Run Faster With Just 3 Workouts Per
Week
Provided
by American
Council on Exercise
If
a little is good, a lot must be great, right?
Unfortunately, this is the approach many runners take while training for a
half- or full marathon. In terms of weekly mileage, though, more is an assured way to injury,
burnout and/or slower running times.
A wide range of runners experience
injuries that will take away time from training, with estimates ranging
from 20-80%. And many runners experience pain that
is greater than typical muscle soreness at some point during a training program
(most commonly in the knees and low back). Among the factors causing
injury and pain, which include poor running form, muscle imbalances, and a lack
of prehab and rehab exercises, overuse is relatively simple to address.
It is encouraging to see that running
groups and coaches are trending toward a “less is more” approach and
recognizing that a quality training program
outperforms a high-volume program. Granted, runners must log more miles while
training for a marathon than for a 10K, completing a minimum effective dose of
running produces better results while limiting injury risk.
Train
With a Purpose
To avoid injury and progressively get
faster, always follow a purposeful training program by setting a specific
intention for every workout rather than aiming to fill a mileage quota.
Unless you are an elite athlete, your
body can probably manage no more than two high-intensity training sessions per
week (high heart-rate sessions). Thus, within the course of seven days, a
quality program should include two high-intensity days, one to two endurance
days, one to two strength days, one to two active recovery days and one
complete rest day.
Generating
a Quality Program (Why, How and What)
The initial steps in creating a quality training program are to complete a needs assessment
and establish goals. This holds true for all programming: running, strength,
fitness or nutrition. The second step is to develop a strategy for each day of
the week (the “how”) based on those needs and goals.
A comprehensive running program should
include training approaches sequenced in the following order, based on the day
of the week:
- Strength
- High-intensity
- Active recovery
- High-intensity
- Active recovery
- Endurance
- Rest
The third step is to translate the
approaches into workouts (the “what”):
MON: Strength training
TUE: Speed work (2-4 miles total)
WED: Active recovery
THU: Tempo run (3-5 miles)
FRI: Active recovery
SAT: Endurance run (3-20 miles)
SUN: Rest
In this example, the recovery runs have been replaced with active recovery sessions. These can
consist of some combination of easy-to-moderate non-running cardio, stretching,
resistance training, massage, yoga or Pilates. Ideally, plan workouts that tax
different metabolic or structural systems on different days so that one system
can recover while another is challenged. Doing the
same workout three to four days per week does not provide enough variety for
adaptation nor enough time for recovery.
The three most-important running
workouts of a training program are speed work, tempo runs and endurance runs.
Speed Work
Definition: Speed work consists of interval runs
performed at high-intensity, yet sub-maximal efforts.
Speed workouts are typically completed on a track with
intervals ranging from 400-1200 meters, with adequate rest. Note that speed is a relative term. For example,
for a half- or full marathoner, speed is rarely anything faster than 1-mile
pace, whereas a speed workout for a football player would include many short,
maximal-effort sprints.
Goals: The primary goal is to maintain pace
throughout each interval. The key is not to run the first interval as fast as
you can, but to run the eighth interval as fast as the first. As you become more fit, shorten the rest between intervals.
Tempo Runs
Definition: Tempo runs are moderate-to-fast runs
that provide a chance to increase fitness and maintain technique (i.e., improve
running economy). Many coaches define tempo runs as “comfortably uncomfortable”
running.
Goals: Find a route that is mostly flat or
has rolling hills (save the steeper hills for interval workouts or endurance
runs). Maintain your pace throughout the run or negative split the miles by
running each mile at the same pace, or slightly faster
(5-10 second improvement per mile). For example, if you are running 4 miles and
each consecutive mile is 30 seconds faster than the previous, then you started
out too slowly.
Start with a pace that can be maintained for about 2.5 miles. As fitness improves,
maintain that same pace but increase the mileage, up to 5 miles. For
experienced runners, a 3-4-mile tempo run pace should be slower than 10K race
pace, but faster than half-marathon race pace. Longer tempo runs (8-10 miles)
can also provide an opportunity to run at race pace during a training session.
Endurance Runs
Definition: Endurance runs are aerobic
conditioning runs. Because the weekly program already includes two
high-intensity running sessions, the long runs (usually on the weekends) should
be aerobic and low-to-moderate in intensity.
Goals: These runs should be longer and slower
than mid-week runs to train your body to endure greater training volume.
Gradually increase the mileage or time spent running each week.
What
About the 10-percent rule?
The 10-percent rule advises that runners
should not increase running volume more than 10% from one week to the next.
Truthfully, this is a rather arbitrary limit and may impede progress. An
alternative approach is to build volume (or intensity) for two to three
consecutive weeks and then back down. For example, increase mileage 10-15% from
weeks 1, 2 and 3 and then decrease 10-20% for week 4. This idea of buildbuildrecover is referred to
as a non-linear periodization model.
Regardless of your progression, do not
attempt to make up for lost time. Attempting to cram in the previous two weeks
of training into the upcoming week will not improve fitness, but will set up
the body for failure.
When tapering for a race, maintain the
intensity during workouts, but decrease the volume. That is, do the speed work
and tempo runs while shortening the endurance runs and scaling back the cross
training.
AUTHOR
Justin Robinson
Justin
Robinson is a Registered Sports Dietitian and Strength
and Conditioning Coach who has worked with athletes from youth to professional
level. As the nutrition director and co-founder of Venn Performance Coaching,
he specializes in practical sports nutrition recommendations and functional
conditioning techniques. Over the past 15 years, he has worked with athletes
from the youth to professional level, including runners and triathletes, MLB
players and U.S. Military Special Operations soldiers. He graduated from Cal
Poly, San Luis Obispo with a dual degree in Nutrition and Kinesiology,
completed his dietetic internship at the University of Houston and earned his
Master's Degree in Kinesiology at San Diego State University.