Toughest training distance

[ZootHornRollo]

Now I'm talking mainly road / flat here, so it's mainly for those who don't live near hills or do a lot of their training on the flat.

In order to keep my CV-fitness up, I do a variety of run-lengths and speed sessions and I got to thinking the one that hurts most - and is therefore probably best for me - is around 800m-1.5km. (like, I'll do 4x1km with 500m 'rests' in-between).

I'd hate to be a middle-distance runner, it's just a killer: anything under that distance you have the end in sight pretty quick, anything over that you run at a pace not too far off your long-distance pace.

Pushing it, eyes-out for a kilometre is just hell in my opinion - and must be v.effective.

Merry Xmas by the way...

[Pyrenees Haven]

For your session to be of any benefit it really shouldn't be done at an eyeballs out pace as that pace isn't necessarily sustainable over a number of efforts. For you to get any benefit you need to do your efforts at a 5 - 10% faster pace that you would race a 5 or10km on the road for example and that keep each rep within 3 seconds either way of that pace. If you have never done a 5 or 10km just measure a route and run it as a time trial. Then every 6 weeks run your time trial again and adjust your timed efforts accordingly.

Debbie

[TheReverand]

km reps are probably the toughest session, id agree with that, knocking out 5 or 6 of them is brutal but good training, in my opinion im no expert mind!! Over the last couple of month ive only been running twice a week, and racing once a fortnight probably, but each training session has been killer, my racing has never been so consistently decent ( atleast 10 good races on the trot, no stinkers of which i normally throw in from time to time ) A big part of this is training on a treadmill ( probably a banned word on a fell running forum ) These sessions always start with 20mins easy jogging followed by 30mins of fast running, where i gradually increase the speed until by the end im running the last km or so flat to the boards, is there a name for a session like this? it is proving quite effective

[TurboTom]

Im a 1500 and 800m man priginally and i find 3k reps are absolute bastards or 4*10 minutes is a good session with 5 or 7 minutes rest per rep. but different horses etc

[ZootHornRollo]

For your session to be of any benefit it really shouldn't be done at an eyeballs out pace as that pace isn't necessarily sustainable over a number of efforts. For you to get any benefit you need to do your efforts at a 5 - 10% faster pace that you would race a 5 or10km on the road for example and that keep each rep within 3 seconds either way of that pace. If you have never done a 5 or 10km just measure a route and run it as a time trial. Then every 6 weeks run your time trial again and adjust your timed efforts accordingly.

Debbie

Debbie - yes, I meant 'eyes-out within reason', i.e., as much as you can stand over the four reps rather than just the one.

[ZootHornRollo]

These sessions always start with 20mins easy jogging followed by 30mins of fast running, where i gradually increase the speed until by the end im running the last km or so flat to the boards, is there a name for a session like this? it is proving quite effective

I did this today on my run home from work - ran first 25 mins easy, next 20 fast and last 5-10 eyeballs-out

brilliant, felt great

[andygib1982]

I have started going down the track on are club night,The bloke who sorts the training out has a chart for different types of workout,All based on a 10k times(He has a chart for lots for times).So if your 10k time is 40mins and your doing 1600 meters with 90 seconds rest after each set.We do this 4 times.last time i did this it was at 6mins 33 seconds for each one.Then to finish off its a v02 max(fast pace i hate these !) 800 metres.I really enjoy em

[CL]

One of the attractions at the fair years ago was a tall wooden instrument containing a gauge, button and bell. The button was at the bottom, the bell at the top, and the gauge with a pellet in, in between.

After paying 5p the attendant would pass you a 3ft hammer. You'd then take the hammer and with one heavy blow try and hit the button with enough force to send the pellet pounding into the bell at the top. If you were strong and successful the bell would ping and the attendant would pass you a prize. If you weren't then you could always pay another 5p. A person could keep thrashing away at the button all day long with insufficient force and he'd never hear the bell ping. Only one hard effort would do the job.

In training the number one must be the loneliest number, but it will always be the most effective. Just repeating the same sub-maximal efforts will not be as effective or hard as one maximal effort. Therefore the hardest training distance I know of is the 800meters.

Of course most distance runners will avoid it, instead substituting more easier efforts in the belief that doing so will equal one hard effort; Conning themselves out of results with that old-chestnut "more is better."

The best example of the stress of one 800meters is Seb Coe's Florence run in 1981. On the finishing line his right leg buckled and watching him afterwards walk slowly away, one could see he was in a state of shock. He never did run as fast again, nor did anyone else until the EPO era.

So remember only one hard hit will ping the bell and only one flat out run will cause optimal physiological changes in the body.

[andy k]

total and utter pish

Seb Coe didn't destroy himself over 800m to get fitter, he did it to break the world record.

[Trog]

Roger Bannister did not become the first man to break 4 mins for the mile by training significantly faster than 4 min mile pace, he was happy to run his ¼ mile reps only slightly faster than race (goal) pace.

There are no prizes for winning the workout.