Long Distance Running

Long distance covers the 5 kilometre, 10 kilometre, half marathon and marathon events. Comparing past and present world record holders it would appear that athletes in these events would reach their peak at the following ages:

5 km - Male 27 and Female 29 10 km - Male 29 and Female 31 Marathon - Male and Female between 31 and 37

Running Technique
Guidance on the running technique of the long distance runner is provided in the form of a series of pictures and associated notes that highlight the main technical points. The foot strikes the ground below the centre of gravity (which is around the central area of the hips) The strike is slightly on the outside of the heel of the foot and the forward movement is then down the outside of the sole onto the ball of the foot. The leg's role is supporting and driving.

As the foot strikes the ground there is also some flexion in the knee. This should not be too excessive so leg strength must be developed to ensure stability in and around the knee. There is also some movement around the hip girdle. This can be excessive, so strength exercises for the whole region, especially abdominal and lower back are required. It is very important that this region is kept stable thus giving a strong platform from which to drive. As the torso moves ahead of the foot, the drive is initiated and the achilles and calf are placed under great stress. It is therefore important that stretching and strengthening of this area is incorporated into training. Muscle fibres in the calf respond to a reflex action as they are placed in near full stretch and contract quickly, thus apparently straightening the foot, forcing the athlete back up higher on their forefoot. (This makes the foot a further lever, often forgotten by many runners). The foot "grips" the ground as the torso moves ahead, forcing the leg into full extension. Once again, strength and flexibility of the hamstrings are important.

After the athlete has reached almost full stretch, a reflex action occurs in the muscle fibres of the hamstring, quickly shortening it and pulling the foot up off the ground. This allows the whole of the limb to swing back a bit further. Hip mobility and the ability to stretch the quads at the front of the leg arc also vitally important.

The upper part of the leg is drawn forward by the action of the quads and hip flexors beginning to shorten. The foot continues on an upward curve with the help of the contracting hamstring and the hinge effect of the knee joint. It swings into the gluteus maximus (backside) so shortening the lever and making it easier to bring forwards.

The thigh continues forward and then swings upwards, the head of the foot drops from its high point and accelerates downwards and forwards. The knee reaches its high point, which is not quite as high as that of a sprinter (i.e. at an angle of around 90 degrees to the rear leg).

The foot ends its swing through at a point just ahead of the knee. The leg maintains a slight angle at the knee (the leg is not straight). Having reached its high point the thigh starts a downward swing; this initiates an acceleration of the foot backwards.

The foot once again strikes the floor in a backward motion, adding to the athlete's forward motion.

Running - Training Techniques and Workout Plans

Thinking about training techniques to improve your running? Want to run faster, longer, or both and without killing yourself in the process? You've got the running shoes, apparel, gear and possibly know some things to avoid or do to keep from getting injured. Additionally, you are consistently getting out and running a few times a week and the health benefits are evident. But now you've caught the running bug and you want to take your running to the next level. What do you do? You need to add some basic training techniques to improve your performance! On this page, we are going to look at:
1. Training Basics for Every Runner 2. Intermediate to Advanced Running Workouts

Training Basics for Every Runner

Listed below are training basics that every runner should incorporate into his/her workout program regardless of whether they are just beginning or have completed several marathons. Warm up/Cool Down Warming up and cooling down are two of the oldest and most routine running training techniques. Warming up should consist of light jogging, massaging, and gentle stretching. The optimum time to stretch is during the cooldown period after your run when the muscles are warm and loose. The goal for warming up is to loosen up your legs as well as the rest of your body. Once the warmup is completed, you will feel an increase in energy and your body will be ready to perform at maximum efficiency. [?] Subscribe To This Site Cooling down takes place after your run and should consist of light

jogging/walking in order to decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles. Static stretching exercises should also be included in order to decrease body temperature, remove waste products from the working muscles and to increase range of movement. The key to the cool down is to just do it. Many runners skip this step and pay for it later with muscle soreness and tightness. Cooling down helps the body to recover and regenerate for the next run. Walk/Run Want to increase your endurance but just can't seem to cover the distance while running continously? Take some walk breaks during your training runs. Runners and non-runners alike often believe that if you stop to walk during training or a race that you are not a real runner. Nothing is farther from the truth! By alternating walking and running during your training, there is virtually no limit to the distance you can cover. The benefits of short walk breaks when taken early and regularly include:

Helps beginners to increase their endurance to 5K, 10K, or even a marathon in as little as six months Allows those who can run only 2 miles to increase their distance from 50% to 100% Reduces the chance of injury and over-training to virtually nil Helps your legs to keep their resiliency and bounce as resources are conserved

