Training Smart

Being a kine student and someone who is always looking for new training workouts to improve my running, I thought it would be interesting to talk a little about training and to critique a sample training schedule that Garmin's new Training Plan system suggested for a Half Marathoner. The idea of having these kinds of training plans is great since they provide beginners with some direction, and more advanced runners new tips and tricks to throw into their current regime. I find these plans to be more beneficial to beginners as it seems as though many people don't really understand what goes into a build-up for a race. I often get questions from others like how far do you run everyday, or what is your running pace. To those of you who do train you would know that these questioned can't really be answered as you simply don't run the same distance everyday, and almost every run has a different purpose and therefore a different pace. I stress the word train because I feel people fall into two different categories those who run, and those who train. This may seem like an arrogant comment, however, think about it: an individual whose goal is to get into shape and improve there fitness will have a completely different approach than someone looking to win a race or shave a few seconds off of a personal best.

Look at the amount of runners on this long run in Iten, Kenya
amazing to think probably 95% of this group can run sub 2:10. 

For those looking to start road racing a training program has a few key elements. The two most important elements to your 16-week build-up are the tempo run and the long run (btw - I am speaking to those training for 10k and above as a 1500m or 3000m may have a different setup to their program). Before we even get to these two critical workouts, runners should go through a base-building phase. For beginners this phase may last 4-6 months, eventually building to about 70km per week of easy running. Basically this phase looks to increase an individuals overall endurance and allow there body to make the necessary aerobic adaptations like: increase mitochondria size/density, increasing oxidatize enzymes concentration, increasing capillarization in muscle beds, etc.

Then onto the training phase. While training for a marathon or half-marathon you are not only training for the race itself, but you are training to be able to withstand the training week 3-4 weeks out from the race where you will log the most mileage both on the long run and a long tempo run. I'm not going to take you thru each and every week and run throughout the 16-week, but basically I look to have a goal and purpose to each and every run during the week. For me, I run 6-days a week (every now and then I'll run all 7-days if I'm feeling good). I do a long run on Sunday's typically anywhere between 28km and up to 34km. This year if I decide to do the full in October I will look to get my long run up to 37km. I will do a tempo run on wednesday's this varies from 14km-18km when training for a half marathon, and 19-24km for a full marathon. Some time in the week I will do what I call a pickup run where I will run around 20-24km will about 12-15 200 meters faster than race pace surges (so if race pace for my half is a 3:25 kilometer than these 200 meters will be done around 3:15) with 800 meters rest in between. Usually on Friday's I will do a track specific workout (these start later into the 16-week build-up) where I will do a pyramid, or 400s, or mile repeats. Also somewhere in the week I will do a strength orientated run with bunches of hills. The other two runs (if a seven day week) are easy runs at a steady pace usually about 45-1min slower than race pace. The reason the tempo run and long run are the two most important runs of any training program are because the two main keys to having a successful race are to be able to last for the duration of the race (the  long run's purpose), and to make race pace feel more comfortable (the tempo run's purpose). For the long run a few points I

My favorite runner Ryan Hall out on a 12 mile tempo.

need to stress: for a full marathon make the duration of the long run your goal time for the race. For example, if your goal is to run a 3 hour marathon than your long run should last 3 hours - you won't be running the same distance because you are running slower but you are trying to get your body and more importantly your mind prepared for the race. Many people on training runs often say they let there mind wander and pass the time looking at the scenery and thinking about what's for dinner (this is called dissociation), however at a high intensity like in a race you need to associate into every one of your body's feelings, and for me I am conscious of each and every footstrike. The fact is this can be mentally draining, and therefore you must prepare for it in training. Here is a sample taken from the Garmin Training Plan System - this is week 10 in a 16 week buildup to a half-marathon for advanced runner.


Here's my critique on there suggested program. Firstly, Day 3 seems like a rest day - don't know any advanced runner with two rest day's in there week. I say this because a elite runner will be cross training in some way most days of the week - whether it is biking, swimming, elliptical, strength training, etc. Second, the week in missing one of the key elements and that is the tempo run. Instead, the program suggests doing two intervals sessions during the week. While intervals are effective at making race pace feel more comfortable you need to be able to sustain that effort for the entire race and 1km repeats will simply not achieve that. My main issue from the program is that it has the individual on those interval days doing the intervals in the evening after the morning recovery run. To me this makes no sense on a number of fronts. First, in the morning I'm not quite sure what the individual is recovering from exactly. The recovery run should be after the hard session to help loosen up the legs, and help clear the system of the lactic acid that built up during the intervals. Second, if you are doing a speed session wouldn't it make more sense to do that session in the morning as all races occurs in the morning. When doing tempo runs or speed sessions you should try to make the conditions as close to the race conditions as possible - this means wearing the outfit you intend to race in, the shoes, and obviously running at approximately the same time. One small side-note adding up the times it is only about 7 hours of training in the week. Again never heard of any elite runner or any athlete from any sport for that matter training only 7 hours per week - even if this person averages around 4:00min/km that is only about 100km for the week or should I say weak.

 Week 10

Day 1

 

Rest

 

Rest day.

Day 2

 

W10D2a-Recovery Run

 

• Morning run.

• Run, recovery pace, 30 minutes.

• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Stretch.

Day 2

 

W10D2b-Intervals

 

• Evening run.

• Warm up, 15 minutes.

• Run, threshold pace, 15 minutes.

• Run, 10K pace, 1K. Jog, recovery pace, 90 seconds. Repeat 4 times.

• Run, threshold pace, 15 minutes.

• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Stretch.

Day 3

 

W10D3a-Recovery Run

 

• Run, recovery pace, 30 minutes.

• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Full stretch.

Day 3

 

W10D3b-Cross Train

 

Cross train, 30 minutes. Focus on upper body and core. Stretch.

Day 4

 

W10D4-Hills

 

• Run, 45 minutes. Push 4 to 5 hills to 90% effort.

• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Stretch.

Day 5

 

W10D5-Recovery Run

 

• Run, recovery pace, 40 minutes.

• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Stretch.

Day 6

 

W10D6a-Recovery Run

 

• Morning run.

• Run, recovery pace, 30 minutes.

• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Stretch.

Day 6

 

W10D6b-Intervals

 

• Evening run.

• Warm up, 10 minutes.

• Run, threshold pace, 10 minutes.

• Run, 10K pace, 1K. Jog, recovery pace, 90 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

• Run, threshold pace, 10 minutes.

• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Stretch.

Day 7

 

W10D7-Long Run

 

• Run, easy pace, 100 minutes.

• Cool down, 5 to 10 minutes.

• Stretch.