The Runner's Building Blocks

A firm training foundation is built on several core types of workouts. Try our tips for building a balanced routine.
By Josh Clark Posted Monday, 8 April, 2002

E-mail this page Variety may be the spice of life, but it's the bread and butter of running, the key to improved speed and Printer-friendly page performance. Unfortunately, most recreational runners do the same workout day in and day out. While the majority of your running should remain in the realm of endurance training, the addition of building-block speed and strength workouts injects freshness into what may be a stale routine. And it will almost certainly improve your performance. The reason is confirmed by common sense: Varied workouts teach your body varied lessons. The long run teaches endurance, track work trains "fast-twitch" muscles, hills teach strength, etc. A wellrounded mix of workouts will help you improve your running form, condition your body to handle the discomfort of faster speed, give you a sense of appropriate pace, and build your end-of-the-race kick to the finish. While the specifics of every training program should be adapted to the specific needs of the individual, the runner interested in improving performance should have a wellrounded program that includes some, if not all, of the following six building blocks: Fartlek (for speed and pace) Hills (for strength) Tempo Runs (for speed and pace) Intervals (for speed) The Long Run (for endurance) Easy run (for recovery)

Do you have to do all these specialized workouts? Of course not. You will find, however, that at least some regular speed and strength workouts will improve your performance, with the most dramatic improvement occurring when you first begin. Every single one of these building-block workouts will improve some facet of your running, and the more you incorporate into your routine the more improvement you will see. That said, be aware that the benefits of speedwork will not show up immediately in your races, since it often takes over a month for your body to become used to changes in training. Even then, it usually takes about two weeks for your body to absorb a speed workout and translate it into a resource to be tapped during a race. Be patient, and don't expect every session to show an improvement in times. The fitter you get, the more difficult that becomes. Always build conservatively.

Fundamentals> If you are a beginning runner, you may want to hold off on introducing speedwork into your routine. You should have an established base of at least 20 miles per week before incorporating these "quality runs" into your schedule. It's also best to have at least a year of running experience under your belt. The reason for both is that speedwork adds considerable strain to your muscles and connective tissues. Without the necessary mileage foundation, you may wind up injured rather than fast. As with all your runs, you should start and finish your specialized sessions with easy running, preferably longer than the typical ten or fifteen minutes you might do before your normal training run. With all of these workouts, you're pushing your body close to its limits, and it's unwise either to start or stop suddenly. Stretch well and give yourself 10 minutes of easy running, both before and after the workout. Also keep in mind that it's important to keep moving between the "hard" portions of your workout. All of the workouts discussed here involve the alternation of hard and easy efforts. "Easy" means a slow pace, maybe a jog. But it does not mean walking, stopping, or collapsing to the track and wheezing. If you need to do any of those things, you're running the hard portion of the workout too fast. The old adage of "no pain, no gain" is simply wrong. The idea is to push only a little bit harder than your normal training pace to get the benefits; there will be some modest discomfort but certainly no pain. You should always have the energy after each interval to continue running slowly during the rest periods. By doing this, you keep your heart rate up, and as a result, you prevent blood from pooling in your legs. Keep running, even if slowly: it's good for you. Ideally, you should run each of the hard portions of the workout at approximately the same pace per session. You should not feel exhausted by the end, but neither should you feel like you're still full of energy. This helps teach you the value of pacing yourself in a race by being aggressive but realistic in your starting pace. The Building Blocks> This section focuses on the three basic varieties of speed workouts (fartlek, intervals and tempo runs), along with the benefits of each and the most productive ways to use these tools. Meanwhile, don't forget to review our pointers for hill workouts. Before we begin, though, a plug for the all-important cousin of the speed workout: the easy run. Recovery (i.e. the easy run) is probably the most important piece of a good training program, and it should not be dismissed. Too many runners, hellbent on increasing speed and mileage, completely overlook the importance of the easy run, often running themselves into injury. Your body needs a chance to rest, so make sure that somewhere between those killer hill workouts and gutsy interval sessions you manage to squeeze in some rest -- and plenty of it. Fartlek> It's true: fartlek is almost as fun to do as it is to say. "Fartlek" is Swedish for "speed play" and consists of bursts of speed in the middle of a training run. Essentially, it's an unstructured interval session, the track without the rules. Fartlek gets your legs used to

