Category: Training
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Tapering for Running Races | The Smart Method
“Generally, you can only do too much.” Tapering is always hard. You need to freshen up, but you still have to do some hard workouts so you don’t get stale. Otherwise, the race will be too much of a shock to the system. At the same time, you can’t thrash yourself, or you’ll start the…
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How to Find Your Goal Pace for ANY Running Race.
Have you ever blown up in a race and had to run the last few Kms or Miles about 1min slower than you started? YES. Of course you have. We all have! I will tell you why you blew up and how you can go faster next time. You started too hard, bro! Why does…
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Event-specific Training for Running PBs.
One of the biggest mistakes I see runners make is ignoring specificity in their training. If you want to run a PB at your next event, you need to be ticking off event-specific workouts from two months out. What most people do is a random mix of volume, ambiguous intensity often referred to as “speed”,…
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Are You Ready For the Future of Running? What is Running Power?
If you’re a moderately competitive cyclist, you HAVE to have a power meter. Power meters give you a more accurate representation of your work (energy) when you’re running. Think about running uphill. Can you look at your pace? Nope, it’ll be slow. Can you look at your heart rate, maybe, but if the hills <5min,…
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Heart Rate Training for Runners and Why You Feel Slow.
Running your next PB depends heavily on your aerobic energy system. From 5km upwards, 98% of your performance is fuelled by your aerobic energy system. When you run your easy-aerobic runs too fast, you add unnecessary and nonspecific stress to your physiological system. More often than not, the result is that your races never align…
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High-Intensity Interval Training for Runners. Unlocking Massive Gains.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is often associated with some form of “4-minute fat burner” workout, which IS NOT what I am talking about. HIIT workouts consist of repeated bouts of high-intensity work performed above the lactate threshold (a perceived effort of “hard” or greater) or critical speed/power, interspersed by periods of low-intensity exercise or complete…
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Why pro runners don’t care about their weekly mileage (and neither should you).
Pro runners don’t care about their weekly mileage. Lifting your weekly mileage by extending the duration of your runs or adding a weekly run could be ruining your chance of a new PB. If you’re out there training without a structured plan, adding more Kms onto your weekly schedule is the LAST option on your…
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Dispelling the Grey Zone Myth
“Whether you’re a weekend worrier or a full-time pro doesn’t matter. Slowing down to go faster is legit.” Key points Grey zone & zone 3 are different. Grey zone is any training that’s done too hard or without purpose. Grey zone training harms fitness. Listen to the full episode on the Performance Advantage Podcast Trap…
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Dr Will’s Running Power Training Zones
Here we go again, training zones! It feels like every scientist/coach wants their own personal training zone system, and I’m no different! “Ah Will, can’t you just use someone else’s training zones and make them work?” I’ve tried, but I’ve found it too frustrating and confusing for myself and the athletes I work with. Training…
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Lactate Testing To Set My Training Zones. Returning From Injury
Throughout my time in endurance sport and sports science, I’ve been a self-experimenter. I’m always keen to test out new methods of training and new ways to monitor training on myself to see whether there is any benefit to applying them to my athletes’ training plans. My latest interest is in lactate control training, an…