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.