Training Manifesto

by Sage Canaday

Paces/ Intensities slightly faster/harder than V02max velocity/ effort (but slower than all-out sprint speed) can and should be used to capitalize on gains in V02max by improving your muscle coordination (through the stimulation of neuromuscular pathways between muscle fibers and the brain), as well as by having the body adapt to clearing increasing concentrations of lactate at a faster rate. To simplify things I like to call workouts in this intensity/pace range: �Economy� workouts because they are specific to developing a sense of race pace velocity and lead to adaptations of more efficient biomechanics and changes at a chemical level. (Daniles calls this �R-pace�, Coe might call this �anaerobic capacity,� Run with the Best calls this �Anaerobic power running� or �Lactic Acid tolerance�). However, it is important to clarify that the workouts in this pace/intensity range can be easily manipulated throughout the season to stimulate very different adaptations within the body. Changing one variable, such as decreasing the rest between intervals/repeats or increasing the intensity or total volume of the training session are only appropriate at certain times and must be integrated into the overall training picture of complementing workouts and critical periods within the season.

Paces/ Intensities slightly slower/ easier than Lactate Threshold velocity/effort but faster than an easy jog recovery pace can be used in Long Runs to capitalize on building strength and endurance as well as teaching the body to more efficiently burn fat as a fuel and increase glycogen stores (energy to be used by the muscles) in the liver. Perhaps more importantly, this �Easy Aerobic Pace� as I will call it, is what makes up the bulk of training mileage at any given season of the year. Improvements in capillary densities in the legs, the number and size of mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell) as well as burning fat and excess calories are important adaptations to make an athlete more fit over the years. (Daniels refers to this as E-pace or L-pace, Benson refers to this as a range of �Aerobic Power running, to Aerobic Endurance training.�) It is important to note that this is a large range of intensity/pace, which could blend into �steady state� and near Lactate Threshold effort running down to an easy conversational pace that is employed on days between hard workouts.

To summarize the major terms listed above from slowest/easiet pace-range efforts to the more difficult pace ranges/efforts I have listed some example workouts below:

Easy Aerobic Pace:

• �60min run starting at a slow shuffle jog and ending at marathon race pace�



• �Long run of 20 miles or 2 hours�.stop at whichever comes first�



• �AM: run easy 45min, PM: Run at an easy, but steady effort on hilly trails for 70min�

Lactate Threshold:

• �6-8 mile run at current 10k pace + about 20 sec/ mile�



• �20 min �Tempo Run� at current 10k pace + about 10 sec/mile



• � 3 by 2 miles at 10k pace + about 10 sec/ mile with a 2 min rest between each�

V02max:

• �8 by 1000m at current 5k pace with 2 min rest between each�



• �5 by 1600m at current 5k -8k race pace with 3 min rest between each�

Economy:

• �16-20 by 400m @ current 3k pace with a 1:30 rest between�



• �10 by 600m @ goal 5k pace with a 1:30 rest between�



• �24 by 200m @ mile race pace (manipulate rest depending on goal of workout and time of season)�



• 4 by 400m @ fastest possible average w/5min rest between *


*note: this last workout is not applicable to merely building �Economy� like those others listed above as it specifically targets the demands of a middle distance race and high concentrations of lactic acid which if performed too frequently or too early in the season will lead to �burn-out� by destroying aerobic enzymes. I only listed it because it falls into this pace/intensity range that I broadly defined above, although I do not plan to discuss workouts such as these any further because they are outside my personal area of training emphasis.

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