a variety of paces and in the process gives you an enhanced awareness of your ability to keep up those paces at various distances. After warming up, run at an easy training pace, throwing in bursts of speed for various distances throughout the run. Vary the speed and times of the speed sections, from as short as 15 seconds to as long as two or three minutes. Between these bursts, allow yourself enough recovery time to match roughly 2/3 of the effort time. The recovery pace, though, should be faster than the recovery jog you might do during intervals on the track; keep it moving at an easy training pace. It's a good idea to pick out a landmark -- a tree or a fire hydrant or a bend in the path -where a speed section will end before you start picking up the pace. In other words, you have to know how far you are running for each section. Because the idea is to keep up a constant pace until you reach that landmark, it is important to pace yourself at the beginning. Don't tear off so fast that you can't keep up the pace through the end of each speed section. A fartlek session can be as easy or as difficult as you wish to make it. Use fartlek for anything from a light recovery run to a grueling workout. As always, however, start out easy. Your first fartlek sessions should contain distances and paces that you feel comfortable with and that you feel you can gradually increase in future sessions. A twenty to thirty-minute fartlek session should be adequate for most runners. There is very little reason for them to go as long as an hour. Intervals> The track. While most elite runners get their start there, the great majority of runners came to the sport by way of local roads, sidewalks and forest paths. For the average runner, the track seems all too intimidating, almost scary. Fact is, though, the track is not simply the domain of the elites. Any runner at any level can improve her performance with a little help from the 400-meter oval. This is what intervals are about. Interval sessions are the most formal of speed workouts in that the distances and target paces are precisely fixed before you run. The idea is to run a series of relatively short repetitions over distances from 220 yards to one mile, with rest periods of slower running in between. Because of their very nature, intervals involve a shorter period of effort than your usual run of, say, 45 minutes at a steady pace. This allows you to run much faster than you usually do, adapting your body to higher demands and your leg muscles to faster turnover. Over time, you become more physiologically efficient. Because of the clearly measured distances, the track is an ideal place to do intervals, but some may find the never-changing scenery to be, well, maybe just a little dull. In that case, you should feel free to do your intervals on the road, using permanent landmarks to measure distance. The various distances, as you might guess, are each best suited to runners with specific goals. The 220-yard run (1/2 lap, or 200 meters) is best for short-distance training (5K and under) to improve speed. The 440 (one lap, or 400 meters) helps improve overall conditioning at slower paces, and at faster paces is good final race preparation. The 880 (two laps, or 800 meters) is used to develop speed when training for races 10K and under and to condition form and pace when training for longer races. Finally, the mile is

used most often to train for longer races, from 10K to marathon, to help improve pace judgment and overall conditioning. Tempo Runs> This is hands-down the least complicated variety of speedwork. There are no distances to keep track of, no split times to remember, no hassles. All you have to do is run faster than your usual training pace, somewhere right around your 10K race pace. Unlike most speedwork which consists of relatively short bursts of high effort, tempo runs call for a single sustained effort. The result is that your body learns race economy: running at a fast pace for relatively long periods of time. Tempo runs will give your top speed a boost, too. By running nearly at race pace, your body becomes accustomed to running close to its upper limit (though not exceeding it). In doing so, you actually increase that upper limit, and you become gradually faster. After your usual warmup routine, run at your easy training pace for at least ten minutes. Then pick up the pace. As mentioned above, this speed should be right around your 10K race pace (around 80%-85% of maximum heart rate, if you use a heart rate monitor). The time, distance and pace of your tempo run, as with all phases of your running, depends on both your ability and your goals. For the distance you choose (3 and 5 miles are popular tempo distances), find a pace that is not so fast that you cannot sustain it for the distance, but not so slow that you do not feel challenged toward the end. Tempo runs should be tough, but not impossible. Depending on how you feel on any given day, how much spring is in your legs, and how far you are running, your tempo pace may vary from session to session. That's fine. The consistency that counts is the pace within each session. Try to keep your speed level for the full length of each tempo run. Don't worry too much about figuring out the exact distance of your tempo run. It's really not terribly important. Three to six miles is probably a good range. The one value of knowing how far you are running, though, is that you are able to gauge your improvement over time. Still, this is easily done by doing most of your tempo runs on the same route. You may not know the specific distance, but you can still compare your times for that same fixed route. Putting It All Together> Now put this basic knowledge of speed workouts to work with our speed training recommendations for various levels of ability and experience.

