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SUSTAINED EFFORTS AND RACING Racing requires a constant fast pace. So far, you’ve developed endur¬ ance with steady running, and some speed with short strides. Now we will combine them as a prelude to races of a mile to 10 kilometers. CHAPTER FIVE--LONG REPETITIONS I did a few stretches and exercises with the emphasis on getting the shin muscles warm. Despite the guru’s ad¬ vice, my speedy stride and fartlek sessions had given me shin pains in the first two weeks. Decreasing my stride length to land softer, as if on eggshells, combined with toe lifts and ankle rotations, had cleared the discomfort. As I eased into the run I reflected on last few weeks training. I’ve been here every fortnight for ten weeks now. Surely ten weeks was enough to develop speed. “How you’ll doin’ Davey boy,” he said as I reached the five minute point of the run. “I likes the way you start your run ladde...nice and steady like.” He paused as I converted the words. “Don’t ever give up yer speed-meister-work matey. I’m not a one to insult that fine animal, but as a runner, you be a sloth. But there’s a much work we can do for you.” “Have you eaten Treasure Island per chance?” “Yes me boy...and a good read it was as I studied the south of this fair country.” “Do you think your masters will benefit from the learning?” He opened his left eye, then raised his right shoulder as if a parrot had just taken flight from it saying. “Precious little, David. But I have my coaching to keep me sane. And I’m off to Africa tonight. The Valley of Rift.” “The Rift Valley you mean.” “Absolutely. Now then, I watched you run some of your strides. Your arms hardly flap at all these days. How do they feel?” “The strides were fun...leg speed is developing. The quadriceps objected to coming up higher, but they’re used to it now. The hamstrings and my butt were tender after I got carried away doing the 200s. I won’t do that again.” “Try not to run more than a second faster than previous running sessions for 200s. You have years to make progress. “Are the shin exercises you do effective?” “Yes they are. Now. What’s next?” “Don’t be too eager my friend. You have to think of your bones. Osteoblasts are busy depositing a matrix which is calcifying by the day--making your bones stronger. Osteoclasts are shaping this new bone. Don’t rush into still harder training. First promise you will take things gradual like.” He seemed to realize I meant it sincerely...despite the fact that I all but blurted out the child like, “I promise.” He paused as we came to the best overlook on the course. We looked into the green valley--home to one and a half million hu¬ mans--then continued along the trail as he told me the following. “To date, you’ve been running at speeds which enable you to provide all the oxygen requirements of your body as you run. So-called aerobic running--the muscles working with sufficient oxygen. “However, when you run fast for long periods, the oxygen system will not be able to keep up--part of the long repetition or race will be run without oxygen being used to breakdown all the fuel into a usable energy source. This is anaerobic running, or running without oxygen. “In practice, the aerobic system will provide as much energy as it can--only the deficit will be made up by the anaerobic system. Both systems operate at all times, but the anaerobic system becomes more important for sudden intense efforts, such as running fast up a hill. In a race, the anaerobic system will be supplementing the aerobic system, even if providing only a few percent of the total energy needs. “Anaerobic running produces lactic acid. The acid accumulates in the muscles and contributes to the heavy legs feeling--the wastes contribute to your fatigue--a factor causing you to slow down. Tele¬ vision commentators often say things like-- ‘he’s running in treacle; rigor mortis has set in; the monkey’s jumped on his back’ about runners in that highly anaerobic event...the 400 meters. “To delay this anaerobic poisoning of the muscles, I had you develop your heart and lungs with steady running...then further stimulate them with the strides over short distances at a moderate effort. “These two forms of running have developed your aerobic system to good effect...though it’ll be years before you reach your maximum potential. I can’t stress how important it is to go through the first two parts of this manual. At ten weeks each, they’ve given you an excel¬ lent base from which to proceed. “So David, continue to be patient with yourself.” Then he addressed the potential readers of this journal, saying: “If you have not developed decent background fitness by running at least a month each of Part One and Two’s training sessions, or you don’t have a history of regular running, please wait before proceeding with the sessions in this part. “Those who do have the background fitness, can proceed to de¬ velop the body’s ability to run anaerobically...by introducing sessions that create a build up of lactic acid. The acid is not dangerous, it is merely a natural--though to you, a slowing--by-product of fast run¬ ning.” Looking at me as I rounded a turn on that Sunday run, he said: “Your first stage is to run moderately fast for three to four min¬ utes...and do so several times within a training session. The recovery between efforts will be a walk at first. Later, when you’re used to the session, you can jog. However, the jogging should last as long as the fast part. This type of running is quite hard on your entire body--not just your muscles.” He moved in close to my side and whispered in my ear. “Running fast creates extra stresses on the body. It’s not only the muscles that feel the strain...Joints, ten¬ dons and ligaments experience additional work. You can lesson the strain on these parts by aiming to run re¬ laxed...in control. Just like in the