Slow Down and Get Fast

I may be dumb, but I’m not stupid. For several years now, Mitch has been telling me that if I want to run my IM marathon faster, then I need to slow down. It sounds paradoxical—even nonsensical which is why for years I ignored his advice. The point he was trying to get me to understand is that my training was focused on improving the wrong system—not that I actually meant to bypass maximizing my improvement in my Type I (slow twitch) muscles, but rather my training regime bypassed the Type I and was working the Type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers.

As long course triathletes, the vast majority of the work we do during a race must be supported by the Aerobic System—not the Anaerobic System. All long course triathletes-especially amateurs-having to balance the requirements of work and family obligations as well as trying to squeeze in sufficient training to perform at our desired level come race day. This scenario sets up a trap which is all too easy to fall into; you say “I only have 3 opportunities to run during the week so I’m going to run them as hard as I can to get maximum value from the session.” This is a mistake! The key to successful long course running performance is in INCREASED FREQUENCY (gotta find those extra 2 or 3 sessions a week) at DECREASED INTENSITY. Numerous studies have shown that maximizing the development of the Aerobic system is done by exercising at/or below the Aerobic Threshold (AeT). The top of Friel’s Zone 1 is often referenced as a good approximation of the Aerobic Threshold. Gordo Byrn’s “Four Pillars” available on line at GordoWorld goes into significant depth in defining AeT. For our purposes, we’ll assume you know what AeT is and how to find your AeT.

It has been said that the most competitive runners in long course triathlon aren’t the ones that run the fastest, they are the ones that slow down the least! Few athletes can even split or negative split the first and second half of an Ironman marathon, so for most of us, that statement is quite accurate. Since returning to training after my rest month following a pretty ugly performance at IMFL, I have FINALLY embraced the concept of training to wring the most out of my Type I Aerobic System.

Here is a summary of my training protocol, followed by some early results and perceptions of my training to date.

1. I can find the time to run 4 times a week initially, eventually building to 6 times a week by the time I start my third cycle (build I).
2. I can define two separate target zones to use in my running. The first is at, or slightly below my current Aerobic Threshold. The second is about 15-20 bpm above my AeT, but still 10-15 bpm below my LTHR. (note, if you do the math, my AeT (and probably yours too) is 25-35 bpm below my LTHR)
3. I use a Heart Rate Monitor to keep my HR within my target zones.
4. I try to use out and back or short loop type courses to allow me to take time and HR “splits”.

So now that I’ve defined the ground rules, how do I use them in my running routine?

Easy Runs—some would call these junk miles, but they are key element to developing durability in the legs and joints to allow that long, long day at Ironman to pass with out losing form or incurring injury. These are ALWAYS done below AeT. When the run volume hits 7-8 hours over 6 workouts in a week, these easy runs will never be less than an hour will often be 1+10 to 1+20 in length. They are run easy enough so that I can “back them up” with virtually any other workout on my schedule day in or day out without a problem.

Steady Runs-similar to the easy run, these runs are little more flexible than my easy runs—I try and hold the same PACE (within reason) by allowing my HR to increase as I climb hills (very little flat options where I am). I control my HR so I never exceed that AeT +20, and after cresting the hill I accept my HR is going to remain somewhat elevated as I slowly recover back toward AeT HR. Generally run twice a week, these runs have replaced my “tempo runs” of old. This is a fundamental change in my philosophy and worth noting—before starting this protocol, I was trying to get used to operating with my quads bathed in lactic acid. Now I am getting used to running without producing the lactic acid.

Long Runs-just a variation of the steady run, I use classic periodization to increase the duration of my steady run efforts. Steadily increasing the duration of the long run during a cycles and then dropping the duration during my rest week to allow for adaptation and full recovery. Following the rest week, the long runs pick up again near where but not greater than, the duration I left off.

Out and Back or Loop Courses-are, to me anyway, one of the key tools I have to see how well I am doing and to ensure that performance is what I think it is. There are various tests one can perform over measured distances periodically to track improvements, but for me, every workout is like test as I have only a few run courses that I tend to repeat. What I do is track my time and HR to key landmarks or loop completion—religiously logging them in my training log. Each lap loop I work for consistent time and, even more importantly, consistent HR. HR will increase some as the run progresses—this is natural “cardio creep” and is to be expected, BUT if your HR increases by more than 8-10 bpm in order to maintain the same pace then you’ve run your OUT or your initial laps TOO FAST. Remember, most people either run too infrequently or they run too fast when they do run, OR BOTH!

Here is an example of a good run from my training log: Following a 4 hour training ride I slipped on my shoes and did my 1 hour out and back course (that I break up into two timed segments out and the same two segments back). Note, my AeT is now estimated at about 140 bpm (up from 135 when I started running back in December) (1out) 16:58@141, (2out) 13:05@141, (2back) 13:17@144, (1back) 17:15@145. I basically hit my split times within reason and my HR growth on the way home was quite modest. This is what I would expect for a run at or near my AeT. Had my outbound legs been significantly higher than AeT, then I would have had to work much harder on the second half of the run to keep the same pace and my HR would have increased significantly—this would be an obvious problem in the second half of an Ironman Marathon where I don’t have the ability to generate this additional HR to get me home at my selected pace.

Tempo, and beyond- While every modern muli-sport coach I’ve read about or talked to agrees with this basic principal, there are two schools of thought regarding higher intensity efforts. One school subscribes to the theory that Ironman marathon runners NEVER need to operate at high intensity to obtain their desired results. That time spent at or above LTHR is not necessary for the athlete and this effort adversely affects recovery time that impacts other workouts on the training schedule. The other school of thought considers that the human machine has two distinct energy generating systems—Aerobic and Anaerobic and that both need to be developed to maximize the bodies performance. The jury is still out on this issue, but some high intensity work is, in my opinion, not a bad thing. Rather than inventing ugly painful workouts to tax my anaerobic system, I prefer to ride hard in the signature sections of my local club ride and enter some shorter, faster races to tax this system.

How do you know if you are improving? It is actually pretty straight forward—when you run your favorite courses, as you strengthen your Aerobic System what you will find is that if you run your familiar HR range, the time it takes to do the loop will be decreasing. This process takes 5-6 weeks of consistent execution to allow cellular mitochondrial and capillary production to develop. The secondary benefit is that at the same time your avg HR/pace per mile is dropping, your AeT value is actually increasing! A classic TWO FER! If you feel like your running has room for improvement and you are training HARDER than ever, why not take a 8-12 weeks and at least TRY training SMARTER with this lower stress, lower impact run training protocol. It really works!

Bill Wainwright