HONING CONFIDENCE AND PERFORMANCE

Speed training may seem like a surprising idea for someone training to run or just to finish - an endurance event like the marathon. Don't worry, you won't need starting blocks or sprint spikes to successfully integrate speedwork into your marathon training.

There are almost as many advantages to speed workouts as there are different types of speedwork: Intervals, repeats, ladders, or pyramids are all common training techniques. The subtle differences in principle or philosophy aren't important. Running shorter, harder workouts to improve your conditioning, form, sense of pace, and race confidence is what's important.

Interval training derives its name from the recovery intervals between repeated, timed efforts at whatever distance the runner chooses, typically 200-800 meters for track runners and up to several kilometres for marathoners. The idea is to control the time and intensity of both the running repetitions and recovery intervals to achieve a specific amount of exertion. Since both the work and recovery portions of the workout are timed, this is an excellent method for monitoring the improvement in your conditioning.

You need to understand the benefits of and have specific goals for interval training in order to set up an effective speedwork plan for yourself or your training group. There are several benefits of interval training for long distance runners:

Running faster than your training, and even your race pace, helps improve your form. Your running-specific muscles are working harder and becoming stronger and more efficient. You'll learn to relax and stay controlled at a faster, harder pace. All of this helps you be more efficient come race time.

Running hard in training helps simulate the fatigue of the late stages of an actual marathon. When there are ten kilometres to the finish line, you'll feel confident in your ability to handle the fatigue and discomfort of those last minutes. Instead of just trying the reach the finish line, you'll be able to accelerate toward it.

Even well-trained distance runners can sometimes affort to lose a few pounds or kilograms to achieve maximum efficiency on race day. Shorter, more intense workouts raise the body's metabolic rate in a way that pure aerobic exercise cannot. To burn those final calories that might be keeping you from a Personal Record in the marathon, you need to invest some time in hard runs.

In your first interval workout, you might find your times, or "splits", for each repetition vary greatly, even though you're trying to hit the same time for each one. This may also be the case in your races right now. There is no better way to develop a good sense of pace than interval training. During a track workout, veteran runners can run lap-after-lap within fractions of a second of each other without looking at their watches thanks to their interval training backgrounds.

Successful marathoners also compete at shorter distances to sharpen their speed and build their confidence. Nothing builds racing confidence like setting a Personal Record in a 10K or half marathon. Here is where speedwork like interval training is particularly beneficial. If you haven't done it before, just several weeks of regular interval training can easily bring your best 10K time down by a minute or even minutes!

As a very general guide, a typical interval workout schedule for a 5K runner would be two or three sessions on the track per week. A workout consists of between five and eight repetitions of 800 meters with a rest interval equal to the 800 meter time. A 19:00 5K runner might run those 800 meters in 2:45 with a 2:45 or 3:00 minute jog/walk recovery period before the next one.

A marathoner might do their interval workout on the road or trail. The principle of running shorter distances faster than race pace in order to simulate a full race effort remains the same. A 3:30 h marathoner's workout might be four repetitions of as much as 3K @ 4:32/K (2 miles @ 7:15/mile) with a recovery joy long enough to feel ready to do that same effort again even while still feeling fatigued.

There is no ideal pace or distance for interval workouts. The recovery interval can also be as long as as short as you choose in order to increase the level of effort. Running faster than race pace on a regular basis is the only requirement to benefit from this type of training.

Variety is the spice of a distance runner's life. Running the same type of workout at the same pace for months at a time can take away your competitive edge and basic enjoyment of running. Interval training is a simple, effective way to improve your form and conditioning and keep your running interesting.