Tuesday night tempo

Last night was our first tempo run as a clinic, and I think it went really well. We started with our clinic session on speed training (notes posted below) and then we decided to do our Wednesday tempo run after the chat. We did our 1K warm up as a group down Charlotte and as soon as my Garmin read 1K, we were all off. Because this was a tempo run and not an ordinary group run, every went at their own pace, which we had discussed earlier in the clinic. As usual, I started out way too quickly and finished my first split in 3:37, my second split was closer to normal at 3:57, my third split seemed really odd at 4:24 and my final split was back to normal at 4:04. Obviously I would have preferred to have them all at 4:00 min/K but my average is roughly where it should be for a 4K tempo run. Once we all met up again, we enjoyed a nice cool down run back to the store.
The best part about the run was I did it in shorts and a t-shirt. I love spring!

Speed clinic notes

As promised here are some of my notes from tonight's speed clinic.

Speed Training session

Speed Training is the "roof" of the "training house". Keep this part to about 15 per cent. When designing your schedule, keep speed to the end. This is also one component that can be bypassed if you feel you are overtraining or you are worried about injuries.

It hones and refines all your progress to date.

This is the last phase of the training program but don't be deceived by the "short" workouts.

Like hills, you'll only be running hard for short periods of time, the intensity will add up.

A few key things to keep in mind for speed training:

1. Always run a light warm-up and cool-down.

2. Don't increase the distance or intensity of a speed workout too quickly.

3. Listen to any warning signs from your body - your goal race is fast approaching and you don't want to be nursing an injury.

Speed training not for everyone. It is a big help but don't push it.

I feel after a season of dedicated speed training, it really helped me. But everyone is different.

The goal of speed training is to teach your body to go faster. It simulates race conditions.

The science behind speed training

Lactate acid: Lactic acid is a by-product of anaerobic glycolysis. If enough oxygen is not available, lactic acid is produced and begins to accumulate in the muscles. Lactic acid causes the "burning" sensation felt in muscles during high intensity exercise and also prevents muscles from working their best. This burning sensation is the result of a change in muscular acidity.

The point at which lactic acid begins to quickly accumulate in the blood is known as the anaerobic threshold or Lactic Threshold

Studies indicate that the best predictor of distance-running performance is your lactate threshold, which is the speed you are able to run before lactic acid begins to accumulate in the blood. By regularly including tempo runs in your training schedule, you will increase the speed that you can run before lactic acid begins to slow you down. To use a car analogy, tempo runs will allow your engine to rev faster without red-lining. Before tempo training, you may have red-lined at a 5:30-minute-per-KM pace. After a few months of tempo runs, you won't red-line until you reach a 5 min-per-KM pace.

Not only will running at LT pace push your body to increase how fast it can remove lactate acid from your muscles and blood, it also will help you overcome that huge mental block of hitting the wall in a race.

What is a tempo run?

Short but intense run.

For those with HRs, 80 to 90 per cent of Max HR.

Essentially a pace you could hold for one hour consistently. For those without HRs, think of a 10K race pace. You want to be hard but not totally uncomfortable. So you can utter words but not sentences.

Start at lower end and move up.

Tempo runs:

15- to 25-minute; 10-15 seconds faster than LT

25- to 40-minute; at LT

How to do tempo runs:

Don't need to go to track. Track workouts are for later.

Tracks are great for short intervals but for road running they are rather pointless because it does not mirror your race terrain.

Beware of the surface: I do my tempo largely on trails but I don't do at night for fear of rolling an ankle at faster pace

Interval training:

Intervals are another aspect of speed training that can be incorporated in your routine as you get more experienced. They are repeats of shorter distances.

For example, 4x400m, 4x800m or 3x1.6K.

These are done at a faster pace than your tempo run and have a rest period in the middle, I use two minutes of light jogging/fast walking to get my HR back down.

Unless you have a Garmin, this must be done on a track

Fartlek (or speed play)

This is another form of speed training that can be highly effective.

Like intervals, this is best done on a track. For a set period of time, you pick up your pace and slow it down in a routine pattern.

The Top Seven reasons for speed injuries:

1. Inadequate warmup or warm down.

2. Running Too Hard on Easy Days.

3. Sprinting.

4. Too Many Weeks of Speed.

5. Too Many Hard Days.

6. Inadequate Transition.

7. On A Bad Day.

Transplant Trot Info

This is the information on the Transplant Trot 5K/10K that I mentioned earlier. You can register at the Running Room web site now. I would like to do the 10K but we'll see how it goes.

