We provided an overview last week on proper running form, but some things require a deeper dive. Today we’re going to look at foot strike.
What is foot strike and how does it affect your run?
This term refers to how your foot strikes the ground as you run. Either the front of your foot , the middle of your foot, or the rear will make contact with the ground first. Although no one foot strike is better than another, each one can benefit your run in a different way. Striking first on the rear part of the foot reduces the load at the Achilles tendon. While a forefoot strike, or the striking with the front of your foot first, reduces the load on the knee. By changing your running style, you are simply moving the location and the load applied to your body from running. Check out the video below for more information!
Rethinking rearfoot strike
Aside from being most popular, the rearfoot strike is also the most critiqued form. Here are a couple reasons of thought behind the criticism:
Braking force
Landing this way requires more braking force than the other options, meaning you lose forward momentum when your heel strikes the ground. This braking affects your speed and results in a less efficient foot strike method.
Consider too that braking force can be caused by a slew of other reasons. You could be over striding, which means your foot is landing too far further out in front. If you’re over striding, it will contribute to braking no matter what your foot strike is.
Impact on knees and other joints
The rearfoot strike does have a harder impact on your knees and other joints. Since impact is magnified by pace, a rearfoot strike may not cause problems at a slower pace.
But the harder you run with this technique, the more you’ll feel it. Interestingly, when you reach “sprinting” speeds, your body should naturally push into a mid- or forefoot strike to protect the joints.
Things to know before changing your foot strike
Just like any alterations to your running form, changing your foot strike is hard to do on a consistent basis. This rings especially true if you are still new to running and trying to find your rhythm, or your level of conditioning doesn’t allow for relaxed runs in which you can focus on foot strike.
Deliberately changing how your foot lands can sometimes shift an injury from one area to another. For example, a knee injury while rearfoot striking may resolve once you’ve adjusted your foot strike, but if you change too suddenly, you may start seeing problems in your calves.
The point here is to start slow, try your best, and listen to your body. If you start feeling irregular soreness or pain, back off the alteration. And always see your doctor if you have concerning pain.
Look at other aspects of your form
There are many ways to improve your running form. Should you put the time into adjusting your foot strike, or are there other areas you could focus on first, like arm swing or posture?
Identify what’s causing the most issues for you, or what improvements align best with your goals. If you’re struggling with knee pain, foot strike may be the best thing to tackle. But if you’re looking to improve speed, maybe check your cadence and stride first.
We’ll actually be delving into cadence and stride (the speed makers) in the next Strong Body post, so stay tuned. Subscribe to keep up on the latest content and news.
When starting your journey, the main objectives should be getting acclimated to running and building a base mileage for yourself. So focus your running form on injury prevention. You can shift your form toward optimization and efficiency gains as you improve.
There are so many important components when it comes to having a good understanding of running form. Today we will be taking a quick look at five!
Good Posture
First up is good posture. This refers to staying long and tall! Make sure you are centered and stabilizing your core.
Running with good posture can not only increase running efficiency, but also open your airway so you can breathe easier. It can also reduce injuries to your lower back, knees and hips. That alone should make you want to run with better posture!
Foot Strike
Second on our list is foot striking! This refers to which part of your foot comes in contact with the ground first.
The most common foot strike is a rear foot strike, sometimes called a heel strike. Mid-foot and forefoot strikes are also pretty common. The rear foot strike is the most critiqued form.
Cadence
Third up is Cadence! This is the number of steps you take in one minute. Cadence is the first building block of speed. Most average runners are in the 150-170 range, but an ideal range is closer to 180.
You can find yours with most smart watches or by simply counting the number of steps you take in one minute. Check out this smart phone app called Cadence Trainer if you want to improve your speed!
Stride Length
Fourth on our list is stride length. This is the distance between successive ground contacts of the same foot. Think of this as the measurement of two steps forward.
Stride length is the second building block of speed. Cadence + stride length = speed! Increase one or the other and you increase your speed.
Rotational movement
Last but not least we have rational movement. This refers to your arm swing.
Runners can develop a tendency to swing their arms with rotational movement, which is counterproductive. You want your shoulders to stay grounded and your arms swinging forward and back without your shoulders jumping vertically.
For proper arm swing, focus on forward and back movement versus rotational.
Running form to start your journey
When starting out, your focus should be on building a running habit and increasing base mileage. Remember, injury prevention is the key in the beginning. We’ll optimize later.
And remember that we are all built differently. We would never recommend anyone make drastic changes to their running form based on what is considered “correct” or “proper.” If you choose to apply some of these principles, do so slowly and gradually.
If you want to take these 5 components to the test, sign up for our next race here!
And we’ll be taking a deeper dive into these five components in upcoming blogs so subscribe so you don’t miss out!
Everyone needs days to recover, but some runners can enhance their training plans exponentially by adding recovery weeks.
Runners who will benefit most from this technique include high-intensity runners or those trying to increase base mileage (the number of miles you run in a week).
Taking time for proper recovery will help you avoid injury and improve performance.
This post looks at what recover weeks are, why you might need them, and when to opt for individual recovery runs instead.
What is a recovery week?
A recovery week is a full week out of your training plan where you reduce your weekly mileage. They are typically laced into a plan between 2-4 weeks of increased mileage (build weeks).
Moderate- to high-intensity runners can get by with one recovery week per month to optimize performance.
