ENDURrun Stage 2= 15 km time trial – Aug 13, 2012

August 13, 2012

Stage 2 the 15km time trial in Conestoga –August 13, 2012
Work is something a body is obliged to do. Play is something a body is not obliged to do.”
Mark Twain
The time trial – we all start one minute apart in reverse finishing order of yesterday.
This stage was moved from Cambridge (Preston) Riverside Park (civic administrative issues. End of discussion) and is now at the home of Lloyd and Julie Schmidt (RD and co-RD- Julie also takes pictures and arranges for food etc.)
So this is good, because the pool is right there. It also makes it easier for all the volunteers not having to lug everything to the park and pack it up.
Lloyd and Julie are pictured here with Jackie and Bob the winners (again) of this stage.
Same routine as yesterday for getting up and breakfast and drive to the Start
So once my turn to start came, I lined up and wondered if it was better to be chasing or to be chased. Then a brief chat with Lloyd (RD) and I was off! As some faster runners who are still waiting for their turn, you seem to have an obligation to appear to start out fast. This course is super flat and goes straight along the highway for 4k so there is no hiding from anyone. My first few k’s were in the 4:50 to 5:00 minute range. Whew, but feeling good and as I came up to those runners ahead of me I chatted for a few seconds and carried on trying to pick up the next runner.
Around the 6 km mark my time was closer to 5:12 per k.
It was getting warm, but still not as bad as past days. The air is fresh (well as fresh as cattle country can be, if you know what I mean)
Running on the highway . the traffic was not that bad and most drivers gave you a wide berth, so I waved to thank them. Some even waived back.
As I felt so good, I was able to pick up each person who started before me and at the turnaround (approx 8k) I could see who was chasing me down. This course was good as we could cheer each other on.
One of the ultimate runners , Susan, has here with her husband with her for support and he was on course today playing the banjo. Awesome, you can’t be upset of angry when you listen to the banjo. Thanks Andrew.
Finally I thought there was only one other guy , Chris, who started before me was (what I thought was the only person ahead of me which would allow me to cross the finish line first) knew I was behind him and made me work the final few Ks and was able to meet up and then pickup the pace at 14 k to get ahead of him. He knew this too and picked up his own pace.
I later learned that Wilf had actually been the first, but he must not have hung around at the finish line. Moral- check the details before making announcements.
At the end of Stage 1, I am in 23rd place and behind 2 runners by about 2 minutes (lets see what the cumulative results are after today.
Final time: 1:16
Then massage and a quick dip in the pool, but as this was an early event, thought the time would be too early for pints so did not bring any so came home to post, have a nap (or maybe beer first then nap). But the sun was out and it approaching noon, so we could have brought some –Rats..
Prior years for comparison (but not the same flat, fast course)
2011- 1:23
2010- 1:19
2009- 1:16
Next up – 30K trail race at Bechtel Park. (which is 6 loops of a 5k route = 44 hills yikes)

How is hard is easy?

RHellard

August 13, 2012

This week, on one of my runs, I got to thinking about what I mean by the terms easy, tempo and hard when it comes to your programs, and then, just like it was fate, I got an e-mail asking exactly that question.

So, without further adieu, here’s my take on what I mean.

First off, it is important to remember that easy does not mean slow. An easy effort will be a different speed for everyone, so one person’s easy is not likely the next person’s easy.

That said, a particular effort is very relative to the duration. Let’s say, for example, and easy run pace is 6min/km. For 40min, that may truly be easy, but for an hour or two, it becomes less and less easy, and eventually, downright hard. At the same time, if you were doing an interval workout with some hard kilometers with 1min easy running between them as recovery, the easy 6min/km will not be easy or allow you to recover enough to give your next kilo repeat a great effort. You would need to go much easier than that to allow for a good enough recovery.

So, the main thing with the term easy is that you finish whatever it is feeling refreshed and rested.

The same logic works for tempo and hard—the shorter the workbout, the higher the effort.

I encourage you to go to http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/mcmillanrunningcalculator.htm and use the pace calculator he provides to get a really, really good idea of how fast easy or hard should be for you, based on your level of ability.

