Overview of Advanced Training
Speed work can be uncomfortable and, yes, sometimes even painful. But by doing speed workouts, you become accustomed to running faster and tolerating both the physical and mental discomforts when racing. You will also be able to run faster without any extra effort during your easy training runs due to your improved cardiovascular conditioning.
Through speed work, you can improve your body's ability to run faster with limited oxygen stores available. Additionally, your speed will improve on your easier runs. Like with any training, you need to apply stress in small, progressive steps over a period of weeks. Just as weightlifters work up to lifting a new weight slowly and swimmers increase their ability to hold their breath, runners must gradually adapt their bodies to the stress of running fast in order to improve their tolerance to lactic acid buildup. This is the purpose of speed work.
What are the benefits of doing speed work with a group?
“Doing speed work in a group helps you push yourself. It gives you a sense of competition. It also gives people more inspiration. People feel better in groups. They are more apt to push themselves as they see other people pushing themselves. Misery loves company.” — Pam Spadola, Howell, NJ, speed work group leader, Freehold Area Running Club
The Physiological Aspects of Speed Training
Everyone knows that when you sprint or climb a few flights of stairs you get a burning sensation in your legs. This occurs due to your muscles working while being deprived of oxygen. During everyday activities as well as long, slow running, your body uses mostly oxygen as fuel (aerobic running). As you increase the workload on your muscles, your body begins burning stored fuel, called glycogen, for energy.
This anaerobic (without oxygen) workout results in an accumulation of lactic acid, which is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism. With continued effortful movement, this lactic acid accumulates to the point where it begins shutting down your muscles.
The point at which your body reaches its maximum capacity for using oxygen and then switches over to accumulating lactic acid is termed the anaerobic threshold. With proper speed training, you can raise this threshold, which allows you to run at a faster pace before reaching the point where lactic acid accumulation begins slowing you down.
Another important factor that relates to running performance is your aerobic capacity. This value, also known as your max VO
Other inherited qualities can either work for or against you. Your morphology (body type), the ratio of your fast twitch to slow twitch muscle fibers (those who excel at sprinting have higher ratios of fast twitch muscle fibers, in contrast with those who perform better in endurance events who have a higher ratio of slow twitch muscle fibers), and the quality of your cardiorespiratory system all play roles in how well you are able to reach your full potential as a runner. Like your aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold, most genetic attributes can be minimized or enhanced through proper training.
One of the best ways to do speed work with others is to contact a local running club. You can find a running club by contacting the Road Runners Club of America for a list of running clubs throughout the nation. Many running clubs hold weekly speed workout sessions at a local track and sometimes offer seminars at club meetings.