Repeat Performance
Your personal speedwork routine should be tailored to both your ability and your goals. Use these guidelines to calibrate the distance, repeats and intervals that you run.

By Josh Clark Posted Monday, 8 April, 2002 Every runner has different needs, and you should tailor your speedwork program to both your ability and your training goals. Seems like common sense, but juggling the variables of distance, repeats and rest intervals can be a confusing business. Never fear, Cool Running is here with some handy guidelines to help you design a personal speedwork program. First, as a general rule, be conservative. While speedwork is E-mail this page the best and fastest way to improve, it is also the best and fastest way to injure yourself. Increase the intensity and Printer-friendly page duration of your workouts only gradually. Push yourself, but as always, don't overtrain. Listen to your body and don't be afraid to quit a session if you feel you've reached your limit. If, for example, you are running track intervals and you find it impossible to maintain the same pace through all your repeats, you should strongly consider calling it quits for that session and adjusting your pace the next time around. How Far? In general, you should run shorter repeats if you're preparing for shorter races and longer repeats if you're preparing for longer races. The longer the distances, the fewer repeats you should run. The total mileage of a speed workout, excluding your warmup, will be one or two miles for beginners and as much as five or six for experienced speedsters. You are of course welcome to run a variety of interval distances, even within a single workout, but if you are just beginning you might want to keep things simple by running one distance at first. How long that distance should be depends on your needs: 220 Yards (200 meters or 1/2 lap) To train for short distances (5K and under) and to sharpen speed. 440 yards (400 meters or 1 lap) To improve aerobic conditioning at slower paces and to improve speed in the last stages of preparation for short races (5K and under). 880 yards (800 meters or 2 laps) To train for distances 10K and under for speed. For distances above 10K the distance helps sharpen your sense of pace and improve aerobic conditioning. Mile (1600 meters or 4 laps) To develop ability to hold onto a strong pace for significant distances, particularly for those training for longer races (10K and up, including the marathon). Like 880s, miles help sharpen your sense of pace. Short Hills Yes, running hills is a form of speed work, ideal for building strength and good form. Short hills