The recovery week breaks up the build weeks and lets your body adjust to the increased mileage. They are usually seen in plans geared to longer duration or base building.
You should reduce mileage by 20%-30% during recovery weeks.
Here’s an example training plan:
Week 1 – Build: 45 miles
Week 2 – Build: 47 miles
Week 3 – Build: 51 miles
Week 4 – Recovery: 25 miles
Week 5 – Build: 51 miles
Week 6 – Build: 53 miles
Week 7 – Recovery: 30 miles
Should you add recovery weeks to your training plan?
There are a couple of reasons you should consider penciling these into your plan.
We accumulate stress over time – physically and mentally and both affect your running. If you push hard with high-intensity effort or long distances week after week, your body will face consequences. Add a recovery week to help deal with the slowly accumulated stress.
Reducing miles and/or speed for a whole week allow your body to bounce back from accumulated stress.
Recovery weeks are also great for conquering plateaus. If you’re struggling to increase base mileage and keep hitting stalls, schedule in a recovery week. That way you can dive into your build weeks fully refreshed.
Recovery weeks versus recovery runs
Some people aren’t high-intesnity runners and there’s nothing wrong with that! If your goal is maintenance or your journey follows a lower-intensity training plan, then you don’t have to budget in full weeks for recovery.
However it’s so important to still give yourself recovery days during your week where you can stay active but reduce your average miles.
Recovery runs are individual runs with reduced mileage. That way you’re still getting miles in but not pushing your body too hard.
For a moderate-intensity training plan, try to schedule 2-3 recovery runs within a two-week block. These should be in addition to total rest days when you don’t run at all. You can still opt for stretching, yoga, or weight lifting on total recovery days.
What’s up Next?
If you’ve been following the recovery series, you should now have a toolbox of tips to enhance your running journey. However, we have one more essential to offer: tapering.
Tapering is essential before a race. And since we’re entering race season, there’s no better time to discuss it. In fact, Endurance Athletics is hosting its first 2021 5k in April, so prepare to taper the end of March.
Click here for details on the race. And be sure to subscribe to keep up on our latest posts.
Dynamic and static stretching are the two main styles of stretching, and both are essential for athletes. It’s critical that you know when to utilize each technique and how to perform the stretches properly.
We chose this topic as the first deep dive in our Recovery for Runners series because it’s that important. Every. Single. Run. should be accompanied with stretching, both before and after.
Stretching can either be used during warmup or cool down. Properly stretching can ease muscle soreness, improve flexibility, increase range of motion, and enhance spatial awareness. Skipping is not an option.
In this post we’re going to look at the differences between dynamic and static stretching, what they’re good for, when to do them, and what to be careful of. We’ll also take a peak at the next level of stretching beyond these two basics.
Dynamic Stretching
This style is done before your workout, as part of the warmup. Dynamic stretching is especially helpful before high intensity workouts like speed training or hill work.
This style uses movement to stretch muscles. You don’t want to hold any stretch. It is a fluid, “dynamic” movement.
The key to dynamic stretching is to keep moving – you don’t want to hold any stretches. Reach that point of properly stretching your muscles then instantly release. Fluid lunges and arm swings are good examples of dynamic stretches.
Dynamic stretching is best pre-workout because it warms and prepares your muscles, increases your range of motion, and improves your spacial awareness. (Spatial awareness = being aware of your body in space).
Those three benefits translate to better control of your body and a lower chance of injury.
One warning on dynamic stretching. Stay in control of the movement. Push yourself too much and you can end up doing more harm than good.
Static stretching
Static (or stationary) stretching is best done post-workout right after your cool down. This style helps to improve flexibility and range of motion, and it can ease pain and stiffness.
These stretches are held for an extended period of time, and breath should be used as a tool to deepen the stretch.
Static stretches are the most common form of stretching, though they’re best done after a workout (not before). Positions are held for 30 to 60 seconds while breathing into the posture.
You’ll want to perform the stretch with some resistance, but never to a point that becomes painful. Try to hold each stretch for 30 seconds to a minute while maintaining calm and steady breaths.
The overall experience should be pleasant and relaxing, while at the same time you should be able to feel the target muscles being stretched.
Dedicate five minutes minimum to static stretching after a light run. After higher intensity runs (or if you’re emphasizing recovery), then budget ten to fifteen minutes and your body will thank you.
Two warnings on static stretching. Never bounce or force a position, which can overextend the muscle and cause injury. Secondly, holding a stretch for too long can also lead to cramping. Don’t push it.
Dynamic vs. Static, and beyond
To summarize, dynamic (fluid) stretching is the best way to warm and prepare your muscles before a run, but remember to take things slow and stay in control.
Static (stationary) stretching improves flexibility and can ease muscle soreness after a run, but be sure not to force a stretch or hold it too long.
These two basics are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to stretching. If you have an area giving you trouble, dive deeper. There are ways to target that muscle specifically. This document from FitKit highlights a ton of different static stretches.
There are probably a dozen stretches for each muscle or muscle group in the body. Use stretching to target areas that are stiff or troublesome for you.
The next level of stretching dynamically is called ballistic stretching. It uses momentum to push past your typical dynamic stretch.
I chose not to go into detail about ballistic stretching because it is very advanced and should only be done under supervision. However, advanced athletes are encouraged to delve further into the topic or reach out with questions.
What’s up next?
