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Phar lap
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Joined: 20 Jun 2003
Posts: 1006
Location: A flawed Utopia
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 Posted: 04/16/04 - 03:36 Post subject: New runners and experienced. Consider this...
Some time back, I was asked to speak to a group of runners on "Training for Distance Running", which could lay the basis for them in stepping up their distances and improving their performances. They varied in racing experience, ability and speed. So, where better to start than at the begining - BASICS.
All racing is about speed, weather your pace is 4m. per mile or 10 mins., its about achieveing a target time and/or finishing ahead of another runner. Now speed by itself. ie. running often or far, will not produce speed. On the contrary, you get tired very quickly, good running form will fall apart and all you do is re-enforce bad physical motion. This applies to sprinters as well as to distance runners, the longer the distance the more this applies.
Therefore the pre-requisite is strength in all parts of the body which take part in your running motion, directly or indirectly.
While your prime movers are your legs, they strengthen anytime you move around on them, we also need strength in many other parts of the body. Not only do various limbs need sufficient strength to act in harmony with the powerful legs, the body in general has to absorb a constant buffeting from the rebounds off the running surface. Organs such as the heart, lungs kidneys etc., also have to work harder and MORE EFFICIENTLY to cope with extra stress.
Failure on the part of any SINGLE FACTOR to work in full support and harmony with all others will prevent you reaching maximum effect for output of energy when called upon. Imbalance in adequate strength for a given aim will have you fall short.
Where skills are involved, and ALL running movements are formed from specific skills, they depend on the effective execution of strengths specific to them. This is a process which takes time to develop and requires attention to SPECIFIC DRILLS in order to support the skill which we need to develop at a given time.
To the trained eye, the features of balance and relaxation in execution of running action by the runner provides a good indication of the presence of weak and strong points of the athlete. The body will ajust to the demands made on it by way of many repetitions of various drills, it is the correct application at the right time of the athlete's growth and development ( this applies equaly to us older runners as well ) that can bring progress nearer in time. However, if too much pressure is applied before enough specific strength is attained, it will merely retard progress and, even worse will lead to injury, breakdowns and illness through OVER-STRESS.
I my opinion, the importance of regular application and practice cannot over-emphasised. Any increase in demands on greater performance needs to be in graduated steps, in line with increased strength and ability to co-ordinate effective movement.
So basically what you should be looking for is smoothness in execution, a flowing movement, supported in the case of distance runners by areobic capacity and efficiency. Areobic effeciency is achieved by lung activity of varing duration and intensity, muscular efficiency is achieved also by activity of varying duration and intensity. The actual "mix" of the various components contributing to efficient running varies with the state of the runner, the desired target and just where you are in your running season.
In order to work out a method to suit your personal need, you must remain FLEXIBLE in the construction of any program you use you goals at the time.
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