should be steep enough to give you pause, but not so steep that your form falls apart. Look for inclines between 100 and 200 yards long. Long Hills To develop strength, stamina, and at least as important, confidence. Hills should be about 1/4 mile long and not quite as steep as your short hills. How Much Rest? The amount you rest during the intervals between repeats is just as important as the amount you run. You need more rest when you run longer distances, faster paces or more repeats. Beginners to speedwork will need more rest than more experienced runners. The idea here is to give yourself an opportunity to recover, but not completely -- just enough so that you can complete the next interval at the same pace. Depending on the speed and distance of your intervals, rest time will last between 30 seconds and three minutes. If you find that you can't recover in this amount of time, you are running the distance too fast -- slow down. Likewise, if you don't need so much recovery time, you're probably running too slow (or not running enough intervals). In hill workouts, your rest time is determined by how long it takes you to run back down the hill (or get to the next one). You should run up the hill at or near race pace and back down at or near your easy training pace. How Fast? Your speed workouts will come in two flavors: on pace and fast. Your on-pace workouts will be run at race pace to get you comfortable with the pace at which you'll run your race. Every interval in an on-pace workout is run at the same pace, preferably within just a few seconds of each other. This helps you sharpen your sense of pace and teaches you to hold back at first to save energy for the end of your workout -- just like in a race. The "race pace" you are running is not your target pace for your next race; it should be the pace you think reflects your current level of fitness and your present ability to run the race distance. Over time, this pace should gradually become faster as your workouts improve. In contrast, fast workouts are run faster than your race pace. Brace yourself, these are meant to be a little uncomfortable. The payoff is that they make you tougher, better able to keep up your target pace on race day. Your pace will vary depending on the distance of the intervals you run and the amount of rest you get between them. Depending on your goals (improving race speed, adjusting to your race pace, improving strength, developing stamina, etc), you will run your intervals anywhere between a near-sprint and your 10K race pace. Here are some quick-and-dirty guidelines for figuring out which pace might be most appropriate for you: Near-sprint This is the pace that it would take you to run one or two miles at maximum effort (around 20 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace, 30 seconds per mile faster than 10K). This is a pace that

should be used only by very experienced runners doing 220s or, at most, 440s. Running at this blistering pace will make for an anaerobic workout that can do wonders to sharpen your speed. Fast intervals This is the pace you should run for most of your fast workouts (as opposed to your on-pace workouts). It's a shade slower than the near-sprint, about 10 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace, 20 seconds per mile faster than 10K. This pace will help you increase your race speed and improve your aerobic capacity. 5K on-pace intervals Run your intervals at your 5K pace. If you're training for a 5K race, this will help you get acquainted with your pace and condition you to run it comfortably. If you're a 10K runner, this pace will sharpen your speed and help you get used to toughing out a fast pace. 10K on-pace intervals This pace is good for those training for 10K and higher races, making you familiar with your pace and helping you to get comfortable with it. This is also a good pace for those new to speedwork. Begin with distance Specifically, begin by increasing the number of intervals that you run, while keeping the distance and speed of those intervals the same. Add no more than one or two intervals at a time. Remember that you should be able to run all of your intervals at the same pace. If you are not able to maintain your speed, you are probably not yet ready to increase the number of intervals; go back to the original number for a few more workouts. After you have done several workouts and added a few intervals to your routine, try increasing your pace slightly. This should be on the order of 1 or 2 seconds per 440 (or 5 to 10 seconds off your mile pace). As you do this, decrease the number of intervals that you run. As you get comfortable with this new pace, gradually increase the number of intervals as you did with your original pace. The idea, of course, is to build up your speed gradually and in steps. Be patient. It will take some time for your body to respond and adapt to tougher workouts. If you are new to speedwork, you will very likely make rapid gains in the first few weeks. Over time, however, it will become more and more difficult to become faster. Don't be surprised or disappointed if it takes several months to increase your per mile pace by even a few seconds. Some Specifics Now that the general principles have been laid out, here are more specific suggestions based on your ability and goals. Click on one of the options below to see some suggested parameters for your speed workouts. Beginners Runners who run 15 to 30 miles per week four to six days per week, and who have at least six months of running experience behind them. This may also include longtime runners who have not been training very hard. For men, 5K time is 24:00 and up, and 10K is 48:00 and up. For women, 5K time is 26:00 and up, and 10K is 54:00 and up.

Intermediate runners Runners who run 25 to 60 miles per week five to seven days per week, and who have been running at least two years. For men, 5K time is between 20:00 and 24:00, and 10K is between 40:00 and 48:00. For women, 5K time is between 22:00 and 26:00, and 10K is between 44:00 and 52:00. Advanced runners Runners who run 40 to 60 miles per week six to seven days per week, with at least four years of experience (and two years of racing experience). For men, 5K time is between 17:00 and 20:00, and 10K is between 34:00 and 40:00. For women, 5K time is between 19:00 and 22:00, and 10K is between 36:00 and 42:00. Competitive runners Runners who run over 60 miles per week and run seven days per week, frequently twice per day. For men, 5K time is under 17:00, 10K is under 34:00. For women, 5K time is under 19:00, and 10K is under 36:00.

