How you should tailor your speed workouts depending on the race distance

by Coach Sandi & Coach Sage | Sep 4, 2023 | Uncategorized

Today’s newsletter is focused on speed training considerations if you’re focused on a 5K or 10K event, versus a marathon or ultra-marathon. Let’s discuss the differences in focus:

Now, when I say “speed training”, we’re generally talking about focused interval sessions, perhaps on the track, hill repeats, tempo runs, and activities that are faster than your goal race pace.

Speed training for an ultra marathon runner differs slightly from speed training for a 5K runner, but the general basis remains the same: you’re incorporating high-intensity intervals and high-intensity training, which are essential for these distance running events.

SHORTER RACES:

For a 5K or 10K, you’re aiming for very high heart rate values, with heart rate spikes reaching over 90% to 95%, and even up to 100% of your maximum heart rate (known as VO2 max).

You’re not necessarily sprinting like you would in a mile or 1500-meter race, but you’re running at around 80% to 85% of your top-end speed.

To excel in these events, you need strong leg power, stride length, and stride extension. Equally important is having the capacity for high-end heart and lung power, enabling you to clear lactate and reach anaerobic states.

Regardless of the event you’re preparing for, the foundation of speed training starts with exercises like strides.

I’ve covered strides in some of my videos, as well as with training plan we sell, we include details on what strides are and when to do them. Now, let’s delve into the details of speed training.

To start, try running light and relaxed for a hundred meters, aiming for around 20 seconds, perhaps with a full recovery period. You can incorporate this into your easy, slow mileage and gradually build it up. Afterward, you can move on to more structured workouts, such as hill repeats or interval sessions like fartlek.

I’m tossing out these terms, and you might not be familiar with all of them, but the overarching principle remains the same. For the 5K and 10K distances, you’ll need to emphasize interval speed work more than for the marathon and ultra marathon. The key difference lies in the frequency of speed workouts.

During peak training for the 5K, 10K, or half marathon, you might find yourself doing two speed workouts a week. At your peak, you could be hitting the track for short intervals like 400-meter repeats and longer intervals like kilometer repeats. Meanwhile, for marathon and ultra marathon runners, you might incorporate similar workouts but potentially skip the 400-meter repeats.

In this context, you’ll likely concentrate on workouts like five times a kilometer or eight times a kilometer, typically done once a week. Remember that you don’t have to limit yourself to just one track session per week. Another valuable addition to your speed training repertoire is tempo or lactate threshold training, a tried-and-true approach based on Jack Daniels’ distance running formula.

THE TEMPO RUN:

A classic example of this is the 20-minute tempo run. Essentially, it involves running for 20 minutes at around 80% to 85% of your maximum heart rate or an overall effort level at 85%. For many individuals, this pace might be slightly slower than their projected 10K race pace. This type of workout is highly effective for all distance running events.

Interestingly, for the marathon and ultra marathon crowd, this tempo run can serve as a speed workout because it pushes you to run faster than your marathon race pace. In essence, you’re working on enhancing efficiency by moving your legs at a faster pace than you would during a road marathon. This is closer to 10K race pace. However, if you’re a 5K runner, this pace may actually be slower than your current race pace. Nevertheless, it can be a valuable tool to fine-tune your 10K pace or prepare for a

half marathon.

LONGER RACES:

Indeed, for the half marathon and marathon runners, the tempo run training remains a form of speed training because it’s still faster than their half marathon pace. During these tempo runs, you’re operating at over 80% of your maximum heart rate and putting in over 80% effort, which means you’re engaging in some level of anaerobic energy contribution.

However, it’s crucial to understand that you don’t need to incorporate these intense workouts frequently into your training routine. In most cases, you begin with a foundation of easy, conversational pace base mileage to increase your overall mileage. Afterward, you gradually introduce intensity.

Even during the peak season, which might be four weeks, six weeks, or eight weeks before your main race, you may only include about two high-quality speed sessions per week for both half marathon and marathon events.

Another significant stressor for marathon and ultra marathon runners is the long run. These lengthy runs can be incredibly taxing, requiring several days to recover from. You’ll need to balance these demanding long runs with your tempo runs and speed work. In contrast, for 5K runners, their long runs typically won’t be as long or as intense.

Certainly, for 5K runners, their training can differ in terms of mileage and intensity. They might be covering slightly fewer total miles, but they could be hitting the track twice a week and incorporating more frequent 400-meter repeats compared to ultra marathon runners.

VOLUME VS INTENSITY:

It’s a balancing act and a trade-off between the volume and intensity of training, and it hinges on the specific paces you’re aiming to achieve.

It’s worth noting that we’re primarily discussing flat road surfaces or well-maintained trails for these types of runs. Ultra marathon runners, on the other hand, often tackle trail races or hilly mountain ultra marathons where pace becomes less relevant, and the focus shifts towards endurance and adaptability.

In contrast, if you’re training for a precise road marathon, like aiming for a Boston Marathon qualification with a sub-three-hour time, you should be acutely aware of your goal marathon pace and work to refine your performance from that starting point. This means incorporating workouts that hit paces that are 15 seconds per mile or 10 seconds per kilometer faster than your target marathon pace. These workouts help you condition your body to handle and maintain that pace throughout the entire marathon distance.