Date: April 22, 2007

Place: Fredericton, NB

Registration Fees:

	Standard (Before April 22)	Race Day (April 22)
5K Run/Walk	$20	$25
10K Run/Walk	$20	$25

T-Shirts: Free to the first 100 registrants.
(Sizes: S, M, L, XL)

Race Package Pickup:
Fredericton Running Room (view map)
April 21, 2007
12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Clinic e-mail

For the running group:

Good Monday morning everyone,

I wanted to make sure I sent this note out early this week because we are slightly revamping our schedule. What everyone who was at last week's clinic will already know is, Tuesday night's post-clinic run will be our first speed session and since I won't be able to do the workout with you on Wednesday, we thought it would be better to have the group do it together on tomorrow. And Wednesday, anyone showing up for the group run will just do the 5K we would have done on Tuesday. Sound confusing enough for Monday morning? Perfect.

So hopefully we'll be able to get a good crowd for the speed session. For anyone who has never done tempo or fartlek training before it will be an important clinic to attend. And even if you have tried speed work, it's always good to get a refresher. We'll get more into the details tomorrow, but speed workouts although they sound as daunting as I'm sure hill repeats did a few weeks ago is a great way to improve your overall running. Remember, these workouts are at the top of our training "house."

Just so everyone knows, there is a Fredericton 5K/10K coming up in a few weeks. Details can be found at the Running Room and I believe you will be able to register on-line shortly.

And for your weekly dose of running inspiration, here is another quote from the most quotable runner of all time.

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement." -- Steve Prefontaine

Lincoln 5K race report

Having only run three times in the last two weeks, I didn't have high expectations heading into this charity race. But I figured it was $10 and all proceeds were going to the IWK Hospital in Halifax so it was worth showing up.
I must say it was a beautiful day for a run, in that it was pouring rain. I love running in the rain especially coming after what seems like the neverending winter that we've endured in Fredericton. There were 34 runners bracing the elements and I'd like to brag that at least five were from my half-marathon group. It was a well organized race considering it was done in two weeks, the sign up was in the garage of a local runner and it went super smoothly. I was truly impressed.
The race started and it was 1K of constant downhill, it was wonderful, well until I checked my first split: 3:30! I was actually leading after the first kilometre, that is the longest I've been in the lead since high school X-country. When the horn sounded everyone was holding back and I thought, forget this, I'm running my race. I had no idea that my pace was picking up so quickly. I knew I was running fast but not 3:30 fast. Wow. Well, my race started going downhill (er, ok uphill quickly) after that. I don't have my Garmin at my fingertips but I believe I ran two more sub-4:00 splits. I picked shorts and a t-shirt to race in and by 3K my arms were numb. Not cold, numb. Painfully numb. And that wonderful downhill to start the race, well we had to climb back up to finish the race. That was not fun. My cold had been so bad the last few weeks and I had coughed so hard that during the race when I started coughing, I literally thought I was going to cough up blood. That would not have been cool.
I ended up finishing in 19:40, which is not my PB but I was happy. Overall, I finished in fourth place and loved seeing all the smiling faces at my first race of the season. The Run NB web site already has the results posted, I'm proud to say all the half-marathon clinic racers did amazing!

This Sunday

Lincoln 5K Road Race
Lincoln, NB March 11, 2007
Reg. Time / Enregistrement: 8:30am to 9:10am. (Clocks go ahead with Daylight Savings Time!)
Start Time / Départ: 9:30am Banquet Time: As soon as you finish refreshments will be provided
Registration Location / Lieu:Good Homes Rd, which is located in Lincoln Park Gardens. Lincoln is located between F'ton and Oromocto. A race sign will be located at the entry of the subdivision the day of the race.
Main Event / Événement principal: 5K
Other Events: 5K Walk
Timex: no
Super Series: no
Registration Fee / Enregistrement: $10.00
Contact 1: Shawn Hamilton Email: shawn.hamilton@gnb.ca Tel #: 453-2079 Fax #:
Contact 2: Sheryl Johnstone Email: sheryl.johnstone@gnb.ca Tel #: 453-3824 Fax #:
Showers / Douches: No
T-Shirt: No
Course / Parcours: Within the Lincoln Park Gardens Subdivision near Scotts Nursary. A fast down hill section at the beginning, then from 500m to 3K will be fairly flat, followed by a moderate climb from 3 to 3.5K and then a flat section leading to the last 300m climb to the finish so save some for the end! If necessary, roads will be sanded prior to race.
Awards: 6 medals total. Top 3 girls and top 3 guys. Medals are Gold, Silver and Bronze with either guys or girls shown running on 1 ¾ inch medal. Finishing photo’s maybe taken and placed on MPEFP or this website for participants to use. Stop watch will be used for timing the event.
Other details: No water stops provided during this race. This is a “fun run” put on by the Marysville Place Employee Fitness Program with all proceeds going to the IWK Children’s Hospital.