Unleash Your Potential

These 6 simple techniques could help transform your running this year

1) Consistency 

Establish a constant, reliable training program.

Without establishing a consistent training regime, your body will not experience maximum adaptations to exercise. A few days of hard training followed by several days of inactivity, or sporadic training sessions, are not efficient ways to improve your running, and you’ll lose many of the physiological changes that you’ve worked so hard for. A better strategy would be to run every second day, which also programs rest and recovery into your schedules.

2) Periodisation

Bring some structure into your training program

Many runners go out and run every day without having a goal or objective in mind for that particular workout. Before each workout you should be able to state the purpose of your workout, something like this “Today I’m doing 10 mile road run at a fast tempo to improve my aerobic fitness and work on my marathon pacing” or “Today I’m doing a strength training session to work on my lower body, make my legs and hips stronger, make me better able to handle road running and help my muscles handle muscle soreness better” Each of your daily training efforts should also fit into a grander strategy, a master plan. Create a sequence of training phases, or cycles all aimed at having you in your best shape ever. This is called periodisation

Here’s an example: Perhaps you’ve been slowing badly in the second half of your road race or marathons and you need to develop your aerobic fitness. Using periodisation, you map out a conditioning phase for a set period of time-say 6 to 10 weeks- where you concentrate your efforts mainly on improving your aerobic fitness base. Then you move on to another phase where you focus on another type of training such as hill running followed by another type of training like time trials etc. As you progress through each type of phases you’ll improve a different component of your running fitness until you have no weakness.

3) Do Some Time Trials

These help you cruise at a high percentage of your V02 max for extended periods of time by enhancing your ability to disperse lactic acid that builds up when you approach your maximum pace.

How do time trials improve your running?

A time trial (often referred to as tempo running) is running at a pace that produces an elevated, steady state accumulation of lactic acid. If you don’t do time trials you’ll run much slower that you should in your road races and marathons and short change yourself of achieving your true potential. Time trails also help establish pace judgement for your road races. They help you run your races at even pace, so that your second half will be equal to or hopefully faster than, your first half. You’ll also find  that towards the end of your road races, when people are flagging and slowing down you’ll be maintaining pace and form.

How To Do Time Trials

Most good runners work around 80% to 85% of their aerobic capacity during a 10k. You’ll be doing your lactate threshold time trials somewhere between 70% and 85% of your maximal aerobic capacity, which corresponds to about 78% to 91% of your maximal heart rate. Establishing your maximal heart rate by subtracting your age from 220-a rough guide at the best because considerable variations exists between our maximal heart rates. The easiest and most practical way to establish your maximal heart rate is to go and run one mile on a track as hard as you can while wearing a heart rate monitor and note your highest heart rate.

Once you’ve established your maximal heart rate. estimate your lactate threshold pace by calculating 78% to 91% of your maximal heart rate. Your objective is to run the time trials at a fast pace, just below 10k race pace, maintaining a steady pace all the way. Check your pace every mile to ensure it is consistent. If you find it slowing, slow down to a more comfortable pace that you can maintain. If you find your pace too easy, speed up a little until you find your threshold using the symptoms above. Time trials should be done each week or 10 days. Warm up with 10-15 minutes jogging followed by a few stride-outs over 50 metres. Do the trials on a reasonably flat and measured road or track surface. Start with a shorter distance like 3k for the first two time trials and then move up to 5k for 2 sessions, then an 8k and finally a 10k. Note your finishing times for these efforts and try to better them slightly in subsequent time trials.

Aim to finish your time trials at the same pace you started. You should be left with some reserve when you finish time trials, without being exhausted. A 10-15 minute cool down jog will ease your muscles and resynthesize the waste products that have built up

4) Resistance Training 

The majority of runners don’t do any strength training. Because of the time consumed by running they can’t find the time or interest to lift weights, while many don’t think it will help them race faster

What strength training will do for your running

Weight training will help you run faster for longer the same effort and oxygen consumption. One recent study found that trained runners improve their running economy from 4% to 8% with resistance training. Even small improvements in running economy can have a big impact on longer distance events such as the marathon or 10K races

Strength training yields greater improvements for recreational runners than elite runners. Several studies show that recreational runners who lift weights improve their performance. One found that lactate threshold is increases following resistance training in untrained individuals. So if you’re a recreational runner doing 20-50 miles per week or with times between 35 to 60 minutes, you stand to gain some large improvements.

How strength training improves your running

Resistance training improves the tensile strength of your leg muscles and thus enhances the recoil or return of energy with each foot compression or step. This means you have greater “bounce” with each stride. Strength-trained runners finish road races with a longer, sustained drive, and stronger finish. Strength training helps runners relax their arms during the early and middle stages of their races and women in particular have a lot to gain because they tend to be 20% weaker in the legs and up to 40% weaker in upper body strength than males.

5) Deep Water Running (DWR)

How it helps your running

DWR is a good alternative for your rest days, or as a substitute for a short recovery running day. Several studies show it can be also be used by runners to maintain their fitness while injured or in the off-season when you’re taking a break from running

How to do deep water running

Deep water running is done wearing a floatation vest, and really works your legs, trunks, arms and cardiovascular system. You can simulate interval workouts, long steady workouts and everything in between with deep water running. Wearing your flotation belt around your waist, jump in the deep end of the swimming pool. Simulate your running style in the water. At first it feels uncoordinated because you’re learning a new skill and establishing your correct posture. If you lean forward slightly  you can actually run forward, while if you remain upright you’ll run on the spot. Either works. Some runners like to do laps so they can measure their progress.

5) Rest and Recovery

The most under-rated and ignored training principle in the book.

After recreational runners realised they had as much right to follow professionally designed training schedules as elite runners (albeit on a reduced and modified basis) they adopted a different mindset and get more serious about their running. The inevitable results were to them at least amazing. Over time.

I’ve seen 55-minute 10k joggers get down to 33 minutes. I’ve had 4 hour marathoners run 2:40 marathons and transform into hard-core distance veterans simply by programming rest and recovery into their programs. Two thirds of distance runners over train at some time. Recovery is the magic ingredient of any training program. You need to stress (overload) the body with hard workouts, then allow it to recover while it adapts to the new workload. And recovery doesn’t consist of taking a day off running here and there, or doing a short, easy jog. Here are some things for you to consider to ensure that you are permitting your body to recover adequately from your workouts.

• Are you getting enough sleep?
• Could you pay more attention to your nutrition? i.e. are you getting enough carbohydrates, antioxidants and hydrating adequately after workouts?
• Consider a monthly massage. A good massage therapist can work wonders on sore and tired muscles.
• Treat yourself to a new pair of running shoes. Chances are that your current pair has lost its cushioning-the EVA in running show mid-soles breaks down within a few months
• Consider the surfaces you’re running on. Can you do some trail running or at the very least jog around a large sports field?

These, then are the six techniques and principles that you can use to structure and add to your training schedule. Some final advice here. Trying to add too many new changes to your training program simultaneously is likely to cause problems while your body adjusts. Considering adding one or two of these changes every couple of months, and as you adjust, add another when you feel ready. If you persevere with this advice, you can’t fail to achieve some great times in your races, and probably set some personal bests into the bargain.

By Roy Stevenson