Asphalt Green Tri Club

Running Speed – A Summer of Speed

·         There is skill involved in running! 

·         Ever wish you could just motor away? 
Wonder why that guy that beats you smiles when he sees a hill up ahead? 

·         Notice that the fast ones are quiet on their feet? 

·         Do you feel like you're shuffling instead of running? 

·         Want to be faster? 

·         Want running to be easier? 

After a winter of building endurance and a spring of building strength, you are ready for a Summer of Speed.  Weekly mileage should be less than what you were doing during the Base and Strength phases.  Efforts should be easier too.  Save your hard efforts for your races. 

Remember that old ‘80s saying: “Speed Kills”?  Well, for adult athletes it’s even truer.  Unless you are young (under 35) and have been training seriously since college, I do NOT recommend traditional speed sessions on a track.  The hard surface and tight turns are tough on your legs.  The competitive nature of track workouts will also lead to sessions that are too hard and lead to burn-out and injury.

There are many great ways to build speed.  Without risking injury or over training.

First, you need to have a good cardiovascular engine – so at least 12 weeks of endurance training is necessary.  Second, you need to be strong to run fast – so at least 8 weeks of strength training is also necessary.  Start you cardiovascular phase in the winter.  After about 4 weeks you can add strength work once a week and add speed work – in the form of Time Trials or races – once a week.  If you are a new athlete – less than 3 years of consistent, year round training, you should not add strength and speed work to your cardiovascular phase.  You can run an occasional race during the cardiovascular phase, which will provide a save strength and speed workout for you.

Speed work is characterized by long rest or recovery periods and short high quality speed efforts.  The focus is entirely on quality.  Attempting to run faster than you are capable of running will not improve your speed, but will increase your likelihood of injury.

Spend extra time working on flexibility.  Being flexible is important to running fast.

Periodization and Speed

Beginner – 1 year: only after base & strength phases

Intermediate – 2 to 3 years: can start strength during base, speed only during speed phase

Advanced – more than 3 years: can add strength and speed during base phase, and add speed during strength phase

Event Distance and Speed

Sprint Distance – include speed, match to distance of event – 200/100s, some miles.

Olympic – include speed, mostly miles

Half IM – include some speed, half marathon under 2 hours – miles and time trials

IM – need for speed?  Marathon under 4 hours – miles and time trials

Physiological Basis of Running Fast

•          Cardio-Vascular Endurance – minimum of 12 weeks

•          Muscular Strength – 8 weeks

•          Neuromuscular Coordination – 8 weeks

•          Concentric & eccentric muscle contractions

Biomechanics of Running Fast

•          The “Secret”

•          The role of running shoes

•          Center of Gravity

•          Foot Fall

•          Spine Alignment

•          Head Alignment

•          Arms & hands

Speed Tests

•         30 Meter Flying Start – count strides & multiply by time for the 30 meters.  Three trials with 5 minute rest between trials

•          Time Trial - 1 mile.  Three trails with full recovery between trials

•          Time Trial – 5 Km (also Max HR test).  Three trials with 1 week between trials

Drills – “running”

•         Marching with High Knees

•         Marching with High Knees & lower leg extension (“pawing”)

•         Jogging with High Knees

•         Skipping

•         Skipping with High Knees

•         Skipping with High Knees & lower leg extension (“pawing”)

•         Running with High Knees

•         Running with High Knees & lower leg extension (“pawing”)

•         Running with Skip and High Knees

•         Running with Skip and High Knees & lower leg extension (“pawing”)

Drills – “in-place”

•         Step Up Drill

•         High Knees in place

•         Jump Drill

•         Cross Over – Knee/Elbow

Drills – warm-ups

•         Toe Running

•         Fast Running

•         Fast Running with High Knees

•         Butt Kicks

•         Side Skipping

•         Side Skipping/Cross Over

•         Maximum # Foot Contacts – in 10 seconds.

•         Sprints – 5 to 10 X 30 to 80 meters with 3 to 5 minute rest between.

•         Hills Sprints – both up and down a 10% grade, 100 meters.

•         Side Skipping – side step & cross-over.

•         Butt Kicks – alternate legs.

•         Jump Drill – with partners, 3 sets of 10.

•         High Knees – drill for 100 yards

•         High Knees w/hop – drill for 100 yards

•         Stride-Outs – 100 yards comfortably Fast.

•         Fast Running – 100 yards to 100 yards Comfortably Fast with the wind behind you, focus on running tall, relaxed from the waist up, 3 minute jog recovery.

•         Fast Running with High Knees – bring knees up high and drive hard forward, using hip and ankles to “spring forward” 3 minute jog recovery.

•         Toe Running – lift up high on your toes as you run forward, 3 minute jog recovery.

•         Combine Fast Running, Fast Running with High Knees and Toe Running – 50 yards to 100 yards, 3 minute jog recovery.

•         Stride the Straight-aways Jog the Turns – stride fast and relaxed through the straight-away and jog the turns, repeat six times, jog 15 minutes recovery.

•         “Tag”

•         Shuttle Relay

•         Caterpillar or Indian Line Drill

Workouts – “Speed Kills”

•         Avoid the Track

•         What’s the Goal?

•         Stride Outs, Pick-ups, Surges (distance & intensity)

•         Mile Repeats

•         200/100s

•         Last “repeat” – NEVER the fastest

•         Advanced workouts – decreasing pace

•         Event Specific distance Time Trials

Speed Training

•         Run your goal distance divided into segments i.e. 10 Km divided into ten 1 Km segments.  Run each segment 2 to 3 seconds faster than goal pace.  Start with 5 second recovery between segments and reduce the recovery period of time – 4 seconds the next session, 3 seconds the following session, and so on.

•         Experienced runners (with at least 3 years of continuous training) can add a strength workout and a speed workout after 4 to 6 weeks of cardiovascular training.

•         Always train all three components – cardiovascular (endurance), strength and speed.

Training Plans with Speed

Non Race Week

•         Monday – Active Recovery

•         Tuesday – Speed Drills

•         Wednesday – Medium Distance with Speed Work

•         Thursday – Speed Drills

•         Friday – Active Recovery

•         Saturday – Time Trial (5 Km to Half Marathon) or Medium Distance with Speed Work

•         Sunday – Active Recovery or Long

Training Plans with Speed

Race Week

•         Monday – Active Recovery

•         Tuesday – Speed Drills

•         Wednesday – Active Recovery

•         Thursday – Speed Drills

•         Friday – Active Recovery

•         Saturday – Race 5 Km to Half Marathon

•         Sunday – Comfortable Pace with 3 to 6 “pick-ups”

Triathlon Specific Issues

•         Running off the Bike

•         “BRicks”

•         Physiological or Neurophysiological?

•         Concentric & eccentric muscle contractions

•         Cadence, circles & pedal pressure

•         Stride Length & Frequency

•         The last mile on the bike

•         The first mile on the run

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