Woman, Judo and Strength of mind

Paralympic champion and Blind Judo Foundation

Blind Judoist Lori Pierce, 2002 IBSA World Championships, Silver medalist in the Paralympic Games in Athens, 2004

Condensation fogged the storefront window of Cahill's Judo Academy in San Bruno, and the air inside was warm and close as about 25 athletes practiced hip throws, foot sweeps and falling techniques on a long, narrow mat. In the back of the room, renowned coach Willy Cahill instructed 20-year- old Lori Pierce while she was modifying a hip throw. She set up the throw several times, stopping at the last moment before actually throwing her workout partner, Mike Alperin, a 200-pound green belt. At one point the 69- year-old Cahill stepped in and placed the palms of his thick hands on her face and gently adjusted the tilt of her head. "There," he said. "Can you tell the difference?" She nodded and resumed the starting position. Then, with amazing speed, she spun into her partner, lifting him off the ground, over her shoulder and onto the mat with a thud. "Yes!" Cahill said to Pierce, who broke into a broad smile. "Again!" Last summer, Pierce won a sliver medal in judo at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens (The Paralympic Games are an official equivalent of the Olympics for athletes with physical disabilities; they take part at the same city as the regular Olympics just after them). A couple of years before she took a gold medal at her first international competition, the Blind Judo World Championships in Rome. Pierce, who lives in Colorado, was in the Bay Area to practice basic judo skills at Cahill's and, more importantly, to demonstrate judo techniques on behalf of the newly formed Blind Judo Foundation, a San Mateo nonprofit. "Our mission is to bring judo to the blind and visually impaired community to help them develop confidence and adaptive skills," said Ron Peck, who founded the organization along with Cahill. "It's a great sport because along with leadership and character development, it offers balance and falling skills, which are critical to the blind and sight-impaired." During her visit, Pierce gave a demonstration to about 70 kids at the California School for the Blind in Fremont. Along with Cahill and other specially trained coaches, Pierce worked out with the students and taught them some basic throws and falling techniques. "The kids were in awe of Lori," said Mary Alice Ross, one of the school's adaptive physical education teachers. "They were thrilled to work out with her, and they loved it when she slammed one of our students onto the mat. It was definitely a confidence-builder." There's no better example of the confidence judo inspires than Pierce herself. During the Paralympics in Athens, she and another blind athlete stunned their coaches when they struck out on a self-guided tour of the bustling city, with its confusing grid and notoriously aggressive drivers. It was a tour many sighted visitors are reluctant to take without a qualified guide. Pierce, who speaks no Greek, said they had a great time. "It was really fun wandering around the city, like we did," she said. "People were very friendly, and if they didn't speak English, they helped us find someone who did."

Pierce is the youngest of eight children and was always included in whatever sports her siblings were into. But she said judo is the one she gets the most from. "I like trying new things," she said. "And judo has helped me develop the confidence to go for it." The foundation was started last year, but there are already as many as eight judo coaches who have developed skills in coaching blind and sight-impaired students. In addition, Cahill's Judo Academy is equipped for blind and sight-impaired students. But Peck said that the foundation's most valuable resource is Cahill. Mary Ross hopes money can be found because the kids would clearly benefit from it as they do from other sports, such as in-line skating, kayaking and rock climbing. "It's pretty amazing the things these kids do," she said. "It's also pretty amazing how much they are underestimated." John Geluardi San Francisco Chronicle April 15, 2005

Lori Pierce and Willy Cahill Directions to Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University University Way, Port Elizabeth 6001 - 041 504 2111 16,7 km about 3 hours 27 mins
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Edit in Google Map Maker 2011 Google - Map data 2011 AfriGIS (Pty) Ltd, Google - Terms of Use

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14 Du Plessis St, Port Elizabeth 6020

