11 Replies to “Distance Runners Getting Their Speed Work On: The multi-level approach to getting faster”
I’m fascinated by this one. Particularly the ending – that people get caught up in the mileage. I want to run marathons, but I see it as a really long-term thing. I don’t want to do many, and it frequently shocks me that so many of the runners I follow are doing their third or fourth marathon just a year after getting the running bug. I guess we each have a completely different aim!
I desperately wan consistency, and I just feel like I keep stop-starting. It’s driving me mad!
you touched on one of my biggest sticking points with the ‘bloggy community’…marathon mania has taken hold which is GREAT in getting people into running and excited about it, but i think too many jump to the distance and miss out on the fact that speed and the shorter distances are really important in the development of a runner.
I noticed I got much faster this winter and I attribute it to a few things. The weather here made it very hard for me to run outdoors as often as I wanted so I was forced to run inside on the treadmill and I also started taking spinning classes. I found that I was logging less miles yet the miles I was running, became faster. I think spinning strengthened my legs (maybe?) and built up stamina in a different way (maybe? lol). And running on the dreadmill made me speed up to get done. I found that my natural, easy pace became much faster than only a few months ago. I believe that the more you get yourself to run faster, your body gets used to it, adjusts and then challenges you right back to go even faster.
the last sentence right there is the ticket. and yes, spinning has helped many runners improve their speed…a combo of the intensity and power gained from the resistance work. similar to doing hill repeats. 🙂
I haven’t really worked on my speed, yet. I am a relatively new runner, so I’ve just been working on consistency, endurance, and overall fitness. I am looking to PR in my next half-marathon, so I will be doing some speedwork this summer at my local high school track.
power to hitting the consistency!! that’s totally the first hurdle with new runners…good luck at the half and can’t wait for u to fall in love with the track. 🙂
Great information about about speed work and great timing for me! As you know, I’ve recently incorporated sped work into my training routine in an effort to get faster (duh). I’ll start training for my first full marathon at the end of July, so I’m hoping to put in a couple of months of work to try and laydown a good base. I’m hoping my body will grow accustomed to speed work being part of my normal routine by the time I start officially training.
you’re doing SUCH an awesome thing by implementing regular speedwork…be consistent and your body will surprised you at well and quickly it will respond to the new work. payoff = PR’s 🙂
I’m fascinated by this one. Particularly the ending – that people get caught up in the mileage. I want to run marathons, but I see it as a really long-term thing. I don’t want to do many, and it frequently shocks me that so many of the runners I follow are doing their third or fourth marathon just a year after getting the running bug. I guess we each have a completely different aim!
I desperately wan consistency, and I just feel like I keep stop-starting. It’s driving me mad!
you touched on one of my biggest sticking points with the ‘bloggy community’…marathon mania has taken hold which is GREAT in getting people into running and excited about it, but i think too many jump to the distance and miss out on the fact that speed and the shorter distances are really important in the development of a runner.
I noticed I got much faster this winter and I attribute it to a few things. The weather here made it very hard for me to run outdoors as often as I wanted so I was forced to run inside on the treadmill and I also started taking spinning classes. I found that I was logging less miles yet the miles I was running, became faster. I think spinning strengthened my legs (maybe?) and built up stamina in a different way (maybe? lol). And running on the dreadmill made me speed up to get done. I found that my natural, easy pace became much faster than only a few months ago. I believe that the more you get yourself to run faster, your body gets used to it, adjusts and then challenges you right back to go even faster.
the last sentence right there is the ticket. and yes, spinning has helped many runners improve their speed…a combo of the intensity and power gained from the resistance work. similar to doing hill repeats. 🙂
I haven’t really worked on my speed, yet. I am a relatively new runner, so I’ve just been working on consistency, endurance, and overall fitness. I am looking to PR in my next half-marathon, so I will be doing some speedwork this summer at my local high school track.
power to hitting the consistency!! that’s totally the first hurdle with new runners…good luck at the half and can’t wait for u to fall in love with the track. 🙂
Great information about about speed work and great timing for me! As you know, I’ve recently incorporated sped work into my training routine in an effort to get faster (duh). I’ll start training for my first full marathon at the end of July, so I’m hoping to put in a couple of months of work to try and laydown a good base. I’m hoping my body will grow accustomed to speed work being part of my normal routine by the time I start officially training.
you’re doing SUCH an awesome thing by implementing regular speedwork…be consistent and your body will surprised you at well and quickly it will respond to the new work. payoff = PR’s 🙂
Pingback: Goals, Running, Motives, Skinny-Fat and Twerking |
Pingback: Neuromuscular Training For Runners: Quick feet box taps |
Pingback: Embracing Discomfort: True rewards are only met when you’ve been pushed |