Run Training Sessions

Question 1

Volume of Weekly Running

Answer 1

The running hours prescribed for an athlete’s first week of training should not be more than 20% of the athlete’s current running volume.
For a triathlete using the 24-week IRONMAN training plan, the total volume of running typically starts at around 2.5 hours in the first week and progresses to a total of 5 hours on the peak running week.
To implement this plan, the athlete must be able to run consecutively for one hour, and have completed at least an Olympic distance triathlon.
To start training for an IRONMAN 70.3, the athlete must be able to run consecutively for 45 minutes, and have completed at least a sprint triathlon.

Question 2

Frequency of Running Sessions

Answer 2

Volume is a mathematical product of the frequency and duration of exercise.
The frequency of running sessions is dependent on the athlete’s level of experience, time availability, physical capabilities and goals.
At a minimum, athletes should be scheduled to run two key running sessions per week. For endurance athletes, these two key training sessions are a longer low to medium intensity run and a shorter higher intensity run.
If time and fitness allows for additional runs, athletes may be prescribed additional supporting running sessions.

Question 3

Duration of Running Sessions

Answer 3

Combining traditional long-duration running performed at a moderate-intensity with shorter duration, high-intensity training may yield the same, if not better, results in performance adaptations than only long and slow distance training.
Note: For this course, we will define short running training sessions as 30 minutes or less, medium running training sessions as 30 minutes up to one hour, and long runs at 1 hour or longer. Runs that follow a bike session will be referred to as brick runs, and will be counted as a run session.

Question 4

Running Training Session Objectives

Answer 4

The objectives of run training sessions will address the following factors.

Aerobic endurance
Strength
Sustained speed
Cardiovascular fitness
Technical skills
Tactical skills

Question 5

Objectives - General Prep

Answer 5

General Preparation is where athletes begin to work on aerobic endurance. They develop a “base” of aerobic fitness while focusing on form and technique. There needs to be a careful progression of duration throughout this phase of training to manage training stress.

As this sub-phase progresses, athletes also work on developing strength, coordination and suppleness, in preparation for the physical demands of subsequent training. Tactical skills are incorporated as well with the introduction of brick training sessions.

Question 6

Objectives - Specific Prep

Answer 6

Athletes will continue to gradually improve cardiovascular and muscular endurance during this sub-phase. The key goal is the development of running-specific strength during different types of workouts (e.g. hill climbing) and running specific strengthening drills and exercises.

The duration of key sessions will begin to progress as there is a gradual increase in the percentage of volume devoted to quality miles.

During this sub-phase, training should also begin to incorporate opportunities to practice speed skills—either during scheduled training sessions or by participating in non-priority events.

By the end of this phase, athletes should have improved their key performance variables.

Question 7

Objectives - Pre-Competition

Answer 7

In this sub-phase there is an increase of overall intensity and race-specific training as athletes work on all of the running training objectives.

Additional goals involve continued expansion of total training volume, continuous increase in percent of total volume devoted to quality training, maintenance of running form, further development of tactical skills such as pacing, training nutrition and mental toughness, and sustained improvement in vVO2max during different forms of training (such as intervals, tempo and vVO2max).

When increasing training intensity, coaches need to consider athlete experience, limiters, availability, and the athlete’s goal race in addition to the training phase.

Question 8

Objectives - Main Competition

Answer 8

This phase of training has a greater emphasis on race-specific intensity, pacing sessions and skills-based run sessions. Athletes work on increasing their maximal running speed while maintaining general strength, running specific strength, and hill-running capacity.

During the peak (taper) mesocycle in the Competition phase, reducing the volume of running while maintaining a high intensity has proven to be effective in stimulating gains in performance.

The amount of time allocated for the taper depends on the distance of the event, the priority of the event and the athlete’s fitness level. In the novice IRONMAN training plan, the athlete is scheduled for the longest run 5 weeks before the event.

Question 9

Warm-up

Answer 9

Warm-ups include some easy running to prepare the cardiovascular and muscular systems for sustained running, as well as dynamic movements, which help to increase neuromuscular responsiveness.

The warm-up can also include drills designed to address athlete limiters and/or progress the athlete’s strength and conditioning.

Question 10

Main Set

Answer 10

The key part of any training session is the main set. As a guideline, the main set makes up 50-80% of the duration of the training session.

Main sets, and the sessions they live within, need to be developed for a wide range of abilities, goals and available time to train. Coaches must continually assess their athlete’s execution and remain flexible.

Question 11

Cool Down

Answer 11

As with the warm-up, the cool down can increase in duration based on the intensity level of the main set. The cool down period can include core routines and stretching.

Question 12

vVO2max training sessions

Answer 12

vVO2max training represents a special form of interval training in which the quality intervals are conducted at exactly vVO2max.
Incorporating vVO2max training sessions improves the athlete’s lactate threshold, VO2 max and improves running economy by increasing leg muscle strength and power.
The amount of recovery is maintained in a 1:1 ratio of duration of work at an intensity of 50% vVO2max.