Similarly, for the 5K, if you can’t complete repeat 800-meter intervals, say six to eight times with a two-minute rest, at your projected 5K pace, it becomes challenging to maintain that pace for the entire 5,000 meters during the race. In essence, much of speed work involves training at fractions of your goal race pace.

This approach allows you to become comfortable with running at various intensities, stimulating fast-twitch muscle fibers, boosting metabolism, and building mental toughness to handle the lactate buildup and intensity that comes with racing in events like the 10K and 5K.

Hopefully after reading this newsletter you can start to better understand the differences and nuances that the different distances demand. However, there’s still plenty of similarities that allow you to become an #AnySurfaceAnyDistance runner! We’ll see you next week.

Starting out on a long run can be pretty intimidating 😳

by Coach Sandi & Coach Sage | Sep 2, 2023 | Uncategorized

Even if you’re used to running, the idea of going for a really long distance can make anyone nervous. It’s not just about the physical effort, but also about the mental challenge. When you’re out there for an extended period, it’s like you’re facing all your doubts and uncertainties head-on. That feeling of your heart racing, not knowing if you can keep going, and dealing with your own thoughts can be a bit scary. But the cool thing is, by pushing through that fear, you can discover a lot about yourself and what you’re capable of accomplishing.

For today’s newsletter, Coach Sandi Nypaver takes us through some of her top mindset tips she uses herself, as well as what she tells her athletes:

“It’s common to feel a bit nervous before tackling those long workouts, especially when speed is involved.

As a coach, I’ve noticed that fear often creeps in when we start thinking about things beyond our control or focus on the potential pain. So, let’s chat about some mental strategies to help you conquer those worries and excel during your runs —

1. Shift Your Focus: Instead of dwelling on the negatives, redirect your thoughts to the positive aspects of the workout. Remind yourself that this type of training is crucial for reaching your goals, both physically and mentally. Embrace the opportunity to grow stronger through the challenge. This is a lot easier said than done, but practicing visualization with a positive outcome can have a dramatic impact on the end result. The science on this even tells us so! Top endurance athletes around the world use visualization as a core component of their mental preparation. We could have a whole newsletter topic on this in the future, but for now, we encourage to you to give it a try.

2. Confidence is Key: These lengthy sessions require mental resilience. Believe in your capacity to stay strong throughout the run. Cultivating confidence is a gradual process, but trusting in your abilities can make a world of difference.

3. Embrace Feeling Strong: It’s easy to anticipate discomfort but remember that you can also feel powerful during the run. Don’t fixate on potential pain; focus on the satisfaction of pushing through and achieving greatness.

4. Failure is Not the End: Understand that unsuccessful workouts are part of the journey. They indicate that you’re pushing boundaries and striving for improvement. Learn from these experiences, adapt, and move forward with a positive mindset. In other words, failing is expected, and if you’re not failing, you’re probably not trying very hard or you’re not just setting big enough goals. So, failing a workout? No big deal in my book.

It’s going to happen when you’re trying to perform at your best, and so when a bad workout happens, think about why it didn’t go well.

For example: Did you not drink enough during your long run? Did you miss your goal of consuming X number of gels? These are the types of things to reflect on, so that next time, you can improve

5. Analyze and Adjust: This kind of goes along with our last point and examples. When a workout doesn’t go as planned, take a moment to reflect. Was fatigue a factor? Did you doubt your abilities beforehand? Use these insights to fine-tune your approach and grow from each setback.

6. Embrace the Journey: Running has its ups and downs, just like life. Don’t let occasional setbacks deter you. Instead, approach each run as a unique chance to learn, grow, and prepare for future successes.

As we’ve journeyed through this past year together, it’s clear that running can be a rollercoaster. Remember, setbacks are temporary, and breakthroughs await. Recently, I had a great run myself, which was partly due to my mindset. I approached it with the intent to do my best and recognized its potential impact on my upcoming races.

Stay motivated and keep chasing those goals!”

Let’s Talk GLUTES

by Coach Sandi & Coach Sage | Aug 9, 2023 | Uncategorized

Your glutes can generate an enormous amount of power to enhance your running, but many runners have weak glutes or don’t properly activate their glutes while running. In this newsletter, Coach Sandi Nypaver will explain how to activate your glutes and help you become a faster runner. “Today, we’re going to talk about your glutes. Now, saying “glutes” is simplifying things. You actually have your gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and gluteus minimus. But, to simplify things, I’m just going to say “your glutes” today. The reason your glutes are so important is that they can generate a lot of power when working together. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t take full advantage of their glutes. One of the most common problems we see today with running form is people having weak glutes or not being able to activate them while running. So, I want to talk a little bit about how to address that. The first step is to ensure your glutes are actually strong! I’ve already covered this in an older video, which is how to strengthen your glutes. However, one thing I didn’t mention in that video is that you could actually do some heavier strength training exercises, like deadlifts or certain types of squats, to help strengthen your glutes. I won’t go much further into this for the purpose of this newsletter. So, why do most people have weak glutes or not activate them when they’re running? Well, a lot of it is because of sitting. If you’re sitting at a desk for hours a day, your glutes are doing nothing and kind of learning not to work. It could also be due to other life circumstances, but I would say sitting is the number one reason for most people. Signs Your Glutes Aren’t Activating Before we get into how to activate your glutes when running, let’s talk about the signs that show your glutes might not be activating currently. The biggest indicator is probably hamstring tightness. It could also be lower back pain or even IT band pain. Additionally, you might experience tightness showing up in your calves. Your body tries to generate more power from your calves since you’re not getting the power you need from your glutes. Another significant sign is having a hip drop. So, if you’ve ever seen a running picture of yourself, and it looks something like the photo below, that’s probably a strong indication that your glutes aren’t activating properly.