It is important to realize, though, that sometimes, it is just fun to go harder or easier than suggested. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as two conditions are met:

you hold it together to the end of the workout, and
you can still train the next day.

Hope this helps.

Rick

ENDURrun Stage 1= 21.1 the half marathon Aug 12,2012

dmclaren

August 12, 2012

Remember, the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running.– Sarah Condor
This is my 6th year returning to Waterloo (actually Conestoga) and we are in one of the student residences. 4 Bedroom 3 bathrooms (and cost me $135 for the week)
Pictured with me are Jackie Jackman (Marathon PB 3:03) and Bob Jackman (Marathon PB 2:40) –the female and male winners of stage 1. Jackie`s time for the half 1:33 and Bob`s time 1:19
Bob has won the overall ENDURrun a couple of times and this is his 6th time at Endurrun too.
Jackie has raced Endurrun 4 times.
They are from Rhode Island and drove up just for this event.
This year I am sharing the “dorm” with 3 guys. Paul, Ed and Joanne.
I got a ride to Waterloo from Jack and Maureen who are on the 15th floor one above us.
Joanne is the “newbie” this year.
At 5:30 am the alarm goes off. And I get up 15 minutes later. The men`s marathon is starting at 6 am so have to get the wi-fi set up cuz we don`t have a TV. My sleep was surprisingly good. Except for waking up at 2 to the remaining students still partying. Quick check on the weather… looks nice and cool but a bit cloudy. The forecast calls for rain in the morning. Well, at least it’s better than full on sun and oppressive heat and humidity known as the sweatfest to the runners.
Breakfast, get dressed, get packed, and we’re off to the race site. By the time we get there most people have shown up, and standing around talking and twitching nervously. One of the volunteers found a open wi-fi and we are watching the marathon on a lap top. Wondering if Lloyd would delay the 8 am start for about 4-8 minutes, but no luck, roll call is happening.
There are 23 men and 17 women registered for the full 7 stage event this year. We also have a lot more relay and guest runners.
Finally, Lloyd calls us over to the start line. He gives us some last minute instructions, checks the time, counts us down, and the 10th Annual ENDURrun has officially begun!
Having not actually “raced’ for a few years (most of my training has been with the Running Room clinic and mostly to maintain fitness so, I had no idea what to expect of my body. My goal for today was to find a steady pace I could sustain for 21.1km, and stick to it, from start to finish. I figured under 6min/km was a good pace, that would give me a 2 hour half marathon time.
I was not intending to be competing with anyone this year (except those few runners ahead of me ) I’d use the first few kms to fall into rhythm, then stick to it. My goal was 2 hours. I started off alone and noticed Paul ahead of me so thought I would keep him in sight. I began moving forward keeping the pace at about 5:30 or so. Felt good.
The half marathon consists of two loops; a 13.1km loop followed by an 8km loop. It has a few hills in it, some steep and short, and some long and gradual. It also runs through some of the most beautiful country scenery I’ve seen in Ontario..Part of the first loop travels down a paved path that lies between the Conestogo River and a golf course.
I could still see Paul ahead of me (always about 400 meters so kept striving to catch him. At about 8 km caught up with him , but he stopped to have a gel so I carried on.
Although the temperature was pleasant it was still a bit humid so my shirt and shorts began to get a bit wet. Still feeling good at 12 k
I stopped longer than I usually do at the aid stations and had some gels and socialized.
There was group of about 4 runners who were just about 250meters ahead ofme the entire race so I kicked up the pace with some sub 5 kms to try and catch them.Finally, I hit the long final 4km stretch I’d already run in the first loop.Although I felt really good, I was running out of road to catch them ,and I was able to reel in two of the runners, but one of them pull ed away at 20 k so could not satisfy my desire to pass all of them.
I felt great at the finish! Racing is fun again .
2012 finish 1:58:14 (I am most happy)
One of the best parts of the ENDURrun (or any of the Run Waterloo events) is the food. There is not a crusty bagel in sight! Today we had hamburger, chicken breast, and tacos, with roast potatoes, salad, and all the fixings for the above. And, after the results were read out and we had eaten sufficiently, a few of us headed over to Lloyd’s house (yeah, that’s the race director) to relax in his hot tub (but alas, it was not working) with some of Paul`s beer cuz I forgot mine, and swim in the pool. That was excellent A great way to celebrate a most excellent Stage 1!
Previous Results (just to compare):
2011: 2:01:17
2010: 1:57:44
2009: 1:52.15
UP NEXT: The 15km Time Trial. Based on today’s rankings, tomorrow’s run is started in reverse order, with each runner starting 1 minute apart. This is a new course this year so will see how that shapes up.
It begins near Lloyd and Julie`s house but there is a pool and will remember to bring some beer.

