7 February 2008
Starting Speed
Posted by Mike Dopke under: Mike Dopke (Coach) .
You get out of running what you put into it. If you continually challenge yourself you will eventually see results. Terry and I are both impressed by the efforts that some of our runners who want to improve are putting forth. As part of our coaching duties, we have offered indoor speed work sessions to Road Warriors since the start of the program. In the past month we have worked closely and on a regular basis with Deb, Shirl, Nick, and Chaz. They are all getting faster every week. Between the 4 of them they have each cut an average of 2 minutes off of their mile time in just over a month. Those are great results folks!
The key is figuring out what is the right amount of training with intensity to do. If you do too much too fast you are opening yourself up to injury. It is important to listen to your body and ease into speedwork. Make sure you are properly warmed up before running fast. I usually run at least a mile at a comfortable pace to loosen up before picking up the tempo. When you are first starting out with speed, make sure it is over a shorter distance. For example we had our Road Warriors picking up the pace for 1 straightaway per lap on the track at the Y. After finishing the straightaway, they resumed running at their normal pace until they came around again. This got their bodies used to the faster pace, but also gave then time to recover between repeats. We had them do this for 2 weeks.
Over time we extended the distance at which they were pushing themselves. We went from running the straightaway, to running laps at a pace that was faster than their normal pace, but not as fast as they had run the straightaway. Because they had gotten used to the faster speed of the straightaway, these laps seemed easier because they had run them somewhat slower. Each workout builds upon the previous one, so it is important to add to the distance you are running fast as you improve over time.
Tuesday night was our first outdoor speed session of the year with RunGazelle. This will now become our regular Tuesday and Thursday thing and was what we have been preparing our Road Warriors for. It was dark, 33 degrees, and raining (hard at times). My feet were soaked after the first half-mile from running through puddles unseen under slush. We ran as a group of about 50 people to the backside of Reeds Lake where we did hill repeats. I had a blast! I hope Nick and Julie did too. What a great way to initiate a bunch of new members.
So be diligent with your training out there. I hope that you are starting to see results, as our Road Warriors are. All of these cold wet runs will pay off in the spring I promise you. There is nothing like the feeling I get on that first nice day of the year when I can run in shorts with the warm sun on my face. To me it feels like I am flying. Keep up with your speedwork and you will be too.
4 Comments so far...
Shirl Kohl-Martin Says:
7 February 2008 at 11:22 am.
Thanks for all of your help Mike! We couldn’t do it without you and Terry!
Shirl
Julie Hurley Says:
7 February 2008 at 2:17 pm.
Ditto! I loved running Tuesday night in the rain/sleet! I’m looking forward to more workouts like that one.
Bob Says:
7 February 2008 at 8:05 pm.
Nice post coach. I wish I could be out there with you.
Timothy Says:
10 February 2008 at 5:46 pm.
We thought of you as we ran the boring track. I can relate to the wet feet. Yesterday as we were running along the river, which was over the bank, I took the plunge in, both feet wet up to the ankle. Oh no, only 2 miles into an 11 mile run. Oh well, Deb as usual, with keen judgement, let me go first, and then backtracked before she suffered the same fate.
Wet feet do not need to stop a run.
Thank you for your coaching efforts, results are just staggering.