Efficient training for improved running performance
If you train / run regularly, your performance will (should!) improve. If you organise your running into a training programme, this focus will reap rewards by improving your performance even faster. There are a number of recognised methods to improve your performance and you can maximising the benefit of training by targeting one of:
- Increasing max O2 uptake (VO2max)
- Extending the Lactate Threshold (LT)
- Improving Running Economy (RE)
These methods are described in detail below. Focusing on one measure of performance isn’t cheating, or taking a short-cut; it’s just about training smarter.
VO2max
A measure of the greatest volume of oxygen that can be despatched to the muscles during exercise, or the maximum that your muscles can use when you are training as hard as you can. The more you go out and train, the more efficient your body’s muscles become at using the oxygen which is available to them. Focusing on VO2max training creates a fitness specific to a particular sport. While it will benefit cardiovascular fitness in general, the muscles trained (in this case the legs’ muscles) are more specifically targeted.
The findings of research imply that you can increase your VO2max until you reach a maximum which is predetermined by your genetic makeup.
Dos and Don’ts
- To achieve your VO2max you should train at the pace indicated in the table below. As you will see, this pace is not a sprint speed and you should be able to maintain it for over 10 minutes, although
- you shouldn’t train at it for more than 5 minutes a day or you will burn out.
- Use the10K pace you currently run, not your target. Change it as you improve.
- Only train at VO2max pace once per week.
- Use your VO2max for interval training in order to extend the distance you can run at it beyond 10 minutes total per session.
- Your heart rate should peak at its maximum during VO2max training.
Lactate Threshold
The lactate threshold is the point at which muscle efficiency falls off significantly. I.e. the speed you can run at before your muscles give up. As with VO2max training, the way to improve your lactate threshold is to run at that pace, which is around 15% less than your VO2max pace.
Dos and Don’ts
- Include one LT session in your weekly training programme.
- Run 3 – 6 miles at your LT pace during the session, or incorporate it into intervals.
- Don’t forget to warm up and cool down.
- Your heart rate should peak at 90% of your maximum.
Running Economy
RE is a measure of endurance and is not targeted at a single physiological aspect of training. It trains the body (heart, lungs, muscles) and mind in a general way. In effect RE training is what you should use during the week to fill in the slots you haven’t filled with VO2max and LT training sessions. It is also a great pace to get your body used to longer sessions, if your are training for a marathon, for example.
We may all tend towards running to hard during ‘of’ days which means we don’t give our bodies the chance to recover, particularly if there has been a hard event at the weekend. Generally, a rule of thumb for these non-VO2max/LT sessions is to run as slowly as is still of aerobic benefit. In the Runner’s World article of January 2001 which I have based this article on, they suggested that running as slow as 65% of your VO2max pace is still beneficial, if painfully slow. As long as you don’t feel discomfort and feel rested after your ‘off day’ runs, then you can still push up to 80% of your VO2max. You should raise your heart rate to around 75% of its maximum during RE training.
|
10K time |
VO2 max pace |
LT pace |
RE pace |
|
|
Min/mile |
Min/mile |
Min/mile |
|
28 |
4.16 |
4.51 |
6.03 |
|
30 |
4.33 |
5.12 |
6.27 |
|
32 |
4.50 |
5.31 |
6.52 |
|
34 |
5.07 |
5.51 |
7.17 |
|
36 |
5.25 |
6.11 |
7.41 |
|
38 |
5.41 |
6.31 |
8.05 |
|
40 |
5.59 |
6.50 |
8.29 |
|
42 |
6.16 |
7.10 |
8.53 |
|
44 |
6.33 |
7.29 |
9.16 |
|
46 |
6.50 |
7.48 |
9.39 |
|
48 |
7.07 |
8.07 |
10.02 |
|
50 |
7.24 |
8.26 |
10.25 |
|
52 |
7.41 |
8.45 |
10.48 |
|
54 |
7.57 |
9.04 |
11.10 |
|
56 |
8.14 |
9.22 |
11.32 |
|
58 |
8.31 |
9.41 |
11.54 |
|
60 |
8.47 |
10.00 |
12.06 |
This page is based on an article which appeared in Runners’ World, January 2001.