I know I could do a search, but we’re not like here, are we people Anyways, I have a specific situation i want some advice on. I’ve just finished my third season of Triathlon, and third year of regular exercise of any sort. I’ve decided the key to improving my performance is to do a lot better on the run, so that is what I am going to focus on. I probably have a reasonable base seeing as I completed an Ironman, although that was starting from zero base three years ago.
My training focus on the run has been on hills, lots of them: I lost my HRM at the start of the season. By the time I bought another one IM was upon me. By that time I could do a three hour training run keeping my heart rate around 145, which I believe equates to an aerobic zone: my max HR is 187 and my resting HR is 45. Trouble was I was going 10km/h, or 10 minute miles.
Over the next six months I want to target some half marathons as my key events. My PB is 2:06, but I want to go way faster than that. I’ll put my swimming and biking on the back burner, I know I can wind them up when I need to. I’m also going to put some real focus into weight loss, because I’m still carrying round a lot.
So given the above, what’s he most effective way of running faster at the half marathon/half IM level?
I think running more frequently will cause you to drop weight, improve your form, and therefore make you faster. If you did a 30/40/50/60 min run plus one brick per week, even at 6 min ks that is still 28/30 ks per week. It is not massive volume buy Peter Snell you aint, I guess!
For a big guy if you build the frequency first then the volume will come. But you need to make sure that you stretch as much as you can stand, rest those legs if they get sore, and try really hard to remain uninjured. If you can stack running weeks together you will get faster. How much faster depends on how light you get and how much oxygen your heart can pump to your muscles.
I have to say how deeply disappointed I am by this advice. The only thing missing is someone saying "to lose weight what you have to do is take in fewer calories than you use’. Where’s the Atkins? Where’s the Maffetone? ^insert wry smiley thing here^ I want fads, I want breakthroughs, I don’t want to do the work. ^ more smiley things^
Look out Huntly half marathon, here i come.
BTW Kiwipat, how was the Mission Bay Tri? This running epiphany is caused by the private and select Cheltenham Beach tri on Sunday: 5/25 in the swim, 2/25 in the bike, 10/25 on the run = 5/25 overall. The story of my season, even if it was only 500m/10k/5k.
Have you tried improving cadence in order to get faster? Stepping to the beats of an electronic metronome is a good tool for improving cadence. Also, treadmills help to learn a faster cadence.
You could also try Slim Fast Optima mixed with GNC Glutamine powder and Optygen while working out to Taibo videos wearing an Abshocker and polyester legwarmers.
BTW Kiwipat, how was the Mission Bay Tri? This running epiphany is caused by the private and select Cheltenham Beach tri on Sunday: 5/25 in the swim, 2/25 in the bike, 10/25 on the run = 5/25 overall. The story of my season, even if it was only 500m/10k/5k.
2004 - 1:07, 14/53. 2005 1:10 12/56. Course felt a bit longer, but I felt strong. Swim was a zoo, bike course was really full, but I rode 33 mins essentially alone. Not sure how no decent groups went past me, just bad luck.
All in all a good race to closeout the season. Bought my first HRM on sale from MS bikes so now I have to learn to use the thing!
If you are a big guy a lot of land running will destroy your joints. Include some very fast workouts running in deepwater. You will avoid the pounding,practice form, increase your stride length and cadence without chancing getting injured. Incidentally you will also burn massive amounts of calories.
There are many ways of running faster for the less than elite, the big two being running more, and losing weight, and all of them will work as long as one avoids injury. However, there is another way also that can actually involve running less (although it doesn’t involve working out less). PowerCranks. See the other thread started by CCF currently going on. 98% of users report seeing running improvement starting in about 2 weeks and the results reported by CCF are pretty typical. I bring this up because no one has mentioned it and you should get a complete answer.
You and me, we are the same. I am 37, 6’1" 198 fairly solid pounds. I have been a perpetual MOP’er because of the run. I am a very strong swimmer (top 2%) decent rider (top third) and a HORRIBLE runner (like you, my half marathon times are around the 2 hour mark). Its a very unsatisfying way to race when you start out in the lead and spend the whole race getting passed.
I got the same advice you are getting now: RUN MORE. It appears to be working. For the last couple of months, I’ve been running every day. Some days its only 3-4 miles, but I make sure I run every day. The minutes are melting off. I haven’t done a race effort time trial yet, but every Monday morning I do a “maffetone” test (3 miles at 140 bpm) and I’m now turning in times in zone 2 that are comparable to what my zone 3/low zone 4 times.
Anyways, I have a specific situation i want some advice on. I’ve just finished my third season of Triathlon, and third year of regular exercise of any sort. I’ve decided the key to improving my performance is to do a lot better on the run, so that is what I am going to focus on. I probably have a reasonable base seeing as I completed an Ironman, although that was starting from zero base three years ago.