Train Slower...Race Faster
David Chung, Pat Carter Tom Temin, Gerry Magat, and Linda Margolis have all set at least one PR this spring. Jack Rafferty and Steve Chatlin have recorded some very fast race times. And have you noticed John Sissala zipping around the track like a 35-year-old? What is the secret to their success?
Each of these runners has joined the MCRRC low-key coaching program and is training according to a personalized schedule. In every case they have been told to slow down in order to run faster. As Gerry Magat told me, "I never knew that training to race fast could be so easy." Most of the runners in the low-key coaching program now train with a heart monitor that forces them to run their easy days very, very easy. This means that they become rested so that on their hard days they can run very hard.
You may ask why we have to slow down to get faster, and won't this make us slower? The reason for slowing down is quite simple. Most adult runners are very competitive. We do our daily runs much too fast, especially when we have a training partner of equal ability and don't want to lag behind. We don't want to lose a race if we can help it, even if it's only a training run. Just look at the MCRRC Sunday morning runs at Ken-Gar where runners are hammering away at what should be their easy long run of the week. In the past, I was as guilty as anyone. We should pace our long runs 1½ to 2 minutes a mile slower than our current 10K race pace on our easy days. Unfortunately, many runners think that running easy is a badge of dishonor instead of a sign of training smart.
Invariably, every time we set up an individualized training program for someone, the runner expresses skepticism about being able to slow down on easy days. But most do slow down to follow their program (after all, the reason they signed up for low-key MCRRC coaching is concern about their training). Many in the coaching program will tell you that after a few weeks of slowing down on their easy days running has become fun again. They now feel great after their easy days, including after their Sunday long run. They can tackle the hard workouts I give them because they have rested on their easy days. The results speak for themselves. Just ask David, Pat, Tom, Gerry, Linda, Steve, Jack, or John.
Coach West is a licensed coach, affiliated with MCRRC, and available to coach motivated adult runners. A portion of his coaching fees for MCRRC members is returned to MCRRC. For further information about personal coaching opportunities, contact Coach West at kirtwest@comcast.net.