Hard/Easy Principle The hard-easy principle states that if you run faster or longer than usual on one day, you should follow that day with a run that is slower or shorter than usual. It also follows that if you know you are going to have a hard training day coming up, your preceding training run should be easy. The benefits of incorporating the hard/easy principle include:

Reserves your strength for your hard training days (running longer or faster than usual) Enables you to push yourself more Allows your body to recover, rebuild, and progress

Helps you avoid both injury and burnout

Remember, plan an easy day the day before a hard workout as well as one or possibly two easy days after. Your body will love you for it! Build A Base Looking to add endurance and run longer? Base building is the answer for you! Without a doubt, distance running is the best way to build endurance and to improve as a runner. But as key as building mileage may be to your performance, it's also a primary cause of injury if done improperly. Some general guidelines while base building are:

Use the 10 percent rule as your upper limit to safely increase your weekly mileage week-to-week. Learn to stretch consistently (AFTER your run) while very gradually adding mileage, but not necessarily intensity. Build a longer mileage run into your routine every other week. Make the distance anywhere up to 150 percent of your regular midweek runs and run at your normal training pace. Build miles gradually. Give your body a chance to adjust to the pounding of extra miles. Take a rest day after your long run. Additionally, approximately every three weeks, reduce your total mileage by 10 to 20 percent during the next week thereby giving your legs another chance to rest, recover, and rebuild. Resume your normal mileage the following week.

Don't forget, build mileage slowly and very gradually with plenty of rest mixed in between. Striders Want to let loose and just run fast sometimes? Striders are a great way to introduce some fast running into your training program. Striders are 20 seconds or so of relaxed running at close to top speed. You should do striders on a smooth, flat surface at the end or near the end of your normal run. A great day to do striders would be the day before a hard workout since they don't really qualify as tough training. The benefits of striders include:

Teaching the muscles and the nervous system to run smoothly at a fast pace.

Short enough distances to not tire you out completely. Improving your running form. Running smoothly at top speed will enable you to do so at all speeds.

Now get out there and......Hit your stride!

Intermediate to Advanced Running Workout Techniques

Incorporated most of the basic training methods (i.e. warm up/cool down, hard/easy, base building, striders, etc.) into your workout program? Passed the beginner runner stage? Want to improve your speed and performance? I've got just the running workouts for you! If you are like the majority of recreational runners, you probably do the same workout day after day. You need to add some variety to your tired old workout routine before boredom and/or burnout kills you. Alternating workout routines teaches your body varied lessons. The long run teaches endurance, speed work trains fast-twitch muscles how to accelerate, and hills teach strength. Training workouts that hit upon speed, strength,endurance, and pace will help you improve your running form, condition your body to handle the discomfort of faster speed, give you a sense of correct pacing, and build your end-of-race kick. A well rounded training program for intermediate to advanced runners will include some, if not all, of the following workouts:

Long Running Speed Training Fartleks Intervals Tempo Runs Hill Repeats

Running Pace Chart - Make use of a running pace chart to assist you in meeting your training goals. Long Running/Endurance Training What constitutes a long run? A long run varies based upon your goals and what level of running you have obtained. If you are a marathoner, 20 miles

may be your long run but if you are getting ready for a 5K, 5 to 6 miles may be your max. A couple of good rules of thumb regarding long running are: 1. Run long 2 out of every 3 weeks. Long run training will boost your endurance while the week off allows you to recover both physically and mentally. 2. Your long run should be approximately 150% of your longest normal weekly run whether you measure that by distance or time. The major benefits of doing long runs are:

Muscles develop the ability to store more glycogen. The result of increased glycogen stores delays the onset of fatigue while running. Psychologically, helps make your normal runs seem easier. Burns more calories both during the long run and at an accelerated rate after the run. Long running is great for losing weight. Increases the muscles' ability to extract oxygen from the blood. Enhances the muscles' ability to store carbohydrate and rely on fat as fuel.

Two final long running/endurance tips: 1. Run at your normal training pace or even a little slower. Your long run training goal is distance, not speed. 2. Gradually increase your mileage. Implement the 10-Percent Rule. Speed Work Speed work consists of several runs of a mile or less at race pace or faster with slow recovery jogging between hard runs. Specific speed work training runs include intervals, fartleks, and tempo runs. Speed work is an important component of any advanced training program. The benefits include:

Training the physiological system to adapt to the additional stresses placed on it. The legs learn to turnover faster, the heart learns to work harder for a sustained period, the lungs learn to process more oxygen andthe mind learns how to handle discomfort. Regenerating the body to run faster for a longer period after completing speed work. Maintaining a faster race pace.