Interval Training 101

PoweredbyPeak

August 12, 2012

Ed McNeely – Peak Centre for Human Performance

Interval training is a popular form of training amongst many athletes. While most rowers will use intervals at some point in the year few really understand the purpose of intervals or how get the most from this valuable training method.

Physiology of Interval Training

Interval training involves alternating periods of high intensity work with periods of lower intensity work, usually, but not always above and below anaerobic threshold. By alternating periods of higher intensity work with lower intensity work several things are accomplished:

The amount of high intensity work is maximized. If you were to try to hold an intensity above anaerobic threshold for as long as possible you would fatigue in just over 20 minutes. If you were to do 6 x 5 minute work intervals with a rest period in between you would have done 30 minutes of work above threshold. Since the volume of work above threshold was higher it should give you a greater training effect. The same holds true for VO₂ max and anaerobic intervals.

During the work period of the interval you will be producing lactate and other metabolic by probducts, which your body will have to deal with during the rest period. Active slow twitch muscle fibers are capable of using lactic acid as an energy source. Repeatedly exposing your body to moderate levels of lactate and then allowing it to recover gradually trains your body to become more efficient at lactate removal as your body develops the enzymes necessary to convert lactate back to glycogen or glucose. This will translate into lower lactate and faster times during a race since you will be able to deal with the lactate as it is produced. Of course this training effect will only happen if you have done adequate base training.

The aerobic capacity of fast twitch fibers is improved with interval training. The more often a fiber is activated the greater it’s oxidative capacity. Interval training is the only ways to activate the fast twitch fibers frequently enough to improve their aerobic capacity, making them behave more like slow twitch fibers.

Designing an Interval Training Program

Interval training is high intensity and needs to be planned very carefully in order to avoid overtraining. The most important component of an interval program is the base work that is done prior to starting intervals. The initial 6-8 weeks of your training should be devoted almost exclusively to low intensity long duration training, 60 minutes or more per session. This will prime the slow twitch fibers and improve their fitness, so that they can accept the lactate that will be produced when intervals are started, allowing you to make effective use of interval training.

The Work Period

The duration of the work period will vary depending on the intensity of the interval. A work load just above anaerobic threshold will need long intervals, 5-10 minutes, while higher intensity anaerobic intervals can be as short as five seconds. Consistency is the most important factor in interval training. The power output or split time should be the same for each work piece of an interval session. In other words if you are doing 5 minutes at 200 watts on the first interval all other intervals should be done at the same pace. This ensures that you are maintaining the appropriate intensity and recruiting the same muscle fibers in each interval, improving the training effect. It does very little for you to do an interval session where the first interval is 18 km/hr the next is 16 km/hr the next 15 km/hr etc. Be sure to choose an interval duration and split time that allows you to be consistent throughout the workout.

Choosing paces for the work intervals requires a little up front work on your part. You need to have an idea of your splits for both anaerobic threshold and VO₂ max.

