Different Training Methods for Running (Part 1)

A few years ago I met a guy in his first year of university. He was really strong and muscular. We talked about his training and he complained about how difficult it was to select a program. “Everybody is giving different advice,” he said. But, what he didn’t realize is that all successful programs have common themes; there are many workouts and systems that appear different on paper, but have the same effect. In this series of posts I’d like to discuss different workouts and periodization schemes for achieving improved performance in running. If you’re willing to study the underlying physiology or “waste” your time performing every program out there as I have you’ll discover similarities.

I’ve tried to simplify things by dropping the workouts into buckets without using scientific terminology; you could easily create your own categories based on pace or percentage of VO2max.

Important Note: I’ve given example workouts, but in order to be brief I wasn’t able to give examples for every fitness level. Therefore, these workouts may need to be heavily modified for your situation. Focus more on the description while using the examples as comparison to the other sessions.

Peter Snell defeating pre-race favourite Roger Moens in the 1960 Olympic 800 m.

Specific Training

I’ll start with event specific training and shoot off in either direction. The goal of event specific training is simply to replicate the demands of the race. This may be in the form of developing the energy systems or simply training at the speed of the race. Depending on your abilities and goals you may pick all of these options or just a couple.

Option 1: Race the event distance. This was a very popular means of training back in the 70s and 80s. By racing nearly every week runners required very little event specific training. However, the longer the event the less successful this method becomes. There are very few if any runners that are capable of running at their best for more than 2-3 marathons on an annual basis.

Option 2: Time-Trials of equal or shorter distance. While running the event distance replicates the race distance, running a shorter distance allows one to run at goal pace.

Option 3: Long Intervals with Full Recovery. These sessions are very difficult, so they’re only done a couple times a year and should not be done by young or inexperienced runners. Each interval will feel like a maximum effort during a hard training week, so don’t hesitate to take more rest.

            800m: 2-3x600m with 10-15min rest

            1500m: 2-3x1000m with 8-12min rest

            5km: 2-3x2000m with 8-12min rest

            10km: 3x3000m with 3-5min rest

Option 4: Medium Intervals with Short Recovery. These sessions can be done once a week in the latter training phases.

            800m: 5x400m with 4min rest

            1500m: 4-6x600m with 3min rest

            5km: 5-6x1000m with 90sec rest

            10km: 5-6x1mi with 90sec rest

            HM: 5-6x3000m with 3min rest

            Marathon: 3x10km with 1km jog rest

Option 5: Short Intervals with Short Recovery. These are moderately demanding sessions, so they can be done fairly frequently or as progressions to the other interval sessions.

            800m: 3x5x200m with 30-60sec between intervals and 5min between sets

            1500m: 3x5x300m with 45-60sec between intervals and 5min between sets

            5km: 15-20x400m with 30-60sec

            10km: 15-20x500m with 30sec rest

Option 6: Short Intervals with Long Recovery. These sessions are very easy and can be done in all phases of training. The goal is on biomechanics rather than energy system development.

            800m: 6-10x200m with 2min rest

            1500m: 6-12x300m with 90sec-2min rest

            5km: 12-16x400m with 90sec rest

            10km: 12-16x500m with 90sec rest

Option 7: Continuous Run

            HM: 10km Easy + 10km at Race Pace

            Marathon: 10mi Easy + 10mi at Race Pace

           

Option 8: Surging. These sessions are reserved for runners looking to qualify for championship finals and contend for medals. Sessions and sets within sessions are started at/slower than race pace and then the pace is kicked up a notch on subsequent intervals.

            800m: 3x(300, 200, 100m) with 90sec between intervals and 3min between sets

            1500m: 3x(400, 300, 200m) with 90sec between intervals and 3min between sets

            5km: 4x(1000m + 200m) with 60sec between intervals and 3min between sets

            10km: 4-5x(1600m + 400m) with 60sec between intervals and 3min between sets

            HM: 4x(2km + 1km) with 60sec between intervals and 3min between sets

            Marathon: 25km with 1km surges every 5km

This is far from an exhaustive list. All the rest sections in the above examples are passive, but one could use a jog recovery and extend the rest sections or subtract volume from the workout. Also, in most cases I used intervals of the same length at the same pace, but it’s boring to do 10-20 of anything. I love doing workouts like 2x6min at 10km pace, 2x4min at 5km pace, 2x2min at 3km pace with 2min rests.

In the next piece, I’ll discuss how to develop general conditioning in order to handle higher volumes of specific training. 

Stay fit,

Jonathan Pratt
Pratt's Pro Fitness