Increase Speed with Intervals

Ever wonder why you cannot get any faster? No matter how many kilometers you add to your run?  Adding the extra distance may not be what you need… Intervals could answer your dilemma.

Intervals are used to increase ones maximal aerobic capacity (VO₂max) and anaerobic metabolism.  Why would I want to increase my anaerobic metabolism when endurance running is based primarily on sustaining aerobic metabolism? If you increase your anaerobic metabolism, you increase the amount of stored energy (ATP, PCr, and glycogen) in your muscles for times when your muscles are in times of oxygen deficit.  Not only will it increase your anaerobic metabolism, it will also increase your exercise economy and your lactic threshold allowing you to sustain a higher intensity for a longer duration without a large accumulation of lactic acid from working muscle. 

Below is a figure of my heart rate during a 50 minute continuous interval training session. My work to rest ratio was 1:1 where I continuously ran at 3% grade, but every 3 minutes I increased my speed from 7.5mph to 9.6mph.  My heart rate never exceeded 185-190 BPM during my interval segments while during my periods of recovery my heart rate was maintained at approximately 160 BPM.  By continuously running during my entire session, I can increase my lactate tolerance after high intensity sprints or hill climbs.  This can be a great advantage during races to ensure a quick recovery after quick sprints or to roll over a hill with ease.

For intervals – different work to run ratios can improve various aspects of your performance abilities.  A work time greater than or equal to rest ratio can increase ones speed and maintenance of speed while increasing lactate tolerance.  A rest time greater than your work time ratio will improve your anaerobic metabolism as you allow for increased replenishment of energy stores.  This interval ratio (rest > work) can increase your running speed and your final kick! 

By incorporating intervals into your program can drastically improve your speed and ultimately your performance.  Just remember, adequate rest and recovery after your training session is required for proper physiological adaptations to occur.

Road to Boston - Step One Complete.

I just registered for the Ottawa Race Weekend Full Marathon which is held Sunday, May 27th, 2012.  Estimated time for completion...

3:00:00

Now time to train and get prepared.  I have been battling with a torn abdominal muscle close to the pelvic attachment, but careful therapy plus some deep massage has truly made this injury manageable.  3:00:00 is just my stepping stone as I want to obviously finish as fast as utterly possible.

Boston 2013 - Come at me bro.

Cardiac Arrests and Long Distance Running: New Study

New Study: Heart Risk ‘Low’ in Distance Races

Posted from: Runners World

"The New England Journal of Medicine has just published the biggest and most informative medical research yet on cardiac arrests and deaths in marathons (and half-marathons). It's titled "Cardiac Arrests during Long-Distance Running Races," and it appears in the Jan. 12, 2012, edition of the historic medical journal. The article, from the RACER study (Race Associated Cardiac Arrest Registry), concludes: “Long distance running races are associated with low overall risk of cardiac arrest and sudden death.” 

This is the first major study of runner-cardiac-arrests to include half-marathon races along with marathon races. The rate of cardiac arrests in marathons was found to be roughly four times that in half marathons. There were 40 cardiac arrests among slightly fewer than 4 million marathon runners, and 19 among slightly fewer than 7 million half marathoners.  The researchers believe that the marathon distance probably fatigues the heart more. "Longer races involve more physiological stress and thus a higher likelihood of precipitating an adverse event," they wrote.

The risk of having a heart attack in a marathon is 1.01 per 100,000 participants, and the death risk is .63/100,000. This means big marathons might expect to see one heart attack for every 99,000 runners, and one death for every 158,000 runners. The highest-risk group, men in marathons, has a cardiac-arrest incidence of 1.41/100,000, or one per 70,900 runners. Men have about a five-times higher risk than women for both heart attacks and death."

For the full story, Click here

.