The Rest Period

The rest period is as important as the work period. The purpose of the rest period is to allow time to remove the lactate created during the work interval, and allow the anaerobic alactic energy system to replenish itself. During aerobic intervals, intervals longer than two minutes, the rest period is active, meaning you continue to row but at a lower intensity. The duration of the rest period will depend on the duration and intensity of the work period. Aerobic intervals will vary for a 1:1 to a 1:4 work rest ratio. Anaerobic intervals were covered last year in another article. When choosing the duration of your rest period, follow these simple guidelines: 1). The longer the work the shorter the rest

Longer intervals are normally done at lower intensity, requiring a shorter rest period. A five minute interval just above anaerobic threshold will produce moderate levels of lactate requiring less time to recover so a 1:1 or 1:1.5 work to rest ratio can be used. A higher intensity two minute interval will produce more lactate and therefore require a longer recovery. 2). Adjust the duration of the rest period so that you can maintain a consistent split during the work period. It may happen that you decide to do 5 minutes of work followed by 5 minutes of rest, repeated 5 times. Half way through the workout you notice that you can’t hold the same work split. Finish the training session, coming as close as possible to the desired splits. For the next session increase the duration of the rest period by 50%. If you still cannot hold the desired splits for all the work periods drop the splits for the rest period by about 10% for the next workout.

Table 1: Work and Rest Period for Various Interval Intensities

Type of Interval	Work Period	Work:Rest
Anaerobic Threshold	3-10 min	1: 1 or 1:1.5
Supra threshold-Sub Max	2-7 min	1:2 or 1:3
VO₂ max	1-4 min	1:3 or 1:4
Anaerobic Sprints	5-60 seconds	1:6

Most athletes will use some combination of all four types of intervals in their training program. For those doing short races, less than 30 minutes the VO₂ max and anaerobic sprints should make up the bulk of your interval training, while those doing only longer races will focus their interval training on anaerobic threshold intervals.

While interval training is a great way to improve speed, it is easy to overdo it and do yourself more harm than good so take it easy when starting by doing only one session per week and increasing by one session per week every two weeks until your are doing at most three sessions per week.

___________________________________________________________

PEAK Centre staff have the highest certifications available in Canada for Sport Science. With their combined experience and education, PEAK Centre is at the forefront of practical Sport Science application.

Hug a Race Director today

dmclaren

August 10, 2012

Part of this blog is my meeting with inspiring runners of all levels. In order to write about my races and those runners you compete against, I am introducing another related feature. The race director, those committed individuals who help us with our passion for running.
As a runner, you decide to enter a race so you,
-register for a race,
-pick up your kit,
-arrive at the race,
-run the race,
-get your medal,
-eat your food,
-talk about the race and go home and celebrate.
How did this race happen?
A Race Director has a vision.
He or she decides on the distance, course and then gets to work.
The following is a summary of the initial work required to allow you to have your fun.
After they decide on the route they
-speak with the city for road closures,
-arrange for police and transit for safety ,
-pay and arrange insurance,
-make arrangements for medics,
-hire an accurate timing company (cuz we know we need to know our time)
and then find volunteers, advertise the event, promote the race, design t-shirts and possible medals, determine and get food, hire massage staff, find and attract sponsors, find necessary portolets, arrange for water, food, did I mention volunteers.
The list becomes endless.
Combine the big city marathons and the RD has to meet with elite agents to bring in the elite men and women runners, arrange appearance fees and support staff to look after the elites needs.

Before I go off on a tangent to make you think of the work involved with the World Major Marathon events and the thousands or runners they attract , let’s think about the smaller local races and the dream of your Race Director (who loves running with a passion.)
Include your wife and family to become immersed in your passion and become a Race Director for 9 different races.
As part of your passion, you create a race or series of races that will involve road, trail and time trials for an event that you have embraced. Then your neighbours get involved with volunteering to help you out for 8 days in a row.
This is the ENDURrun, which is an 8 day 7 stage event covering 160 kilometers. Each event is The ‘Tour de France’ of Running Events
Not often is there a new event to the world’s stage of running. An event that will create and generate world-wide attention, excitement, interest, and competition. An event that will challenge you beyond your running goals and dreams. Join us 12-19 August 2012 for the 10th Annual ENDURrun International in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. held in a different location and are different distances.
http://www.endurrun.com/index.html

So this means, the Race Director has to mark out 7 different routes, arrange to have 7 different marshalled areas, time 7 different events, set up food and tents, not to mention preparing the food for at least 50 people, transporting it, feeding the 50 said participants, cleaning up, tearing down the course and transporting back to their house EVERY DAY from Saturday to Sunday.
Plus, the Race Directors have a social at their house on the Saturday for kit delivery and the following Saturday to socialize.

