IMPROVING YOUR RUNNING
Running can be so enjoyable, a 30-40min run can turn a bad mood into a good mood. You can solve all your problems while you’re running smoothly and effortlessly. How do you turn a hard slog run into an enjoyable experience and see your run speeds improve? This article will explore different ideas to help you improve the run during a triathlon.
There are a number of way to improve your running but there are 4 ways I’ve found to make the most different to me as a triathlete.
1. Improve your run economy 2. Run smart consistently 3. Run off the bike
Vary your training, your running partners, and your environment. Only your imagination limits the ways you can spice up your running routine. Glover
1. Run economy
Runny economy is about running with the least amount of wasted energy. What do you look like when you run? Sit back and watch people run, some make it look so hard while other gracefully slide over the ground. Understanding how you run is so important. Women can make a huge difference to their running comfort and speed by learning how to run economically.
1. Running technique can be improved vastly by training. Just as a tennis player has to hit many balls and a golfer spends hours on the range, so too, running properly requires practice.
2. Running technique does not have to be “taught”. Rather it is learned through practice, circumstances and then implementation. www.sportsscientists.com
There are a few points to look at to improve you basic technique;
(a) Don’t bob up and down, run smoothly forward. You will see women with long hair and it bobbing up and down, this is wasted energy. Economical runners glide over the ground.
Left runner's feet land in front of his hips (acting as a break) while right runner's feet land under him, propelling him forward
(b) Land with your feet under you. You will see many women run and they land with their feet in front of their hips. You need your feet to land under your hips. To do this 1. Run tall and push your hip bones forward. When you push your hip bones forward you will activate the butt muscles more. Watch a new female runner compared to a good runner. A good runner will run tall and their feet land under their hips. Where as a new runner will look like their sitting down and it looks difficult as their feet land in front of their hips.
(c) Strengthen you core – your core is you whole abdomen and all you butt muscles. With strong core and gluteus you will be able to hold a strong, good technique. Some great exercises can be found at www.runnersworld.com
2. Run smart consistently
It’s important to start any run program gradually, gradually increasing your distance then adding speed later after a good base of training. It’s important to be consistent, consistency will make you a strong, faster runner. You’re body needs to adapt gradually and the only way you can reap the benefits of endurance training is to be consistent (CLICK HERE to read the benefits of endurance training). Consistency means running all year round, not just 12 weeks prior to a race. Train frequently and all year round (Noakes). It’s important to start gradually and regularly to see improvements in your running
Don’t misinterpret frequency with high volume. Frequency is regular, consistent, quality training
The important thing is to train smart. The quality of your training is more important than the quantity. Salazar
What is quality training?
Quality training should involve runs that incorporate training at a speed to match the pace you’ll be racing at, or slightly above. You don’t need to do 100m sprints but you should be doing efforts in your long runs that are at the pace you will race at.
Quality sessions can include some type of interval training at a pace that stresses the body (e.g. 3min hard, 2 min easy). As you’re a triathlete, you’ll be doing hard workouts in the pool and bike and it’s important to ensure you have easy training sessions between your hard workouts so you body has time to recover and adapt to the great quality sessions you’re doing.
3. Run off the bike
You’re training for a triathlon and not just a running race so running off the bike should be a vital part of your training. You need to learn how to adapt to the transition from cycling to running which can be hard at first but over time will become easier. It’s a great idea to run for 15-20min off your long rides on the weekend. Try and do these runs at the pace at which you’ll race at or slightly harder. This is a great quality training session and should be followed by an easy day to follow.
For shorter distance racing (sprint or olympic) it’s a good idea to do repeats of cycling then running in one training session. Running off the bike will become easy and seamless.
As you get closer to your competition include 1 to 2km runs off your mid week bike rides. Just make it a quick snappy 5-10min run.
Incorporating a run off the bike once to twice per week will help make the transition on race day so much easier.