Now that you can check dynamic and static stretching off of your need-to-know list, we can look ahead. Up next in Recovery for Runners, we’ll discuss foam rolling – a practice every runner needs to try.
And we’re excited to announce a separate upcoming series to champion our “Strong Mind” emphasis. We’ll be discussing mental health, positivity, time management, and much more. Stay tuned!
The best way to keep up with new posts and other Endurance Athletics news is by subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We’re always looking to expand our community of happy, healthy everyday athletes, and we’d love for you to join us.
Recovery for runners is ESSENTIAL – from day one through the rest of your journey. Good runners don’t just think about recovery after a workout. You need an overall recovery plan.
A recovery plan should include techniques done before and after your workouts, as well as best practices to aid overall healing and wellbeing. That’s what we’ll be looking at here in this first post of a new series.
Remember, a healthy runner is a happy runner.
The recovery toolbox for runners
The harder you push yourself, the more essential a thorough recovery plan is. Athletes of all levels should be focused on healing and rest – before and after runs, as well as in their general everyday life.
Before your runs
Proper nutrition. Make sure your body is fueled before lacing up your shoes. This can be done by maintaining appropriate calorie intake, making good food choices, and by adding a pre-workout meal before runs.
It’s important to note that some foods are specifically beneficial to runners – more on that here.
Proper hydration. Dehydration is a major risk to runners. To combat that, maintain adequate hydration everyday, prioritize water while running, and pay attention to your electrolyte levels.
For our complete guide on hydration and electrolytes, click here.
Dynamic stretching. This form of stretching is done during a warmup and uses movement to help stretch the muscles. We’ll be diving into this topic next week.
After your runs
Static stretching promotes recovery, especially when done after a workout.
Static stretching. This style of stretching is how people frequently picture “stretching.”
It involves a longer hold of the stretch while breathing, and is best done after a workout rather than before.
More on this later.
Post-workout meal. This is especially good after a long or hard run. You want a good balance of carbs, protein, electrolytes, and fuel. For more information, check out our previous post on meals specific for runners.
R.I.C.E. This acronym stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. If you suffer an injury on the trail, keep these four things in mind. We’ll dive deeper into this later on in the recovery series.
Overall practices that support recovery
Sleep. This cannot be stressed enough. Make. Sleep. A. Priority. This means taking enough time to get a full 6-8 hours of sleep, and to identify any issues that are deterring you from getting good sleep.
For a recovery run, you’ll want to reduce mileage and/or intensity. These can (and should) be sprinkled into your training plan weekly or bi-weekly. For more intensive training, you can take a whole week of recovery runs.
Recovery runs & recovery weeks. While making your original training plan, you hopefully included regular recovery runs – days where you reduce mileage or intensity.
When training heavy, you may need a week rather than a day.
We’ll examine these further on in the series.
Tapering. This is a technique done before a race that allows you to fully recover from training and feel fresh on race day. You do this by reducing the amount and intensity of your runs. We’ll dive further into this soon.
Mental health checks. Recovery extends beyond the physical realm. Take your recovery days or specific techniques to also check in on your mental health. Doing so will promote further growth and self-improvement.
Time management. Training plans can be time consuming, and when life gets busy, recovery is easy to skimp on. You may be able to review how you spend your time, and find that by giving up menial things (like Facebook checks) you have all the time you need to include proper recovery techniques.
For specific suggestions on time management, check out this guide from SkillsYouNeed.
Recovery for runners must be a mindset
For runners, recovery is just as important as the running itself. It must become a mindset to properly care for the body that you’re working so hard.
Athletes with a recovery mindset place importance on healing and rest, both physically and mentally. If the goal is to improve, then recovery is a necessity.
The most important thing to remember is that recovery is way more than five minutes of stretching after a run, or a rest day once a week.
Recovery is your body repairing and adapting to the stress of training.It’s your muscles healing stronger than before. It’s your time to practice self care and check in with your mental health.
Recovery is when the real progress is made.
Up next in our recovery series
Recovery is so essential that we’ll be digging deeper into a few of the essentials in the coming weeks: dynamic and static stretching, foam rolling, R.I.C.E., recovery weeks, and tapering ahead of a race.
Be sure to stay tuned.
Subscribing to our email list is the best way to keep up with new content, as well as learn about upcoming virtual races and the other projects hosted by Endurance Athletics.
Over the hump of beginning running? Congratulations. Time for long runs to become your favorite weekend past-time. You, a trail, and time to clear your head.
Long runs help to increase endurance by pushing your body at a lower intensity for a longer time period. They are also great opportunities to practice for race day.
In this post, we’ll explain what constitutes a long run and cover some of the many benefits of this signature running staple.
What is a long run?
The key to a long run is extended low- to moderate-intensity effort. You want to maintain a consistent speed for an extended length of time.
This is in good contrast with interval training, hills or speed work, which all vary the speed or intensity during your run.
Avid runners may aim for 20 miles per long run when training for a marathon. But newer runners can start with five miles and build from there.
The exact mileage will depend on the runner, but generally a long run will be 5-25 miles.
If you’re still pretty new and shooting for a 10k, start with five miles for your first long run. As that gets easier, increase your mileage.
Benefits of Long Runs
Increasing base mileage and endurance
Increasing base mileage means you are progressively adding to the number of miles you average in a week. For this to happen safely and efficiently, it needs to be done gradually.