Enter Lloyd Schmidt, his wife Julie, their wonderful children (their husbands/girl/boyfriends as well as their neighbours and friends so that they become your family for the next 8 days. (This is only one of the 9 events they “run”)
One of these events will be my inspiration from August 11-August 19, 2012 as I participate in this my sixth year to become, once again, One Tough Runner.

I hope to report daily with my running with the winners at each stage.

Having trouble counting

Karen Karnis

August 9, 2012

As I have been catching bits of the coverage of the Olympic Games and hearing results and stories in the news, I have been considering all of the stories of great triumph, as well as the stories of bitter disappointment. While I am not going to pretend I know what it’s like to not finish an event at the Olympics, I do know a little bit about bitter disappointment – after all, I did DNF a marathon at the 30K mark. Well, that’s not entirely true – I stopped just short of the 30K timing mat.

I can honestly say that I am mostly over it – only one or two questions linger on, one of which is, how do you count it?

When talking with people and they ask, “how many marathons have you done?” I am left with a dilemma – and when you’re in this position, you notice people rarely say “how many marathons have you run,” it’s always, “how many have you done?”

Races covering the distance forty-two kilometres, one hundred ninety five metres, crossing a start line and a finish line and having the medal to prove it? Four. I have finished four marathons.

But races covering six months of dedication, training, rest, nutrition, injury, recovery, weird dreams, blisters, blood, sweat, tears, joy, GI discomfort, extreme heat, extreme cold, going to bed early, getting up early, being abstemious, being gluttonous, being completely and utterly absorbed with every fibre of my being? I’ve done that five times now.

Now don’t worry, I never answer the question “how many marathons have you done?” with five, because I haven’t finished five. Like earning a diploma or certification, you can’t say you’ve got it if you’re one credit short – either you’re certified or you’re not – and I don’t have a problem with that.

But at the same time, saying I have run four marathons seems to cheapen everything that went into that other marathon, which was every bit as much effort as the four I’ve finished. After all, I was 6 months and 30K into the race, with only 12.2K to go. But saying “I have finished four and dropped out of one” seems stupid – even as I type this it looks stupid. So suddenly that race is like Alan in the first “Hangover” movie – you can’t leave him behind, but you don’t really want him tagging along, either. Or the 4+1 bedrooms in the real estate listings – that +1 can’t be called a bedroom for some legal reason, but it’s there, by golly!

When I started writing this post, I was thinking, “The marathon I didn’t finish was my second, so I have completed three since then – get over it already.” But as the post unfolded, I realized, I am over it. I don’t feel the need to make it all complicated and awkward – after all, I can honestly say it isn’t so much an emotional hang up for me anymore. It was important to me at the time to mention that I had been through it all again; that crazy answer to a fairly simple question became more habit than logic.

So having said all that, I have a new answer: “I’ve finished four.” After all, I am not embarrassed to say I have a DNF in my history, and the story really comes in handy more than you might think. The people who need to will pick up on the strategic placement of the word “finished.”

When Mother Nature Floods Your Mizunos

Vicky and Grant

August 8, 2012

“Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don’t worry…I’m here. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you.” Charlie Brown to Snoopy

VICKY: I lost my Mizunos.

GRANT: And your treadmill.

VICKY: And my television, desk, bookshelf, workout mats and the list appears to go on and on at this point.

GRANT: That sucks Vickster. I’m really sorry to hear about the recent flooding in Binbrook, ON.

VICKY: Thanks G. Unfortunately, some of our neighbours were hit even harder than us. I know there are quite a few runners in my community. So, this got me thinking about what some runners do when a natural disaster strikes. How do they stay on track with their training program when in some cases, they don’t even have any running shoes left from the wreckage?

GRANT: What’s the verdict?

