Preparing for Pike's Peek
In my last column I discussed the value of aerobic base building (Phase I). In base building you run mostly easy miles trying to keep your heart rate below 70 percent of maximum, which translates to a pace 1½ to 2 minutes slower than your 10K race pace. That kind of running is particularly useful to those coming off a hard racing season or a marathon, as well as for those coming back from an injury or layoff. This column will make recommendations for workouts after completion of the base-building phase, in which relatively easy running will have prepared you for the huffing and puffing associated with Phase II and Phase III.
I recommend a six- to eight-week Phase II training cycle in which the runner does between one and three anaerobic threshold (AT) workouts. Your mileage should be10 to 20 percent less than in Phase I. Your AT pace is defined as 80-85 percent of maximum heart rate (MHR) using the Karvonen method (to be precise, you are actually running at 80-85 percent of heart-rate reserve — see my article on the MCRRC web page for further details). Less scientifically, your AT pace also translates roughly to your 10-mile race pace on a fairly flat course.
I have several favorite AT workouts. The first is three one-mile repeats at 80-85 percent of MHR with a recovery to 70 percent before starting the next mile, which generally occurs in one lap around the track. Beginners should probably try just one or two of these mile-repeats and get comfortable before moving up to three repeats. Runners who average over 50 miles per week can run four or five repeats.
The second workout is a 15- to 25-minute continuous AT run at 80-85 percent of MHR. The idea is to start running at a 10-mile race pace effort until your monitor gets to 80 percent. You then run for 15 to 25 minutes holding the effort. If you have a heart monitor with a beeper, you simply set your lower zone at 80 percent and your upper zone at 85 percent and keep the alarm on. As long as you don't hear the beeper, you know you are in your AT zone. If you do a continuous AT run on the track, you will notice that you slow down a second or two each lap: thus your first mile may be at 7:00 while your second mile is 7:15 and your last mile is 7:30. Don't worry about it. Remember that you will have worked at 80-85 percent for the entire three miles. Conversely, if you had run an even 7:15 pace, your first mile would have been at an effort under 80 percent and your last mile probably over 85 percent.
If you want to race during Phase II, just substitute the race for one of your workouts. You may want to cut back your first workout of the following week, especially if your race was longer than a 5K.
Once you have completed Phase II, it is time to start peaking for the racing season. This means less mileage with more quality. The traditional formula, which seems to work for most runners, is 8-12 times 400 meters (one lap) at 3-5 seconds per lap faster than your 5K race pace. Running 400s much faster than that will be counterproductive. Remember, you want to run these quarters relaxed and smooth without tying yourself up in the last 40 meters. You also do not want to leave your race on the workout track.
You may also want to consider a 20- to 25-minute AT run for a second workout in weeks when you are not racing. Otherwise, do two or three miles of stride-outs a couple of days before your race just to loosen up your legs and work on leg turnover. You can remain in Phase III for the entire racing season. Afterward, take a couple of weeks off and return to Phase I.
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.