Some final points regarding speed work:

Complete one speed workout per week while building up for a race. To maintain motivation, focus on your race/personal goal while training. Do speed workouts with a group. Accountability and companionship do wonders for continued motivation.

Now that we've looked at speed work basics, lets take a look a some specific speed workouts. Intervals Interval workouts are made up of a set of short, faster paced runs over fixed distances from 220 yards to one mile, interceded with periods of light recovery jogging. Although there are many variations of intervals, the three basic types are:
1. Repeats - the distance of the repeating running segment does not

change (ex: four 440 yard repeats with a 220 yard recovery jog in between each) 2. Pyramids - the distance of the repeating running segments peaks and then returns to the beginning distance (ex: repeats of 220 yards, 440 yards, and up to 1 mile before returning to 440 yards and then 220 yards) 3. Ladders - the distance of the repeating running segments either steadily increases or decreases (ex: 220 yards, 440, 880, up to 1760 yards or run in the reverse order of 1760 yards down to 220 yards) Looking to improve your speed in a certain distance? The table below should help you pick the interval you need to run.
Distance 5K 10K and Under Interval 220s Or 440s 880s

10K to Marathon One Mile

Regardless of the type of interval training workout you do, the long term goal is to improve speed on distances ranging from one mile up to a marathon. Some final interval training tips:

Interval workouts are typically run on a track due to the ease of running predefined distances. Pacing for interval training should be determined in short distance races or runs such as a 5K. Use your calculated pace information to

design appropriate speed workouts. Remember to do a recovery jog following your repeats. The distance should be half of your interval distance or more depending on whether you are a beginner or have some interval training experience.

Fartleks Sounds like an intestinal disorder, doesn't it? Actually, fartlek is Swedish for speed play. Fartleks are an unstructured, fun way to introduce speed training into your workout and consists of bursts of speed in the midst of a training run. There are a variety of ways in which to do fartleks and they can be run almost anywhere. The advantages of fartlek training include:

Training your body to run anaerobically (meaning without oxygen). Preparing your legs to absorb and feel a variety of paces. Enhancing your awareness of your ability to maintain varying paces at different distances.

To complete a fartlek workout you need to: 1. 2. 3. 4. Warm up. Run at an easy trainng pace. Interject bursts of speed for differing distances throughout your run. Speed should vary as well as burst times. Bursts should be maintained from 15 seconds up 2.5 to 3 minutes. 5. Recovery time should equal two thirds of your burst time but needs to be faster than an interval recovery jog. Some final fartlek training tips:

Pick out a landmark and run your fartlek at a consistent pace until it is reached. Choosing a landmark to mark the end of a fartlek burst should continue until the end of the training run.

Tempo Runs Tempo runs are the easiest of all the speed workouts to implement. No distances to keep up with and no split times to remember. Just run faster than your usual training pace and maintain a single sustained effort. Tempo training is useful because it:

Increases the body's anerobic limit in order to maintain a faster pace over a longer period of time. Boosts speed as the body becomes accustomed to running at close to its upper limit.

Steps to complete a tempo run are: 1. Complete your normal warm-up routine. 2. Once you have warmed up, pick up your pace to a level you can maintain for predesignated time or distance. Your pace should be 8085% of your maximum heart rate (if using a heart rate monitor) or your 10K race pace. Hill Repeats Hill repeats are basically what you believe they would be, fast-paced efforts to run up hills. They are considered strength training and are typically implemented following the completion of a base/mileage-building stage. The benefits of hill repeats include:

Combining cardiovascular training (heart) with strength training (legs). Running uphill lessens the impact force of each footfall which significantly reduces the risk of an overuse injury. Enhancing mental toughness for upcoming workouts and races in hilly terrain.

Hill repeats are completed by: 1. Warming up appropriately. 2. Running the hill at a 5K effort pace. Maintain a good running form and don't worry about sacrificing speed. Just keep the effort at a 5K pace. 3. After reaching the top of the hill, walk or lightly jog back down the hill and repeat the process.

Conclusion
Are all these special workouts necessary? Absolutely not. You are still a runner even if you decide to do the same distance at the same

pace day after day. However, if you want to improve both your speed and endurance, doing at least some of the specialized training listed above will help you reach your goals. Stick with it and be the best you can be!

Additional Running Training Articles/Resources: Running Pace Chart Running Pace Calculator Interval Training Workouts Heart Rate Monitor Training Lactate Threshold Training Running Strong as You Age Tapering Master's Running, The Right Way Running, Beach Style Train Properly with a Heart Rate Monitor Hill Running Tips Winter Running - Go on, Get Out There! Return from Training to The Running Advisor Home Page
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