Level/session: Beginner
What to do: 10x1 minute with a 1-minute recovery jog between efforts at your
best 3K pace (15-20 seconds faster than your 5K pace).
How to progress it: Do a VO ² max session once a fortnight. Repeat the same session
twice before progressing by increasing the length of the efforts and recoveries
but decreasing the number of repetitions so that the overall volume of ‘hard
effort’ increases by just 2-4 minutes at a time. For example: 10x1, 6x2, 5x3,
6x3, 5x4. Do not let the overall volume of ‘hard effort’ exceed the length of
time it takes you to race 5K.
Level/session: Intermediate
What to do: 6x2 minutes with a 2-minute recovery jog between efforts at 5-10
seconds faster than your best 5K pace.
How to progress it: Do a VO ² max session once a week if you’re training for a 5K or
10K, once a fortnight for a half marathon or longer. Try also mixing intervals
of different lengths, such as a pyramid of efforts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1 -with a
recovery jog equal to the preceding effort.
Level/session: Advanced
What to do: 5x3 minutes with a 2-minute recovery jog between efforts at your
best 5K pace.
How to progress it: Do a VO ² max session once a week. You could alternate flat training
with hills (walk or jog slowly down the hill for your recovery between efforts)
and reduce the volume by 25 per cent to account for the greater demand of hill
training.
The Long Haul
Contrary to what you might think, long runs
aren’t just the domain of those gearing up for marathons all runners can
benefit from a regular long run in their program. This is because it improves
cardiovascular fitness (by making oxygen delivery to the working muscles more
efficient), enhances fat use, (sparing precious glycogen stores) and helps
muscles, tendons and other connective tissues adapt to the forces of running.
It also burns a ton of calories!
How long is ‘long’? It’s all relative. If
you’re new to long runs, get your starting point by adding 10-15 minutes to
your current longest run. You can also increase the distance by adding in some
walk breaks. This enables you to extend ‘time on feet’ without overdoing
things.
If
you’re new to long runs, get your starting point by adding 10-15 minutes to
your current longest run.
In most instances, the long run is all
about distance, not pace -so don’t be tempted to go too fast or you’ll risk
burning out too soon. It’s smarter to slightly reduce your usual pace per mile
and have a strong finish. For those training for long races, adding in the
occasional more challenging run, by including some miles at the pace you intend
to race at, is also a great idea. Good luck with your training!
Long-Distance Training
Level/session: Beginner
What to do: Slower-paced run or walk/run for 10-15 minutes longer than your
usual run distance. Walk for 2 minutes after every 8 minutes of running or for
1 minute after every 9 each time your watch hits a ‘round’ number, start
running again) or, if you have a GPS device, walk for 1-2 minutes after every
km or mile.
Slower-paced
run or walk/run for 10-15 minutes longer than your usual run distance.
How to progress it: Every third time you perform a long run, progress by adding
whichever is the greatest -10 minutes or 1 mile. Do a long run every fortnight
to begin with and then progress to ‘2 weeks on, 1 week off’ and then ‘3 weeks
on, 1 week off’.
Level/session: Intermediate
What to do: Add 2 miles to your current longest run, and run 1 minute per mile
slower than your usual pace.
How to progress it: When you do a long run, progress by adding whichever is greatest
-10 minutes or 1 mile. If you aren’t training for a half or full marathon,
schedule long runs on a ‘2 weeks on, 1 week off’ pattern to begin with, then ‘3
weeks on, 1 week off’.
Level/session: Advanced
What to do: Break the distance into thirds. For the first third, run a minute
slower than your desired race pace. For the second third, run 30 seconds slower
than your desired race pace. For the final third, run at race pace.
How to progress it: Only do this type of run once every 2-4 weeks during your race
build-up. Also include the more traditional slower-paced long runs outlined
above. Take a break from long runs once every 4-5 weeks to give your body time
to recover.
