I've officially started my first official running workout. Up until now I have just been..... well, just running. When I started, I could barely run a mile and it was taking me 12-15 minutes. Over time I have improved both my pace and distance, But now I'm starting to reach a plateau. At a three mile distance, I can't seem to break the 9 minute/mile barrier without feeling completely wiped out afterwards. Mentally, I feel that I should be able to run faster. I just can't convince my legs to do it. The pace I would really like to get to is around 8min/mile or better.
So, while I was complaining to my friend, a former collegiate track runner, he says "If you never change the way you are running, you will never run any differently" Wow! that almost seems obvious.... But what the heck does that really mean? Basically, what is likely keeping you back is muscle memory and mental cadence. Your legs and body get used to running in a certain way all the time and your mind gets used to seeing things move by at about the same speed. To get faster you need to break the old routine and teach your legs how to run faster.
To get started you will need to know your normal running pace. This shouldn't be hard to figure out if you have been jogging for a while. Hopefully you have been tracking your progress. I listed some helpful tools in this Resources post. Just remember, a normal pace should be a pace that when you are finished, you can still carry on a conversation.
So here is the workout I'm starting to get beyond my 9 minute barrier. Its a 4 day cycle workout.
Basic: Run 3-4 miles at normal pace.
Tempo: Warm up, Run one "Quick" mile, run one mile at normal pace, run one "Quick" mile, cool down
Workout: Warm up, Run 3-4 cycles of two minutes fast, two minutes 80% normal, cool down
Easy: Run: 3-5 miles at about 80%-90% normal pace.
Of course "Quick" and "Fast" are very generic terms. That's OK. The main point of the exercise is to break up the routine of running the same way every day. It's about getting your body and mind used to moving at a faster pace. Its also about building up your strength and endurance.
But if you are set on having a more specific target here is a quick reference:
Quick = about 10%-15% faster than normal
Fast = 40%-50% faster than normal
Here is an example using my current numbers:
Normal: 9:00 min/mile
Quick: 7:30 - 8:00 min/mile
Fast: 5:00-5:30 min/mile
So, I'm going to try this out for the next two weeks and see how it goes.
Do you have an suggestions for getting beyond the plateau?
So, while I was complaining to my friend, a former collegiate track runner, he says "If you never change the way you are running, you will never run any differently" Wow! that almost seems obvious.... But what the heck does that really mean? Basically, what is likely keeping you back is muscle memory and mental cadence. Your legs and body get used to running in a certain way all the time and your mind gets used to seeing things move by at about the same speed. To get faster you need to break the old routine and teach your legs how to run faster.
To get started you will need to know your normal running pace. This shouldn't be hard to figure out if you have been jogging for a while. Hopefully you have been tracking your progress. I listed some helpful tools in this Resources post. Just remember, a normal pace should be a pace that when you are finished, you can still carry on a conversation.
So here is the workout I'm starting to get beyond my 9 minute barrier. Its a 4 day cycle workout.
Basic: Run 3-4 miles at normal pace.
Tempo: Warm up, Run one "Quick" mile, run one mile at normal pace, run one "Quick" mile, cool down
Workout: Warm up, Run 3-4 cycles of two minutes fast, two minutes 80% normal, cool down
Easy: Run: 3-5 miles at about 80%-90% normal pace.
Of course "Quick" and "Fast" are very generic terms. That's OK. The main point of the exercise is to break up the routine of running the same way every day. It's about getting your body and mind used to moving at a faster pace. Its also about building up your strength and endurance.
But if you are set on having a more specific target here is a quick reference:
Quick = about 10%-15% faster than normal
Fast = 40%-50% faster than normal
Here is an example using my current numbers:
Normal: 9:00 min/mile
Quick: 7:30 - 8:00 min/mile
Fast: 5:00-5:30 min/mile
So, I'm going to try this out for the next two weeks and see how it goes.
Do you have an suggestions for getting beyond the plateau?
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