with 2min JOG reco.
Wed: Easy 30min Reco Jog (5.5ks)
Thursday: 70min Run with 10x1min Hill Repeats EASY and then 10x2mins (1.20 at 5k pace, 40s reco).
Friday: 40min easy jog (8ks)
Sat: 30min Easy Run off 3hr bike (6ks)
Sun: Easy 80min run off 1hr bike.
Seems like an easy concept. However, I’m worried that an increase in frequency this much might increase my chance for injury, and also limit my other 2 sports. But it does seem like the easy days are pretty easy which might be doable. Thanks for the great info!
The trick is to run a lot! but less.
E.g. 6 runs a week could be 1 long run, and all other runs are say 20-40mins, then gradually increase some of those runs and then build in some intensity. This process takes a few months.
The trick is to run a lot! but less.
E.g. 6 runs a week could be 1 long run, and all other runs are say 20-40mins, then gradually increase some of those runs and then build in some intensity. This process takes a few months.
That makes sense now. Is it worth starting this increase now if I have my first race May 20th?
I see everybody’s 6 runs a week and I raise you 8 runs / week… seriously, I know it’s easy to say “find time” but with our sport some people just don’t have the time to allocate to additional runs/week. Instead of focusing on increasing the number of runs/week (especially if you’re swimming and cycling), increase the quality of each workout - walk out the door knowing why you’re doing each workout and what you want to get out of it.
**For treadmill: **
10min Warm Up + (4 x 4min @ Max Effort + 2min Recovery) + 5-10min Cooldown
Research studies have validated this 4x4 approach for both cycling and running as a means of improving VO2max, LT and TT performance (5k running & 30min cycling). As with all treadmill workouts, put incline at 1% to recruit your glutes as in road running.
For road:
Yasso 800’s
-or-
400-500m Hill Repeats x 4-6 (depending on time availability)
It’s great to run off the bike, if you can squeeze in the 10ish minutes.
I agree that you can build up quite a bit of speed by running only 3 times a week. The problem is, that what gives you your best performance in long distance run-racing is not speed. It’s endurance. Because long-distance running – particularly the kind you do in triathlon – is not about speed at all. It’s about not slowing down.