When adding to your base, it’s best to stay in heart rate zone 2 for the bulk of your miles. It’s less taxing on the body and is where you will reap the most benefits to build endurance.
That’s why long runs are a perfect option for building mileage, because the goal is low intensity over extended time.
Getting closer to race day mileage
The best way to be physically (and mentally) ready for a race is by simulating what your body will go through on race day.
Long runs allow you to push yourself for extended periods of time, which gives you good insight to how you may react when pushed to the brink on race day. By knowing what to expect, you’ll be more in control.
It’s a game-changer if you know ahead of time what your body will feel like in those last two miles of your 10k. You can put your mind at ease knowing you’ve been through it already and know what to expect.
Testing race day gear and nutrition
Test. Your. Gear. This can not be understated. Nothing ruins a race like untested products. There should be no surprises from your gear or nutrition outside of a catastrophic failure.
That’s where long runs shine. You’re on the trail for an hour or more and at a consistent pace. Take your gear and nutrition with you for multiple trial runs. That granola bar might be more difficult to open while running than you think.
Train your body for different conditions
Try to schedule your long runs for different times of the day, or tailored to the start time of an upcoming race. If you only run mid-day when the sun is shining, you’ll be in for an unpleasant surprise when race day starts at 7 a.m. in the spring.
The beauty of a long run is the experience it will give you before a race. See how you like running before the sun rises. Or mid-day with the sun beating down on you. Test out a flash light and reflective gear. Go into your race fully prepared.
Beat the bad weather.
Race days won’t always be in perfect conditions. Even training runs can be soiled by an unexpected rain shower. Prepare for this on your own terms.
Long runs in wet conditions allow you to test your shoes permeability and grip on slick surfaces, as well as your own tolerance for discomfort.
See how it feels to run in the pouring rain, or the snow. Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet. Splash around in some puddles. It’s good to know how your shoes and feet handle being wet.
Safety warning: We do not recommend this on your first try, or early into a long run (unless you’re a glutton for blisters). Also be careful of slippery surfaces – especially ice.
How to fit long runs into your training plan
If you’ve been following the last few posts of this series, you’ve seen several different options to try adding into your training plan. But don’t be overwhelmed.
It’s extremely rare for a single runner to utilize every style of training in every week of their training plan. The key is to choose your tailored runs based on your goals, and then experiment to find what you enjoy and what gives you results.
If long distances and building endurance are your primary goals, then pencil in one long run per week. Maybe you’re a junkie for the extended alone time and physical exertion, so you add a second. Maybe the long run isn’t your style, so you drop it to bi-weekly.
Your plan needs to be tailored to your goals and your enjoyment.
A few things to keep in mind before starting your long run
Make sure you have solid base mileage first. These workouts are more taxing on your body than a regular run, so be sure you’ve build a solid foundation.
Fuel your body properly. Because these runs can last an hour or more, be sure to fuel your body with plenty of water as well as nutrition before and after. There’s a link below to our free hydration and nutrition guides.
Listen to your body. Don’t push through a cramp or sprain. These runs are lengthy, so if you acquire a moderate injury early into your run, it’s best to turn around and care for it properly rather than fight through the pain to finish.
Promote recovery. Long runs put your body to work, so make sure you’re stretching, foam rolling, icing, and adding rest days when needed.
Up for a challenge? One of the easiest ways to develop power and strength in your running is by simply adding elevation. That’s why we created this short and simple guide to hill work.
Those new heights you’ll be reaching won’t just be literal heights. If you make hill work a regular part of your routine, your running game (and overall health) will see major improvements – specifically in terms of power and endurance.
Weekly hill work is the perfect addition to a training plan if you’re looking to add power to your running.
We’ll teach you why hills work so well to condition runners; the two main types of hill work; and how to find hills in your area.
The benefits of hill work
Here are a few of the major benefits of training with hill work.
A power snowball
When going uphill, your body must move both forward and upward. To overcome the added strain of gravity, your body must work harder (by increasing its power output).
By regularly putting your body through this, your body will adapt by becoming more powerful. Becoming a more powerful runner will translate to a snowball of good things – longer running strides, faster paces, improved running economy, etc.
Improve strength, reduce injuries
Hills are hard. They put everything to work – your leg muscles, hips, ankles, feet, tendons, ligaments.
So by strengthening these areas safely during hill work, you’ll be better conditioned to avoid injuries during your regular runs.
Strengthens your cardiovascular system
Because your body is under added strain, your heart must beat harder. This will push you into a higher heart rate zone and begin conditioning your cardiovascular system.
Another benefit of hill work is the change of pace and scenery. If you’re getting bored of the same trails or treadmill plan, you will love a new challenge (and hopefully a new location to explore, too).
A new scenic trail with the added challenges of rolling hills can be exactly what you need to avoid boredom during your runs.
Rolling hills versus sprinting hills
The two most common hill types are rolling hills and sprinting hills. Each style has specific benefits, and may be better suited to your training goals.
Rolling hills
These are excellent for extended hill work training. It works much the same way as interval training – stretches of flat land running broken up by the challenges of incline.
Rolling hills allow you to keep moving for a longer amount of time. The inclines add high intensity, and the flat portions allow your heart rate to come down without totally resting.
Look for a stretch of trail or road with multiple rolling hills, where you can run a sustained half mile to a mile.