Circuit Training - Sample Program

Getting bored and tired of the regular routine? Try mixing up your workout with this circuit weight training program:

Circuit #1                                             Reps

Squats                                                   20

Pull Ups                                                Failure

Side Planks                                           30 sec/side

Circuit #2                                             Reps

Lunges                                                  15

Push n’ pulls                                          12

Calf Raises                                            15

Weighted Planks                                   45 sec

Circuit #3                                             Reps

One legged Seated Squats                     8/side

Feet elevated push-ups                          15-20

Crunches                                               20

Dips                                                      15

Circuit #4                                             Reps

Bent over row                                         15

Leg Raises                                            20

Shoulder press                                      12

Back Extensions                                   15

Preform each circuit as a superset and try to do 3 sets of each circuit with a 30 second rest in between sets before moving into the next circuit.  Have fun and enjoy!

Listening to Ones Body

Yesterday, Wednesday January 4th, 2012, illustrated the first time I have ever felt physical fatigue to the point of no return.  I had planned my workout to consist of 45 minutes of swimming followed by a meandering 30 minute run, I workout routine I had accomplished in the past with great success.  Yesterday was different.

I came out of the water after 45 minutes and felt alright, my back and legs were a little worn as I had focused on my kicking technique for the later half of the session.  I suited up into my running attire and strapped on my heart rate monitor - ready to go.  I input the data into the treadmill and began to warm up but something felt off.  My legs were heavy and I was becoming fatigued quickly at a very slow pace.  My run was not feeling as it has in past endeavors... so I decided to attempt to cycle instead which felt just as awkward.  So after literally 3 minutes of attempting to workout, I walked out of the gym - why?

Even the greatest athletes in the world take time off to recover and can tell when they are just not 'feeling it'.  I myself am not proclaiming to be a great athlete, but I am a smart one from my experience and when something isn't right, that is when I call it quits.  People who push themselves at times like this are the ones who become frequently injured due to constant overtraining.  I have endured the pain of overtraining before and due to my experience, the best remedy is time off to recover.

My plan?  I took the rest of yesterday off and today to receive the much needed rest to return back to normal for my future workouts.  I have put a lot of effort into my training and I can afford a couple days of rest to ensure a healthy training season.  I would rather 2 days off than 2 months off nurturing an injury.

Here are a few common symptoms indicating you should rest and avoid the overtraining syndrome:

• If it doesn't feel right or you feel exhausted with what used to be simple
• If your sleeping patterns change or you wake up in the middle of the night
• You crave sweets and chocolate
• You get easily agitated or frustrated at little things
• You increase caffeine intake to stay awake
• You fall asleep in the afternoon which prior was uncommon

If you fall victim to any of these - take a day or two off for rest and recovery.  A healthy athlete is a smart athlete.

Timex Ironman Race Trainer 5K264 - Review

So I have given the watch a few test runs (or should I say bike and runs) and have been satisfied with what the watch has to offer!  It can give me accurate heart rate readings throughout my workout since I cross referenced the heart rate measured by the watch with the hand sensors found on many commercial cardio equipment.  What am I really pleased about?  That my workouts can not only can be reviewed on the watch, but also can be synced to my online training journal powered by TrainingPeaks.com.   Here is what valuable information can be illustrated on the computer once uploaded:

ALL IN ALL - this is an amazing tool to compliment my training and I will keep you updated with new and interesting finds surrounding this toy!  What I appreciate most is that I can review my heart rate throughout the workout to make sure I stay within a specific zone.  For more information on zone training, please read my other article by clicking here.

Somersault 'Swag' 2011

Thought I would show off the Somersault "swag" I picked up today.  As I had mentioned in a previous post, I came 1st overall for Somersaults Run Series Champions Challenge - Men Age 20-24 with some very good results over the past year.  Below is what I received:

My Somersault Swag

The total package includes:
2 Pictures
 - One of my 10km run
 - My Duathlon
An Awards Certificate
3 x FREE entries into 5km or 10km run next year!


Now all that is left for me to do is figure out how to display all this - and - what races will I do?

 Goal for next year: First overall in at least one race.