strides of Part Two, land soft rather than pounding. Run on soft surfaces such as packed dirt or sand, grass, or synthetic tracks. Run within your own body limits. Lesson the risk of injury by holding back.” He moved a few feet away, surveying the track ahead of us. “Parts of this trail would do nicely. Another good area to run these repetitions would be the edge of a large recreation ground. Run two thirds of it fast and jog the other third as the recovery. Or you might use the length of a favorite piece of road--do avoid concrete though...it’s six to ten times harder than asphalt. “It helps to use permanent start and finish points to aid your timing. Timing reps make it easier to monitor your progress. A large tree or the corner of a building are effective points to use. “After warming up for at least a mile, do the usual stretching. Run a few relaxed 50 to 100 meter strides. Then run the first of your three minute repetitions. Don't run too fast, but you should be feeling quite tired by the end. Your pulse will go higher than in your previous speedwork--85 to 90 percent of your maximum is okay; with your good overall fitness, it should soon return to 120 per minute. Once it’s done so, you’re ready to run again. “Run a second repetition while thinking about your running style. Try to keep a steady rhythm going...especially the second half. Let the tension go from the shoulders, maybe drop the arms a little--but keep them moving fast and allow your legs to carry you through. “The leg muscles should feel a little heavy with the wastes of anaerobic running, but after an active rest, you should persevere with the third repetition. “This time, start a little slower. As you reach halfway, pick your knees up to extend the stride. Don’t extend it so much, and run so fast that you collapse on the ground afterwards. Complete the session with a significant amount to spare. The real work will come in later sessions, when you aim to improve your times, and reduce the rest period--but in alternate months. “The first time you run this session should be after a rest day. If you’re very stiff afterwards, you’ve overdone it. As you found with the 200s, any new type of training is hard to judge at first. In fact, if you think you were too fast on the first repetition, consider calling it a day. Perhaps do half a dozen short strides to unwind. “A week later you can repeat the session...maybe judge your running pace better. As with the 200s in Chapter 4, aim for your times to improve during a session. Don’t run a fastest time by ten seconds first, to be followed by slow efforts. “After running the above session twice, you should find yourself a second area where you can run fast for five to six minutes.” “Run two efforts of this five to six minute route or loop. Try to run the first half at close to the speed of your three minute route...then keep it going an extra two minutes. You will need a longer recovery period--up to ten minutes is fine. Jog or walk to stay warm for the second effort.” He gave me a sly look. “You might like to try a 9 to 10 minute loop, but to be honest, few runners find them palatable. Most of them think 10 minute reps take them too close to those high plains cities.” “Oh really,” I said. “Yes. Most runners feel a ten minute rep is too close to Purgatory, and likely to place their sanity and enthusiasm in Jeopardy.” “So you think six minutes of running is the maximum?” “I think six minutes maxes out most runners. Though I entreat you and your friends to run 10 minute efforts one day. “Another problem, you see, is that long repetitions are hard work on the body and on the mind. For this reason, long reps should be run only once a week. Alternating the area and the length of the repetitions will give you variety.” He whispered in my ear again. “It’s far better to get faster by two or three seconds per repetition than to go slower for each one as the session progresses. Going faster within the session makes you feel in control. “Going slower for consecutive reps makes you feel bad and un¬ comfortable...demoralizing you for future sessions of this type. You’ll dread the sessions; then you’ll avoid this type of training. You’re likely to experience some sessions where you slow--just use your head to keep these to a minimum.” “To race fast you must train fast; but this fast running must feel relaxed. Maintain your form--be economical--like you were in Part Two. Try to gain a sense of relaxation at speed...at what will soon be race pace. “Every time you do this session, you further train your muscle fibers to buffer the capacity for operating in the presence of lactic acid. You also push back the anaerobic threshold. The seven minute miles which were at your threshold a few weeks ago, will soon be under your threshold. “Some people say soreness after these sessions is due to lactic acid remaining in the muscles.” “Whereas--” “Whereas, the soreness is from micro muscle fiber tears...which will heal and result in stronger muscles if given sufficient rest. You could lie on the grass for half an hour after the last rep (something you might be tempted to do if you’ve run them too fast) and all the lactic acid would be gone...absorbed by the system. However, it’s still better to do a cooldown to bring a steady supply of blood to the muscles. Walking is fine if you’re too pooped to run easy--any gentle activity will reduce the potential for stiffness. “As you learn how to pace yourself, the times for these weekly reps will decrease substantially at first. The next level of improvement will come after your buffering system has adapted--the decrease in your times may not be as profound, but it will confirm you’re getting training benefit from the reps. Restrain yourself from racing them...and move onto the next chapter.”
Or send $17.95 per book to David Holt at PO Box 543, Goleta, CA 93116. (includes shipping and tax)