Stuck in a Rut?
Have you noticed that chasing down personal bests seems to get harder the longer that you run?
Ever wondered what you should do when you're running
seems to plateau? Well, it sounds like you're in a bit of a running rut.
Don't worry.
This is completely normal.
You just need to change things up a bit.
So we have delved into the Running Channel archives and picked out three
runs to spice up your life.
First, though, we are trying to hit 500,000 subscribers.
So please do show us your support by giving this video a like and hitting that subscribe button.
Are you going out for the same type of run every single time?
Have you considered switching it up to include something different?
One of these things could be a speed session.
Some workouts are better than others for different things that you're training for.
So we're going to have a little look at what works for those different races.
So Kate's going to start off.
So if, for example, you wanted to make your parkrun time faster, a really good classic
session would be to do 10 times 400 metres.
That's one lap of the track. In between each rep you're looking at perhaps 90
seconds rest where you either just stand to get your breath back or you walk slowly
or if you're feeling particularly full of energy, you jog it.
If you've got a 10K race coming up, then you're gonna probably want to try and make those reps a little bit longer.
Try doing a kilometre rep - that's 2.5 laps around the track. And, for
example, if you've got a half marathon coming up, maybe you might want to give mile repeats a try.
So that's four times around the track.
Or maybe you want to work on your finishing speed, in which case you might want to do really short fast reps.
200 metres, 100 metres even.
Or you can mix all these together in one session, and do something like a pyramid.
That's where you do 200 metres, 400 metres,
600 metres, 800 metres and then back down the other side of the
pyramid, 600, 400, 200.
You can adjust those distances of course, but you're getting a mix of a workout in one session.
Whatever session you choose to do on the track, it's really important that you warm up first.
You're probably going to run as fast as you'll ever run whilst doing a track session.
What kind of warm up you do slightly depends on what you've been doing that day.
But if you've been sat all day at a desk, then 10 minutes or so of gentle jogging is probably a good idea.
Another rule of thumb is that actually the shorter and sharper your effort,
maybe the longer your warm up should be.
You've got to really get those muscles going before you try anything at top speed.
Otherwise, it's a torn muscle waiting to happen.
It can be a bit daunting thinking about, say, 12 400 metres ahead of you.
So try and just take it one rep at a time.
Just think about that rep that you're in.
The other thing that's really important in your track
work is consistency.
There is no point blasting out a ridiculously fast 400, and then
dying, and basically just giving up on the session.
The main thing is to try and be consistent, so try and make each lap each rep time, the same
or roughly the same as the previous ones. And we've already touched upon warming up at the track.
But it's just as important that you remember to cool down afterwards. No matter how tempting it is to
get to the end of your set and collapse in a heap, it's really important that you bring your
heart rate down at a steady rate. And the other thing to prepare for if you've never been to the track
before, is that you're probably going to hurt
tomorrow. You might have some really epic DOMS going on. Completely normal,
you're running on a new surface and you're probably really pushing the pace.
This next one is a total game changer, so pay close attention because it could
transform your running.
Now, when I first started running, every single run that I used to go out on was the same distance.
I'm sure many of you can relate to this as well.
I used to go out, do 5K, come back and that was every single run.
But you'll be amazed how a small difference, just going out for a longer, slower run can make
to your times and your training.
It does exactly what it says on the tin.
It's long and it's slow, and it often happens on a Sunday, as that's when most people tend to have the most free time and also emulates race day,
as most races happen on a Sunday. Long, slow runs should be run long and slow.
You can increase the volume, or you can increase the intensity,
but you shouldn't really increase both at the same time.
One way to keep yourself steady is to add on a couple of miles each week as
you go out and you improve.
You can also run to your heart rate.
So long, slow runs should be aerobic, which means that you're running at around 65
to 70% of your heart rate.
So what's the benefits of a long, slow run?
Well, you're running aerobically, which means that your body can get enough oxygen
from the blood to create energy in the cells, burning fats in
most cases.
So when you're running aerobically, it means there's less of a build up of waste
product in your legs as well,
like lactic acid, you tend to get when you're doing speed work, so recovery is not too
bad from those achey legs, either.
Just remember, though, don't start off doing long, slow runs that are three hours
long, if you're only used to doing 30 minutes to start with. It's a gradual process, So build it up.
Have you ever considered doing a tempo run?
Getting that speed up a little bit and switching up your running can make a huge difference.
When I introduced tempo runs, it really helped me get my 5K time down and really helped at parkrun,
so why not give it a go?
Now, what you might not know about me is before joining The Running Channel, I was a subscriber as well, and
this is one of my all time favourite videos.
It really helped transform my running, and so hopefully it will help transform yours as well.
Tempo means pace or speed.
A tempo run, however, is when you're running at a comfortably hard pace.
Now I know that seems like a complete contradiction in terms, but it needs to be a pace that you could
sustain for around about 20 to 30 minutes while running rather hard.
So it's not a sprint, but it's the type of place where you could just go
yeah, let's turn left at the right, okay.
Yeah. Okay, I'm fine.
But you certainly couldn't sustain a conversation.
How does it actually help?
Well, the idea is to train your body to run at just below your lactate
threshold point, which you can then nudge up just a little.
So if you're running,
you'll be able to go further and faster before those tired legs set in,
that's caused by a build up of that nasty lactic acid.
That's right. So all the pro athletes do them, from middle distance all the way through to the marathon,
and they can help you, too.
Tempo running is also helpful for building up that stamina and mental
toughness that you need for racing,
and it really takes you out of your comfort zone.
You're probably wondering exactly what pace you should be doing your tempo runs at.
Well, the answer to that is as technical as you want it to be.
If you are a really data driven person who wants a very specific number for that, then the most
accurate way is to get a threshold test done in a lab on a treadmill.
Many of the new generation of sports watches also make a decent estimate of what your
threshold pace is based on your heart rate during your runs.
You usually need to do a specific test for this and go out running a fair bit just so
they can work it out from a baseline.
Now do be wary of the results, though, because they don't take set
conditions on the day into account.
So if you're running uphill, for example, or you've got an icy headwind,
those things aren't gonna be logged down.
If you're not one for tests or devices, then aim for a pace that's somewhere
between your current 10K race pace and half marathon race pace, that
will probably look like something around 25 to 30 seconds per
mile slower than your current 5K race pace.
Hopefully, adding some of these into your running routine will help you get out of your running
rut. Want even more tips?
Well, go check out the full videos for more information.
Do you have any other tips and tricks to help with the running rut?
Let us know in the comments down below, and we'll see you next time on The Running Channel.