30 seconds at vVO2max, with 30 seconds at 50% vVO2max
One minute at vVO2max with one minute at 50% vVO2max
400 meters at vVO2max with equal duration at 50% vVO2max
Three minutes at vVO2max with three minutes at 50% vVO2max

These sessions can be included in all phases of training and increase steadily in difficulty, with more and longer intervals at vVO2max, over time.

vVO2max is estimated by having an athlete run as far as he or she can in six minutes.
The first step is to convert this pace into distance per second. This metric should then be converted to a pace.

Question 13

Combination Intervals

Answer 13

Higher intensity intervals do not always need to be scheduled as their own session. This type of work can also be incorporated within longer steady state runs.
Fartlek sessions involve the spontaneous alternation of higher intensity efforts with steady state running.
The goal of Fartleks is to help athletes with pacing, to increase lactate tolerance and improve muscular endurance.
Lengths of the segments generally span from two to six minutes, but can be slightly shorter or longer.
Cruise intervals are a method of dividing a tempo run into segments to allow the athlete to run at threshold level (Zone 3-4) for longer periods of time with less risk of injury.
A typical cruise interval session consists of 1 mile, or approximately 1600 meter work intervals with short recovery intervals of 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

Question 14

Running Hills

Answer 14

Running on hilly routes is a great way to incorporate strength training into the running workouts.
Hill running also increases running economy, lactate threshold velocity, resistance to fatigue, VO2max and vVO2max.
Hill or incline, running sessions should be prescribed after the aerobic based has been established.

Question 15

Length of Hills

Answer 15

The length of the hill will determine the amount of time climbing, and will affect the intensity of the run.

Running longer inclines (greater than one minute) increases oxygen-consumption rates and trains the athlete to tolerate elevated blood lactate levels.

Because athletes typically run faster with shorter hills, this training strategy is linked with higher neural outputs, greater motor-unit recruitment, and advanced power outputs by the leg muscles. However, due to the length of short hills they may not be as good for optimizing resistance to fatigue.

Again, as a coach you will need to indicate the intensity zone based on the goal of the hill training workout.

Question 16

Percent Grade

Answer 16

The optimal incline for hill training has not been identified. Therefore, if feasible, the coach should incorporate varying levels of incline in the training sessions. Running up steep hills might slow a runner’s pace but would have a major impact on running-specific strength because of the increased amount of work per step.

Running up more gentle hills could then promote power because of the higher running velocities.

Athletes who do not live in a hilly area can use treadmills, bridges or other structures with an incline. (The drawback to using a treadmill is that there is no downhill.)

Question 17

Downhill Training

Answer 17

One major effect of downhill running is to promote greater resistance to delayed-onset muscle soreness, especially in the quadriceps.

Unless a runner has considerable experience with downhill training, avoid prescribing high intensity running sessions immediately after training sessions with extended periods of downhill running.

Question 18

Strength Exercises

Answer 18

Since hill running places great demands on the body, it is important to ensure the athlete has built a base of endurance and strength prior to integrating hills into his or her training sessions.

Strength can initially be achieved by incorporating selected running drills and exercises into the run or strength and conditioning training sessions. Examples of these drills are single leg hops, toe walking and bounce hill drills.

The strength exercises specific to running include one-legged squats, one legged straight leg dead lifts and high bench step ups. You will learn more about the running specific exercises in the Strength and Conditioning module.

Question 19

Tactics and Technique

Answer 19

Technique

Cadence drills
Stride drills
Pacing drills
Running form
Eating and drinking during running

Tactics

Practice holding pace and cadence under various conditions (e.g. hills, wind)
Practice T2 transitions
Practice eating, drinking, timing
Practice running off the bike (brick workouts)

Question 20

Indoors/Treadmill

Answer 20

Indoor training and treadmill running provide opportunities for continued training when weather or seasonal conditions make outdoor running difficult or uncomfortable.
While treadmill running may be boring to some runners, it does allow athletes to conduct very high-quality, specific training sessions.
With a treadmill, a runner can work on form, cadence and pace. They can even carry out simulated hill training.
To duplicate the metabolic demands of flat regular-ground running, treadmill inclination should be set at 1%.

Question 21

Outdoors

Answer 21

Outdoor running allows athletes to train on varied terrain or on terrain that’s similar to an event course.

Provides the opportunity for runners to practice on different surfaces such as grass, asphalt, cement, gravel sand and dirt.
Can enhance running economy and “feel” for the running surface.
Offers variation in scenery and terrain.
Forces runners to deal with weather variation and unpredictability.
Wet, snowy and/or icy conditions can prevent an athlete from utilizing outdoor sessions for part of the training season.

Question 22

Trails

Answer 22

Trail running, hiking, backpacking and trekking can be great supplements to regular run training.

These alternative activities can build endurance, leg strength and aerobic capacity.
Running on uneven trails can be great for enhancing foot and ankle strength, balance, agility, coordination and overall stability (and thus economy).
Athletes should take extra precaution when running trails to avoid ankle and foot injuries.

Question 23

Water Running

Answer 23

Water running (sometimes referred to as reduced body weight running) is often used by athletes who have sustained an injury.

Relieves pressure and impact force and reduces the risk of possible damage to bones, muscles and connective tissues from vertical impact forces.
Can also be very good for dynamic flexibility.
Running intervals in the water can lead to very high-quality training sessions.
Due to water resistance, running in the water may increase general leg strength.