You shouldn’t be maxing out on every hill, but the workload should feel more intense than running a flat course.
Sprinting hills
Hill sprints are made to work your body hard and fast. You’ll be pushing into your highest heart rate zones.
The beauty of hill sprints is that you only need to find one good hill – whether it be on a trail or the sidewalk of a road you drive down every day. Run up, walk down, repeat.
For hill sprints, try to find a hill with a more aggressive incline. This allows for short duration sprints up the hill, followed by a walk or jog back down. Proper recovery time should be taken between sets.
How to find hills
If you live in a location that has naturally curvy topography, count yourself lucky. However, it can still be a challenge to find that perfect sloping back road or a peaceful wooded trail. Here are a couple great resources:
Start with your local state parks. Most feature miles and miles of running trails. Check out America’s Parks and chose your state to find parks near you.
Some areas are blessed with beautiful, naturally sloping terrains. Use trail sites to find hidden treasures in your area that would be perfect for hill work.
Search sites like AllTrails and TrailLink, which feature details, reviews and photos on thousands of trails around the country.
Hack Google Maps to find hilly roads. Most map applications have a terrain feature that allows you to see topography as well as roadways. OmenLongBoards gives a quick how-to on the process.
If you’re a flatlander like us, you may have toget more creative.
A good set of stairs can replicate a sprinting hill. The key here is to find deep stairs with a slow incline that allow you to run smoothly in an uphill movement, versus a high-knee stair-stepping run. Also avoid narrow steps that pose tripping hazard.
If hills aren’t an option in your area, look for stairs with a slow-grade incline and deep steps. Try running smoothly as if uphill versus high-knee stepping up the stairs.
Infrastructure can mimic rolling or sprinting hills. (Think parking garages, bridges, etc.) However, these pose possible safety and legal issues, so always take caution.
When all else fails, up the incline on your treadmill. Most treadmills also offer a rolling hill option in their pre-set programs.
Safety reminders for hill work
This wouldn’t be a proper guide to hill work without a few quick safety tips:
You need to have a base mileage before upping intensity. Don’t jump into steep hills when you’re a beginning runner. And let your body adjust to hill work with one or two sessions a week before moving all of your runs to higher elevations.
Running downhill can cause serious stress on joints and poses a tripping hazard. We recommend you run uphill and walk down to recover. (One exception here is for experienced trail runners who might utilize downhill running as a specific part of their plan.)
Like always, listen to your body. Sharp pain or discomfort that lasts more than a couple days are signs that you need to back off the hill work until you’re better conditioned.
This is new strain on the body, so make sure you take extra care of yourself. Roll and stretch before your run, ice after, and allow proper rest time.
When should you start hill work?
It’s important for beginning runners to establish a strong base before trying out advanced running techniques like hill work.
However, if your base is solid and you’re ready to challenge yourself further, then hill work is an excellent addition to your training plan.
We hope this guide to hill work has given you the confidence you need to get started.
Begin this training weekly or every other week until your body adjusts.
It shouldn’t take long to see an increase in power, longer strides, and faster race times.
As long as you have a decent base mileage, it’s time to lace up and get started. Swap your next scheduled run with hill work for a new challenge.
“How do I run faster?” is the golden question that nearly every runner asks. And for good reason. Luckily speed is one of the easiest metrics to track, and also one of the easiest skills to improve through speed work training.
Increasing speed is the main goal for many runners. It’s the factor that determines your pace, puts you ahead of the pack, wins you the race. But if you want to run faster, it will takes some knowledge and specific training.
So in this post, we’ll cover how to train specifically to improve your speed, what the science is behind it, and the best three running workouts specific to speed work training.
The science behind speed work: running economy and V02 Max
Running economy is a baseline measurement of how efficiently your body works while running. It is tied to how much oxygen your body requires to run at a certain effort level or pace.
To simplify: runners with good economy use less oxygen than runners with poor economy. (Hence the huffing and puffing of beginning runners.)
A conditioned runner will use less energy than a beginner while running at the same speed. That means by conditioning your body with specific training, you’ll get more speed for your effort.
This measurement is also called your V02 Max (the maximum amount of oxygen a person can utilize during intense exercise).
Your body can only take in so much oxygen at a time. So if you want to run faster, you need to improve your Running Economy and V02 Max.
That’s the idea behind speed work training. You’ll get faster mile times and more endurance because your body is learning to use less energy (via oxygen) while running.
The three best running methods for speed work
If running faster is your primary goal, you should incorporate speed work into the majority of your run days. Here are three excellent ways to adjust your runs for speed work:
Interval Training
This is running in periods of high intensity for short durations split up by longer recovery windows. This option tends to keep the heart rate elevated throughout the entire workout.
For a quick refresher on heart rate zone tracking and training, click here.
Some interval splits to try are 30/60sec, 1/2min, and 90sec/3min. For example, in a 30/60sec split, you would work for 30 seconds and recover for 60.
Repeats
These are similar to interval training, except that they allow full recoverybetween working phases.
In a repeat, you would run a specific distance as hard as you could, then rest until your heart rate fully recovers. That allows you to hit it again just as hard.
It is common to do 6-8 repeats, but you can go up to 20+ depending on your level of conditioning.
Every repeat should match from the first to the last. For example, if you do your first 200m repeat in 45 seconds, your sixth should be 45 seconds.
