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6 votes

Why include sprint workouts in a training program focused on long distance?

With the exception of a track event, most everything else will have hills. I've heard hill repeats referred to as "speed work in disguise". What they have in common is rather than the steady-state ...
Eric's user avatar
  • 14.8k
5 votes

Why include sprint workouts in a training program focused on long distance?

Nowadays, most training plans for Marathons, includes both lots of LSR and later a fair bit of speed work. The common idea is to first build up your ability to run long distances on fat and later add ...
Tonny Madsen's user avatar
  • 1,442
4 votes

Why am I unable to run as fast as I should be able to, based on my VO2max

VO2max is the amount of oxygen which your cells are able to convert into CO2. It doesn't say anything about the anaerobic threshold, for that you need to do a Conconi test (there are many variants of ...
Marcus's user avatar
  • 222
4 votes
Accepted

Why am I unable to run as fast as I should be able to, based on my VO2max

VO2 max is the amount of oxygen available for energy burn and is associated with runs that are shorter than 5-8 minutes total. Anything longer than this your body must deal with lactate acid buildup ...
Jason's user avatar
  • 1,558
4 votes

Will weight lifting affect speed and flexibility?

Will I gain weight by doing weightlifting? Yes and no. Doing weight lifting will set the stimulus your body needs to grow (gain muscle mass), but lifting alone will be of no use. Imagine that your ...
Paul K's user avatar
  • 595
4 votes
Accepted

How to do exercises properly?

In your previous question you say you're not sure if changing your diet is required...this couldn't be farther from the truth. If you want to maximize results, diet is by far the most important factor ...
0xMert's user avatar
  • 1,996
3 votes
Accepted

How does running speed correlate to burnt calories?

It would look like this: It's basically a straight line. Don't take the variations from the straight line too seriously. There are so many other factors involved (wind, distance, running form, etc.) ...
Wood's user avatar
  • 497
3 votes
Accepted

Does Active Flexibility Reduce Speed and Quickness?

If I am interpreting your question correctly, it boils down to something like "If someone has a muscle that can be stretched further, would it have less explosive potential?" TLDR: ...
Eric Warburton's user avatar
2 votes

Why include sprint workouts in a training program focused on long distance?

Your "steady" pace will get faster : the aim is to run faster for a longer time. It also makes running "slow" easy in comparison. I ran my first half last year and only did 40-90 min steady runs for ...
ALM's user avatar
  • 166
2 votes

Does exercises other than running help in improving the distance or speed of running?

If you are looking for ways to increase your speed at a given distance, I would suggest running over distance. We raced 5k, so we ran anywhere from 1.5x to 4x that distance. If that is a problem for ...
William Sturgiss's user avatar
2 votes

What is a good time to row 10,000m on a Concept C2 rowing machine?

It's a bit difficult to give you a time to aim for if you are alternating between 500 hard / 500 easy. Work up to sustaining consistent effort over 10,000m on a setting 4 (good for giving you a ...
PaulieT's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes

How can I improve my ability to do speedwork?

Long distance runners (anything above 800m) usually struggle with speed work because they don't take it correctly. During speed work you must run fast. If you drop below your target in terms of speed ...
FenryrMKIII's user avatar
  • 1,210
2 votes

Supplementary exercises to sprints

You could try plyometric weighted squats. Basically, jump squats, but with a weight on your back (or front if you prefer). I've found these to be excellent when trying to improve speed as you build a ...
Zac's user avatar
  • 171
2 votes

How to improve teen's agility

As a parent of two athletic kids, this is my take. At 13 there isn't much difference in types of exercises you'd do versus an adult. The big modifiers are volume and form. Kids actually recover ...
Eric's user avatar
  • 14.8k
2 votes

How to do exercises properly?

You develop muscles during recovery. Amount of recovery done depends on how much of your muscle has been broken down by the exercise. Amount of muscle with micro-tears is directly a result of time-...
John's user avatar
  • 6,972
2 votes

How does running speed correlate to burnt calories?

Short answer: the line on such a diagram would just be a straight horizontal line. Running faster does not significantly increase calories burned. Long answer: A "calorie" in the context of food and ...
user3163495's user avatar
2 votes

Does running faster burn more calories?

Running speed is one of factor to burn calories. According to your scenario, I think running speed it worthy. However if you want to burn more calories from running. you should have to change a ...
Eranda Peiris's user avatar
2 votes

Supplementary exercises to sprints

Based on personal experience, the big lifts do help a lot. Squats and deadlifts followed by a plyometric superset (e.g. vertical jump, or broad jumps) - the key here being not training to failure, ...
CanadianEagle's user avatar
1 vote

Will weight lifting affect speed and flexibility?

It depends how you lift, for any kind of performance sport, stay away from bodybuilding type of training. It serves no purpose beyond esthetics and will hinder you in your sport. I would focus on ...
user3063937's user avatar
1 vote
Accepted

Is it possible to maintain or improve as a runner doing mostly races?

What you are essentially describing is a typical high school cross country season. Our typical in season weeks consisted of the following: Sunday - Off or easy short run Monday - Shorter run, fartlek/...
JohnP's user avatar
  • 22.4k
1 vote

Is it possible to maintain or improve as a runner doing mostly races?

Something that left a huge impression on me. Years ago when I was finishing up grad school -- I worked as a personal trainer. I would rent a gym hourly from a (friend of a friend). The guy had an ...
Mike-DHSc's user avatar
  • 2,795
1 vote

How can I improve my ability to do speedwork?

I think I see where the problem is. For reference, I like to use this calculator: http://www.runfastcoach.com/calc2/index.php . Now, if you input your PR into the calculator (which, if those injuries ...
NeonCop's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
Accepted

Should sprinting be a part of 10x800m or similar speed work?

When I've done these the coach has said to run the intervals at a steady target pace. Assuming you're on a track with 1 lap recovery you would be running 12000m with 8000m at pace, I would expect the ...
MattP's user avatar
  • 158
1 vote

Should sprinting be a part of 10x800m or similar speed work?

It depends on the distance that you are training for. With something like a marathon, I would place little importance on all out sprint training. The only likely time it might matter is in a sprint ...
JohnP's user avatar
  • 22.4k
1 vote

Should sprinting be a part of 10x800m or similar speed work?

It is my understanding that speedwork is sustaining maximal effort over a fixed distance which is usually short (ish). Personally: I do 'speedwork' for 500/1000m intervals. While it's not sprinting ...
John's user avatar
  • 6,972
1 vote

How do you use a heart rate monitor for track workouts and speed work?

It means that, for example: If resting heart rate is 50bpm and VO2 Max HR is 200 bpm (easy numbers), then your 'working heart rate' for the majority of your speed work should be 90% of your VO2 ...
John's user avatar
  • 6,972
1 vote
Accepted

What is a good training pace vs a recent race pace?

Endurance racing such as 5k and longer is all about putting in the base and the time. 19.30 is a respectable time, so you've got something good to build on. So lets break this down. I'm assuming that ...
JohnP's user avatar
  • 22.4k
1 vote

How come I don't look fit?

As @xCodeZone mentioned, looking "ripped" is essentially synonymous with having a low body fat percentage. Despite your "worked out for five years", you may yet be able to benefit from the novice ...
Christian Conti-Vock's user avatar

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