VICKY: Keep on running! Don’t let it stop you. Just use what you have at your disposal and keep moving.

GRANT: Yes but I’m sure it’s hard to do that when you are cleaning up and dealing with the insurance companies.

VICKY: Yes, it is. Fortunately, I have found some pretty inspiring runners out there who have helped me put it all into perspective. Do you remember that Chilean miner, Edison Peña?

GRANT: Yes, I do. He kept on running up to 6 miles each day while being trapped inside a mine for 69 days.

VICKY: Then, he went on to run and finish the New York City Marathon less than a month after being rescued from the mine! So many of us would have probably sunk into a deep depression after such a traumatizing ordeal but he kept on running and emerged as a true survivor.

GRANT: He’s amazing!

VICKY: Exactly. Then there’s Nadia MacLaren from Christchurch, New Zealand. She is a trail runner and triathlete who was training for the New Zealand Ironman when a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck her community.

GRANT: Oh I remember this quake. They didn’t have any petrol, electricity, water, etc.

VICKY: Yes, but Nadia still went on to complete the New Zealand Ironman under 12 hours a mere 14 days after the earthquake!

GRANT: Are you kidding me?

VICKY: I am absolutely not kidding. Those are just two stories that have caught the attention of the media but I’m sure there are many more stories about runners surviving natural disasters.

GRANT: Running is such a great stress reliever and in some cases, it’s the best way of focusing on something other than the fact that you have lost everything.

VICKY: Of course the flood in my community was nothing compared to these disasters.

GRANT: No, it wasn’t but nonetheless, it doesn’t take much to sidetrack a runner’s training.

VICKY: Indeed. Ok, off I go to look for a new pair of Mizunos!

GRANT: You loved those Mizunos eh?

VICKY: I trained for and ran my first half marathon in those shoes 2 years ago in Ottawa. They were supposed to be a part of my running history…forever. They are what motivated me to start running again a few months ago on the treadmill. I would keep them at the bottom of the stairs in the basement and had this little routine going…until July 22, 2012 when they floated towards my treadmill to their poetic running death. I’m really upset about it.

GRANT: Well, if it’s any comfort, you were due for a new pair of shoes anyways. Two years is way beyond the lifespan of a running shoe for an avid runner such as yourself.

VICKY: Not helpful.

GRANT: Not even a little bit? Come on! You’re a woman, you love shopping!

VICKY: LOL. Still not helpful G but thanks anyways 🙂

Learning To Deal With Injury

Ben Kaplan

August 7, 2012

By: Magi Scallion

I’ve never had the dubious pleasure of Plantar Fasciitis… until now. I have to say that this style of injury – one that results from over-use or poor mechanics and require patience to heal – is absolutely the worst. Sitting, waiting, and re-habbing is not my forte!

However, since I am desk-bound, I’ve had a bit of time to think about why I should be more patient. The pain of running on a sore foot is nothing compared to the anxiety I get from not having daily exercise!

This little foot problem has been a bother since mid-July. I’ve found that the golf ball massage is quite helpful, as is the spacers I’ve been putting between my toes when I’m at home and in bare feet. Wearing high heel shoes has also ceased. The two key things that make my feet feel better is the afore-mentioned golf ball massage and not running.

Not running is not easy. I’ve been biking a few times and am also contemplating getting back into the pool. I did notice that running with the sore foot caused a few supplementary issues as I was favouring it a bit: very tight IT Band on the opposite side and also a very inflexible ankle on the injured side (due to running on the side of my foot).

The long and short of it is that you should probably just listen to what the doctor or therapists says and not train through injury. I just like to learn the hard way! Hopefully the lesson is learned and I’ll stick to re-hab exercise for the next couple weeks until I’m 100% again. Thank goodness work is really busy and I don’t have time to regret not being outside!

***

Born in Nova Scotia and emigrating to British Columbia via Ontario and Alberta, Magi has been running the entire way. Primarily defined as a cross country ski racer, Magi has competed nationally and internationally in that sport. The highlight of her career was competing in the World University Games and the World Cup races in Canada in 2007. Cross country skiers rely heavily on running for cross training and Magi has become an accomplished trail and mountain runner, representing Canada at the World Mountain Running Championships in 2005 and the winning numerous national championships medals.