Fartlek Runs
“Fartlek” is Swedish for “speed play.” It’s a simple running philosophy that uses long runs broken up into periods of fast and slow running.
It’s basically a perfect mix between a long run and interval training.
The beauty of this method (as well as the other two in this list) is that you can adjust it to your current conditioning level.
A Fartlek Run for a beginner may be walking for the slow periods and jogging for the fast periods. An advanced runner may jog for the slow periods and sprint for the fast periods.
Either way, you are improving your running economy and V02 max.
When should you start?
If you’re still new to running, you should push for light to medium effort runs until you’ve built a strong base. As that base grows, slowly incorporate more advanced running days into your plan.
But if you have a solid base and your goal now is to improve your speed, then get out your training plan and add one of these methods to your next run.
Also remember to adjust the workouts based on your athletic level. You’ll want to ease into higher intensity runs.
It’s important to be specific with your training plan. Instead of writing “RUN DAY,” include specific goals and running methods you want to try that day. For example, RUN DAY (interval training between HR zones 2 and 4).
Also make sure to give your body appropriate time to recover. Higher intensity runs mean more stretching, icing, foam rolling, and rest days.
If you read our last post, you know that heart rate zone training is the key to optimizing your runs. But now you’re probably asking yourself, “Which heart rate zone should I be training in?”
The answer: it all depends on your goals. That’s why this method is so important – because it tailors your training toward whatever goal you want to achieve.
So let’s dive into the details of each zone – what it is and why it helps. At the end we’ll give you a few examples of the best runs for beginning runners, which all utilize the heart rate zone method.
By the end of this post you’ll know which zones are best for you. Get ready to optimize your runs and crush your goals.
Heart Rate Zone 1
Zone 1 is the lightest or “easiest effort” zone. This is your recovery zone, and the pace you should use for warmups and cooldowns.
You should begin every workout with a warmup and cool down period. This allows you to bring your heart rate safely into Zone 1 before pushing yourself into more intense heart rate zones, or before abruptly ending your workout.
In this zone, your body works at about 50-60% of maximum effort. You can calculate your target heart rate for this zone, but a general rule of thumb is that you should be able to easily carry on a conversation at this pace. You should feel like you could go for hours.
Just because it’s the lowest zone doesn’t mean your body isn’t working. At this point your body should start to sweat and you should be able to feel your muscles warming up.
When to target Zone 1
Warmups and cool downs: This is the perfect zone to get your blood pumping to your muscles before pushing into harder zones. It’s equally important to give your body a cooldown time by returning to this zone before ending your workout.
Recovery runs: High intensity runners might designate one run per week for recovery. It’s important to use these runs for recovery – stay in Zone 1.
Build an initial base: The low intensity of Zone 1 is perfect for beginners to get their feet moving without putting too much strain on connective tissues and muscles that aren’t used to moving so much. It’ll allow you to build a solid base before pushing harder.
Interval training: If you’re utilizing interval training, this is the zone you should be backing down to for recovery between repeats. This lets you go into the next working set fresh and ready to push hard.
When not to target Zone 1
What Zone 1 will not do (or not do very well) is substantially contribute to speed, endurance, or put you into an optimal fat burning state. If you are trying to optimize one of those areas, you’ll have to put in a little more work.
Heart Rate Zone 2
Beginning runners: pay special attention to Zone 2. It often gets overlooked because of the misperception that runners should be out of breath in order to make progress.
If Zone 2 feels like a snail’s pace, hang in there. Base building takes time, and Zone 2 is the safest place to do it. Think of it as the foundation to your running journey.
In this zone, your body works at about 60-70% of max effort. You should be able to get through short sentences without rushing or breaking for a breath.
Beginning runners may find that power walking, hiking, or a light jog is enough to push their heart rate into Zone 2 levels. It’s the perfect zone to perfect your form and build up base mileage.
The speed of this zone will be specific to the runner. It might even be a walking pace early on – that’s ok. As you progress, your cardiovascular system will strengthen and you’ll be able to reach faster speeds while in this zone.
When to target Zone 2
Fat burning: Though this zone doesn’t see the highest calorie burn, it does push your body to target fat for fuel. It is the optimal zone for your body to start chipping away at fat stores.
Heart and lung conditioning: In this zone, you’ll exercise your body’s ability to take in oxygen and transport it to the muscle, where it is used to produce fuel. Time spent in this zone will help to condition your heart and lungs so you’ll be more able to push into harder zones.
Building proper form: You should feel somewhat relaxed in this zone, and able to focus on improving your form. Focus on your foot strike, your cadence, your arm swing, etc. This builds a good foundation for when you push into harder zones.
Increasing base mileage: This zone allows you to go longer and farther without pushing too hard, which makes it a great zone to increase your base mileage. Matt Hofbauer, founder of Endurance Athletics, trains up to 80% of his weekly miles in Zone 2 when trying to increase mileage.
Heart Rate Zone 3
Zone 3 is best described as “comfortably difficult.”
Your body works at 70-80% of max effort. You should be able to speak in short broken sentences, and breathing will be slightly difficult.
Zone 3 training requires effort. You’ll need to push yourself into an aerobic state of exercise. You should start sweating and breathing should become slightly difficult.
Zone 3 training is the upper end of aerobic exercise. Past this point, you will end up out of breath and fatiguing much faster. You can maintain Zone 3 for only a moderate amount of time.