What should you be thinking about instead? Here are three ways to activate your glutes: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and try to do the “hip drop” test. Squeeze your glutes on one side, and you’ll feel it activate. Repeat this a couple of times before going out for a run. Try a really awkward walk to engage your glutes. Squeeze one glute while pulling the opposite leg through using your lower abs. Keep squeezing your glutes as you walk and transition into a run. This will also help prevent a crossover gait, where your knees come too close together, reducing glute engagement and power. March forward while focusing on squeezing the glute on your standing leg. Practice this proper form before your run, emphasizing glute activation and using your lower abs as you bring the other leg up. By incorporating these techniques into your routine, you can improve glute activation and enhance your running performance. One other thing you can do to activate your glutes is to perform single-leg bridges, as shown in my other core video. Do these exercises with just your body weight and focus on your glutes activating. Incorporate this into your pre-run routine and then continue thinking about engaging your glutes while running. Remember, it will take time for your body to learn this new pattern, so simply thinking about using your glutes will be helpful too. Additionally, there’s one more simple way to practice activating your glutes, and that’s while walking. Many people tend to have bad form even while walking, but you can consciously use your glutes during this activity. It’s also beneficial to avoid wearing flip flops, especially in the summertime, as they can alter your form by causing your toes to grip the front of the shoe and affect how your ankle works. So, wearing appropriate footwear can contribute to better glute activation and overall form. Now that we’ve discussed how to activate your glutes, here’s what you can do to ensure you maintain this progress: Continue doing the glute activation exercises regularly. While running, consistently remind yourself to engage your glutes using the techniques we’ve discussed. Film yourself running periodically. This is crucial because you might think you’re using your glutes and correcting your form, but your body may naturally revert to old patterns. By recording yourself every few weeks, you can spot any form issues and correct them promptly. Here’s an additional tip: Occasionally, deliberately go back to using bad form during a short part of your run for a couple of weeks. While this may seem counterintuitive, it can be a valuable learning experience. By comparing how it feels to run with weak glutes versus activated glutes, you’ll notice the difference and reinforce the importance of maintaining good form.If you follow these strategies, you’ll be more likely to sustain proper glute activation and running form, leading to improved performance and reduced risk of injuries.”

What Zone 2 Running Really Is

by Coach Sandi & Coach Sage | Aug 1, 2023 | Uncategorized

Coach Sage Canaday Weighs In On What Zone 2 REALLY Means. A lot of talk about “Zone 2 Training”…(out of 5 Zones not 3!). First of all people seem to think it means different things and are defining it differently now! So I will start with a ball park of: “65% to 75% of true max Heart rate”….however:  Now if that zone is just heart-rate based (subject to heart rate monitor errors and also compounded by the fact that many don’t know their actual 100% max HR as well), then all of a sudden we can easily be going “too slow” or “too fast” in training. So how do we know the proper intensity and what actually “zone 2” or “Easy Aerobic ‘Base Building’” effort really is? Well, we could also read mmol (lactate level), but that is relative and not very practical for most. However, if we are a dialed road marathon runner (training on flat roads) with a PR pace of 7:00/mile or 4:21/km (3:03 finishing time), then we also could just say: “Most Easy Days for ‘Zone 2’ will be significantly slower than that”….like 8:15 to 8:45 per mile (5:00-5:30/km) pace. Notice the Pace range! It’s dependent on the day, your weekly mileage, and fatigue level. It’s okay to go into Zone 1-Zone 3 as well in a single run, too. Finally (the ultimate) is by “feeling Zone 2…. or so” by our breathing rate and perceived effort as well. So: Can you easily carry on a conversation? If not you’re probably going “too hard” for true Zone 2! As we cross over up into higher intensity (aka “Zone 3”) we are usually crossing a Threshold (aerobic/ventilatory). That could be reflected on RER (respiratory exchange ratio) values as well, but that’s a whole another discussion about the science behind running and endurance training!

Still Confused by All This “Zone” Talk?

Don’t sweat it! Our Higher Running Training Zones Chart (Pace-Intensity Spectrum Chart) is a FREE download that comes with all our Training Plans (or you can get yourself a free, PDF download file copy below to see what we’re all about first!). It shows relative workout intensities and terms along with percent of your max Heart-rate or perceived effort as well as some workout examples for each “type” of zone.