Today Magi runs for fun… and it’s a lot of fun! Epic mountain runs, city cruises with friends, and more keep her happy and occupied outside of work and school.

Running Economy

PoweredbyPeak

August 3, 2012

Ed McNeely – Peak Centre for Human Performance

VO₂ max is one of the most commonly measured physiological variables. Endurance athletes spend countless hours discussing, comparing and worrying about their VO₂ max scores. Runners are always quoting VO2 max scores for one top athlete or another. Is all the attention that this physiological variable gets really worth all the effort?

VO₂ max is the maximum amount of oxygen that your body can take in and use. It is a function of both the body’s ability to deliver oxygen via the heart, lung and blood and the body’s ability to use oxygen in the working muscles and other tissues. While there are some exceptions, Elite runners typically have VO2 max scores in the 70-75 ml/kg/min range, similar to that seen in well trained amateur runners and some very fit age group runners. Your ability to have a high VO2 max is very dependent on your genetics. While other training variables like strength can improve by 100% or more VO2 max changes are limited to about 20% once you reach full physical maturity.

In aerobic sports oxygen consumption is tightly tied to energy expenditure and generally producing more energy means more power and work. The relationship between power and oxygen consumption is not perfect; efficiency or economy play an important role in determining how strong the relationship is in each person.

Running Economy, the ratio of power output to power input, is a key determinant of running performance. A higher efficiency allows a runner to work at lower percentages of the VO₂ max to accomplish the same or more work as a less efficient runner. In fact, a high economy rating can make up for lower VO₂ max scores. Some measures of East African runners have found world class running performances, running 1500m in 3:35 or better, despite VO2 max values of only 63 ml/kg/min. This is roughly the same VO2 max score as a good age group runner and about 20% lower than would be expected for a runner with this type of performance.

Improving economy can have a significant impact on your running performance. There are several ways to improve running economy:

Focus on technique – running stride and technique are key to running economy. Get a coach who will work on improving your running mechanics and who can do a proper gait analysis.
Strength training – strength and power training have been shown to increase running economy by as much as 7%
Altitude training – altitude training or intermittent hypoxic training, as outlined in a previous post, improves oxygen use in the body allowing more energy to be produced by the aerobic energy systems, which are more efficient.

Running economy is an area where many recreationally competitive runners can make a lot of progress when they think they have plateaued. Get your economy assessed and find out if it is limiting your performance and build a plan that will help make you the most efficient runner possible.

___________________________________________________________

Training Update

RHellard

August 2, 2012

By now, most of our participants will have received their run programs aiming towards the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. The journey is under way!

I am sending them a newsletter each week containing a Tuesday workout – for example, this week’s workout included intervals of varying lengths. One thing about these workouts (like most, really) is pacing. I suggest what pace to run the longer stuff (5k or 10k pace) but for anything shorter than 500m, if pace is not noted, faster than 5k is what I am looking for. If you can maintain the pace for the entire set, then I will generally be okay with it. If you blow up, well then, you will know better next time.

When it comes to the long runs, if not specified, the general rule is 30-40 seconds per kilometre slower than your marathon goal pace (if you have one) or a minute per kilometre slower than your half marathon pace. It is totally acceptable to go slower, but not much faster.

When a pace is suggested in a training plan, there are multiple reasons for the specificity, including the fact it will let you know if the pace is at least in the right range, as well as work on discipline to hold back when you feel good. Marathons do not get hard until 30k or so, and the payback for too rich a pace early on is exponential the further you run. So be vigilant in sticking to the recommended pace as it is really important to make sure you do these runs correctly.

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Type of Interval

Work Period

Work:Rest

Anaerobic Threshold

3-10 min

1: 1 or 1:1.5

Supra threshold-Sub Max

2-7 min

1:2 or 1:3

VO2 max

1-4 min

1:3 or 1:4

Anaerobic Sprints

5-60 seconds

1:6

VO₂ max