This zone is more taxing on the body. If you add extended time in this zone into your training plan, be sure to add stretching, foam rolling and rest.
When to target Zone 3
Increasing blood flow to the heart and muscles: In this zone, your body begins to increase the number and size of blood vessels. That helps drive more oxygen to the muscles, and helps to clear lactic acid and other byproducts out of your muscles.
Burning fat: Your body is still burning a good amount of fat for fuel in this zone. So you’ll still get the fat burning benefits in your lower intensity workouts, even if you shift from Zone 2 into Zone 3. Pushing harder than this, however, will shift your body back to preferring carbs (glycogen) for fuel.
Heart Rate Zone 4
Zone 4 is where the going gets tough.
You’ve nearly reached maximum effort. In fact, your body is working at 80-90% capacity. Your body is now utilizing carbs instead of fat for fuel. This is also where your body shifts from aerobic to anaerobic exercise.
A fast run outdoors is a good way to push your body into Zone 4, especially if the terrain requires extra effort. Just be sure that the surface is safe to run on. The faster you go, the harder it is to stop for a hazard in your path (like a tree root or broken pavement).
Another key thing that happens in this zone is that your body starts to produce lactic acid faster than it is able to filter and remove it. This buildup of lactic acid is what can cause nausea and soreness and ultimately forces you to slow down or stop.
Big safety tip: this zone is WORK on your body. If you’re incorporating Zone 4 into your training plan, you need to add time for stretching, foam rolling, icing, and (most importantly) rest.
When to target Zone 4
Building tolerance to lactic acid: Incorporating this into interval training is a great way to get used to the feeling of lactic acid buildup. Push yourself into Zone 4 until you start feeling the effects, then back down into Zone 2 or 3 until the feeling goes away. This will help you build a tolerance.
Increase speed and endurance: Once you prepare your body to handle the increased lactic acid, you’ll be able to handle longer and faster runs.
Heart Rate Zone 5
Zone 5 is the final zone. Your maximum effort. You are working at 90-100% effort. This is your “I CAN’T THINK RIGHT NOW” pace. No words, heavy breathing, all out running.
Sprinting is a good way to reach Zone 5 – just make sure that you have properly stretched and prepared your body with a Zone 1 warmup. High intensity training requires a serious focus on injuryprevention, not just recovery.
In this zone, the mechanics of your body are working in overdrive to keep up with the effort. Lactic acid will saturate your body, and you’ll be forced to stop very quickly (usually within a few minutes at best).
Serious safety tip: If you are implementing such high intensity workouts, you need to take a hard look at your recovery plan. Take it seriously. Certain injuries can last over 6 months, and that’s enough to derail an entire running season.
When to target Zone 5
Improve speed: There’s a saying that goes, “if you want to run faster, you have to run faster.” If you’ve been running for some time and are looking to improve your pace, this may help you.
Maintain or improve your maximum heart rate: This is the hardest workout you can give your heart, and after all your heart is just another muscle that can be improved through exercise. Regularly pushing yourself into Zone 5 can make your heart work more efficiently, which will improve your maximum (and resting) heart rate.
When not to target Zone 5
If your running journey has just begun, chances are you don’t need to train at this intensity. Focus on base building and pushing yourself into Zones 3 and 4.
How to implement HR Zones into your training
Now that you understand the basics and benefits of heart rate zone training, it’s time to add them into your training plan.
Before you start scheduling Zone 4 or 5 workouts, make sure you’ve built a solid foundation in the lower intensity zones. Establish proper form, build your base mileage, and properly condition your heart, lungs and muscles.
As you start plugging these into your weekly plan, remember that variety will give you the best results. Even if you are training to increase endurance, you shouldn’t skip out on all speed work.
The three best runs for beginning runners:
High Intensity Interval Day – Warm up in Zone 1. Push into Zones 3-4 for a few minutes. Recover in Zones 1-2. Repeat. Cool down in Zone 1.
Long Run – Sustain Zone 2 for the entire working window. This will burn fat and increase base mileage.
Threshold Run – Maintain Zone 3 for the entire working window. Your distance and time will depend on your conditioning. Be sure to still warm up and cool down in Zone 1 (always!).
With these three workouts, you should see progress in your endurance and speed. These are generally the most applicable for a new runner to add variety to their training, but there are other variations out there as well.
You don’t have to incorporate all three run types every single week. If your focus is to build base mileage, you might choose that Zone 2 Long Run for all runs except one. That odd day could alternate every other week between interval training and hills.
There is no set way to achieve a running goal that will work for 100% of the population. Our bodies are just too different – and that’s a great thing!
You simply need to find what works best for you. So it’s time to experiment to find out what that is. Please reach out with a comment or question below if you’d like further guidance – we’re here to help.
Now get training
You have a plan. You’ve scheduled your runs. Your nutrition is set. You know all you need to about hydration and electrolytes. Time to get out there and start training.
Next week we’ll be diving further into other common training styles like speed, hills and long runs. Subscribe to stay informed on that post, and all of the other amazing things we have going on – like our upcoming charity 5k, which will be held virtually as well as in person.
Few things can define a “successful” workout – not your speed, not the course, not even your perceived effort. The only thing to trust: your heart. That’s why all runners, especially beginning runners, need to train using heart rate zones to optimize each and every run.
Every modern smartwatch has the ability to monitor your heart rate. Once you know your target numbers for each zone, you’ll be able to adjust your runs in real time to reach the zone that best suits your goal.