2011 Google

Show: Text only | Map | Street View 1. Head southe ast on Du Plessis Rd toward Aubrey Rd About 2 mins go 140 m total 140 m

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 2. Turn left onto Aubr ey Rd Abou t4 mins go 400 m total 500 m

2011 Googl e Show: Text only | Map | Street View 3. Turn right onto Stanfo rd Rd About 32 mins go 2,6 km total 3,1 km

 2011 Googl e Show: Text only | Map | Street View 4. Continu e onto Harrow er Rd About 11 mins go 900 m total 4,0 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 5. Slight left onto Harrow er Rd/ M10 About 19 mins go 1,6 km total 5,6 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 6. Turn left onto Crawfo rd St go 7 m total 5,6 km

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Turn right onto Gova n Mbek i Ave/ R102 Abou t 11 mins

go 800 m total 6,4 km

2011 Goog le Show: Text only | Map | Street View 8. Turn right onto Mack ay Rd About 7 mins go 350 m total 6,8 km

2011 Googl e Show: Text only | Map | Street View 9. At the roundabo ut, take the 1st exit onto Callington St About 1 min go 79 m total 6,8 km

 2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 10. Turn left onto Irvine St Abou t3 mins go 270 m total 7,1 km

2011 Goog le Show: Text only | Map | Street View 11. Turn right onto Stanl ey St About 1 min go 110 m total 7,2 km

2011 Googl e Show: Text only | Map | Street View 12. Turn left onto Moffa t St Abou t3 mins go 250 m total 7,5 km

 2011 Goog le Show: Text only | Map | Street View 13. Contin ue onto Rose St About 5 mins go 400 m total 7,8 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 14. Turn right onto Weste rn Rd About 1 min go 110 m total 8,0 km

2011 Googl e Show: Text only | Map | Street View 15. At the roundabo ut, take the 3rd exit onto Park Dr About 1 min go 79 m total 8,0 km

 2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 16. Turn left onto Valle y Abou t9 mins go 800 m total 8,9 km

2011 Goog le Show: Text only | Map | Street View 17. Contin ue onto Bridge St About 1 min go 61 m total 8,9 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 18. Turn right onto Uppe r Valle y Rd Abou t9 go 600 m total 9,5 km

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2011 Goog le Show: Text only | Map | Street View 19. Turn left onto Wyndha m St About 2 mins go 150 m total 9,7 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 20. Turn right onto Anders on St About 2 mins go 130 m total 9,8 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 21. Turn left onto Walm er Rd About 9 mins go 750 m total 10,5 km

 2011 Googl e Show: Text only | Map | Street View 22. Turn right onto Fores t Hill N/B Rd Abou t9 mins go 750 m total 11,3 km

2011 Goog le Show: Text only | Map | Street View 23. Contin ue straigh t to stay on Forest Hill N/B Rd About 1 min go 85 m total 11,4 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 24. Contin ue onto La go 850 m total 12,2 km

Roche Rd About 10 mins

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 25. Turn right onto Strandfont ein Rd About 16 mins go 1,3 km total 13,5 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 26. Turn left onto Mcarth ur Dr About 6 mins go 500 m total 14,0 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 27. Turn right onto Erasm us Dr About 20 go 1,7 km total 15,7 km

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2011 Googl e Show: Text only | Map | Street View 28. Turn left onto Admirali ty Wy About 7 mins go 550 m total 16,3 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 29. Turn right toward Universi ty Wy go 40 m total 16,3 km

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View 30. Slight right onto Universi ty Wy About 5 mins go 400 m total 16,7 km

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Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University University Way, Port Elizabeth 6001 - 041 504 2111

2011 Google Show: Text only | Map | Street View These directions are for planning purposes only. You may find that construction projects, traffic, weather, or other events may cause conditions to differ from the map results, and you should plan your route accordingly. You must obey all signs or notices regarding your route. Map data 2012 AfriGIS (Pty) Ltd, Google