COACH
LARA SAYS:
If you’re someone who enjoys running, then you’ll
understand what I mean when I mention the “runners
high”. Not only is a good run exhilarating, but anyone
can do it, anytime and anywhere. You don’t have to
join a gym or purchase expensive equipment; all you need
is a good sports bra, a pair of running shoes and the great
outdoors. For those of you who aren’t particularly
crazy about this third and final leg of the triathlon let
me assure you that you’ll not only get through it,
but with a little hard work and dedication, you might even
end up loving it!
First, let’s address those of you who feel you’re
not “runners”
so to speak. The more you procrastinate with your run training,
the more you’ll regret it come race day. So start slow
and you’ll avoid unwanted soreness and decrease your
risk of injury. Begin by doing a walk/run workout; warm-up
by walking briskly for 5 minutes followed by a pattern of
3 minutes of running and 3 minutes of walking. Repeat the
cycle 4-5 times and then cool down with another 5 minutes
of easy walking. Increase your run intervals by 1-2 minutes
each week while decreasing your walk interval. Once you are
able to run a mile continuous, increase your distance by
5-10% per week until you reach your desired mileage. |
For
those of you out there who are more experienced runners
but are bored with the same old workout or just can’t
seem to get any faster (or a bit of both), then the following
tips will help you get out of your running rut.
Fartlek
workouts - A simple way
to start improving your run is to increase your
speed and intensity by adding interval or fartlek
runs to your workouts. Intervals are usually
performed on a track, alternating specified times
or distances of hard running with easy running.
A Fartlek, on the other hand, is an unstructured
speed workout (taken from a Swedish term that
means “speed play”). For this type
of workout begin with a 10-minute warm-up then
run at a pace that is somewhat hard for an undetermined
interval. Follow your hard interval with easy
jogging until you feel recovered and ready to
run hard again. Repeat this sequence 3-6 times
during your run. |
|
Tempo
running - A second way to
improve your running is to incorporate tempo workouts
into your training schedule. A tempo run is a 20-60
minute run at a pace that is “do-able but
uncomfortable”. It’s generally faster
than a jog but easier than your interval pace.
Before your tempo run, make sure you warm-up by
doing 10-minutes of easy jogging. Start off with
only 5 minutes of hard running and eventually work
your way up to a full 60 minutes.
Hill
Repeats - Hill repeats are
excellent for building leg strength. Try to find
a hill that is moderate in both length and grade.
After warming up for about 10-minutes, run up
the hill at a pace that is once again,
“do-able but uncomfortable”. Jog or walk
down easy, recover for anywhere from 30 seconds to 2-mintes.
Repeat 3-10 times depending on your fitness level and
make sure you cool down to complete your workout.
Remember,
no one ever became a great
runner overnight so get out there and start training!
-Coach
Lara |