Your heart rate is your cheat sheet into whether your workout is reaching your goal. Want to burn fat? Build speed? Add endurance?Properly recover? You need to track your heart rate.
What are heart rate zones and how can they help you train?
There are five “zones” that correspond to heart rate. They’re defined by how fast your heart is beating compared to your maximum heart rate. This allows you to track your own personal exertion level.
Note: Your maximum heart rate (MHR) is a rough estimate on how hard your body can physically go based on your age.
Zone 1 means your heart is beating at 50-60% of your maximum heart rate. This would be like a recovery run.
Zone 2 is 60-70%. This is your fat burning zone.
Zone 3 is 70-80%. This is your aerobic zone.
Zone 4 is 80-90%. This is your aerobic threshold.
Zone 5 is 90-100%. This is your anaerobic zone.
Your goal will determine which zone is best for training. If you want to lose weight, aim to stay in zone 2 for the majority of your workout. If you want to increase speed, push into zone 4.
If your goal is to burn fat and lose weight, you’ll want to keep your heart rate within zone 2 levels. Stick with a light jog.
If your goal is to build endurance, you’ll need to amplify your run in order to push your heart rate into zone 4 or 5 levels.
The biggest benefit of using this method is your ability to track your heart rate (manually or with a watch) and immediately know if you’re meeting the goal of your run.
How to identify your own essential heart rate data
Heart rate zones are specific to each person. This means we’ll need your personal data in order to figure out your personal target heart rates for each zone.
Here’s each piece of the puzzle:
Resting Heart Rate (RHR): This is your average HR while at rest. Find it by taking your pulse in the morning before you get out of bed. Do this for 5-7 days to get a good average. (Fitness watches will also provide this number.)
Attach a reminder to your alarm so that you remember to check your pulse before you get out of bed. Do this for 5-7 days to find your average resting heart rate.
Maximum Heart Rate (MHR): This is an estimate of your maximum exertion rate based on your age. Find this by subtracting your age from 220. Keep in mind, this is an average and doesn’t consider things like fitness level or genetics.
Heart Rate Reserve (HRR): This is the difference between your Resting Heart Rate and your Maximum Heart Rate. It’s the glue of this formula. Find it by subtracting your RHR from your MHR.
Here are some example numbers for a moderately healthy 25 year old: Resting Heart Rate: 60 Maximum Heart Rate: 195 [220 minus 25] Heart Rate Reserve: 135 [195 minus 60]
How to calculate your target heart rates for each zone
This is where the magic happens.
Mickey would definitely back this math.
You can find an online calculator to do the work for you, or you can use this formula to determine your target heart rates for each zone.
The formula: (x * HRR) + RHR
x represents the percentage of effort that corresponds to the zone you’re trying to achieve. Reminder on zone percentages:
Zone 1 means 50-60% effort, otherwise written as .50 to .60
Zone 2 is 60-70%, otherwise written as .60 to .70
Zone 3 is 70-80%, otherwise written as .70 to .80
Zone 4 is 80-90%, otherwise written as .80 to .90
Zone 5 is 90-100%, otherwise written as .90 to 1
You’ll use the formula twice per zone – once to determine the lower number of the two. This will tell you the heart rate at which you enter that zone (the low threshold).
So, to reach zone 2 using our example numbers above, you would first calculate for 60%: (.60 times 135), plus 60, which equals 141.
Then you’ll calculate the higher number, which will tell you the heart rate at which you will leave that zone and enter the next zone. (This is your high threshold).
For zone two, the higher number is 70%, so: (.70 times 135), plus 60, which equals 154.5.
So the person in our example would be training in zone 2 when their heart rate is between 141 and 154.
Example heart rate zones
To help cement the formula: here are all five zones using our example numbers. Remember, you will have to adjust these numbers based on your own heart rate data.
Formula:
(x
*
HRR)
+
RHR
=
Target HR
Zone 1 low
(.50
*
135)
+
60
=
127.5
Zone 1 high
(.60
*
135)
+
60
=
141
Zone 2 low
(.60
*
135)
+
60
=
141
Zone 2 high
(.70
*
135)
+
60
=
154.5
Zone 3 low
(.70
*
135)
+
60
=
154.5
Zone 3 high
(.80
*
135)
+
60
=
168
Zone 4 low
(.80
*
135)
+
60
=
168
Zone 4 high
(.90
*
135)
+
60
=
181.5
Zone 5 low
(.90
*
135)
+
60
=
181.5
Zone 5 high
(1.0
*
135)
+
60
=
195
Once you calculate your own numbers, you’ll be able to tweak your workouts to best meet your goals – just by checking your pulse.
Now get tracking and training!
Now that you have the tools to track your heart rate zones, there’s nothing stopping you from perfecting your training. Know your goal, track your numbers, and get in the perfect zone(s) with every run.
Check in with your heart rate every 5-10 minutes to see if you’re staying on track with your intended zone.
Not sure which zone is best for your goal? Next week we’ll take a look at each zone individually. To be the first to know when the post drops, subscribe to our email list below.
But first, let us know your thoughts on using heart rate as a tool to amplify training. Leave a comment, or question, below. We’re always happy to help.
And if you haven’t visited the other posts of the series, don’t miss out on great content tailored specifically for runners. We recommend the two essentials: nutrition and hydration.
