Posted: April 18, 2006

Multisport by Lance Watson: Using the Track to Create Speed

By Lance Watson - www.LifeSport.ca.

The beauty of the track is the absolute accuracy with which it reports pace. Running on the track allows you to monitor your pace and exact distances, and is a great to measure speed and running progress. As well the track is fantastic for working on rhythm and run cadence. Doing repeats over a standardized distance where you do not have to worry about footing is the best way to increase foot speed and raise your lactate tolerance levels. I will outline a couple of sessions that are great to accomplish just this. Remember, these sessions are short, but they are hard and fast.

Before starting, there are some important points to remember when performing track workouts:

1. You should perform a 10-20 minute warm-up that builds slightly in intensity before the hard work.

2. Follow the warm-up with some drills and strides to get your muscles firing and ready for the effort to come.

3. If you need rest, take it, but keep in mind that the rest is structured for a reason, and thus should not be deviated from too much. Once you start adjusting the rest you are changing the energy system that you are working.

4. You will be tired at the end of some of these workouts, so it is okay if you feel fatigued as the workout comes to an end.

5. If you are unable to maintain the speed required for the workout, then shorten the workout rather than blow up. Commit to the entire set and reassess once you are started. Remember not to count yourself out before the workout begins.

6. Make sure you cool down after the workout. You will be using your anaerobic energy system in these workouts, thus building lactic acid in your muscles, so a good cool down is very important to allow for the body to process the lactic acid through your kidney.

7. Whenever possible, try to switch the direction of your running about half way through the workout. This will help to balance the muscles as you run in circles, and is good for injury prevention.

8. Build up to track workouts. Do some speed sessions on trails first and then add in the track.

9. Limit your track workouts to a maximum of one or two per week to avoid injury. You do not need to do all your hard runs on a track - measure out some 1-2km intervals on your local trails for when you are doing longer speed sessions.

What follows are 3 great, but hard, track workouts. Keep in mind the number of repeats suggested. Commit to the lower number and assess how things are going during the set. If your fitness and speed begin to increase then add one to two repeats each week.

Number one:
• 6-12 x 400 with double rest to work time (i.e. time = 90secs, rest = 180secs)

This is a fantastic workout for developing the ability to maintain technique and speed at just above lactic threshold. You want to do this workout based on "best average" time. That means that you should be completing the 400s in the fastest time that you can maintain for all 10 of them.

Number two:

•	2-4 x 200 with 45 seconds rest 
•	1-2 x 400 with 1:00 rest 
•	1-2 x 800 with 2:00 rest 
•	1-2 x 400 with 1:00 rest 
•	2-4 x 200 with 45 seconds rest 

A classic pyramid. In this workout the focus will be on the 800 which should be run at your mile pace. Your 400s should be run at 5k pace and the 200s at 10k pace. You want to perform the 800 at your mile race pace, meaning that the 400 will be at your 5 km race pace, and your 200 will be at 10km race pace, on both sides of the pyramid.

Number three:
• 15-30 minutes of continuous 400s alternating 200 hard/200 ez

This workout is a continuous run. After a good warm up you will begin running 400s. Each lap of the track will be half sprinting and half active recovery. So, how hard do you sprint? Well, as hard as you can while still being able to jog the second half and to keep going for 15-30 minutes. Begin with 15mins and ramp up the minutes by the week. You might have the tendency to sprint too hard from the beginning so keep in mind how long you will be doing the set the pace accordingly.

Follow the workouts above while listening to your body and see the results. Enjoy.

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Thanks to Suzanne Weckend for her contribution to this piece.

Over the past 20 years, Lance Watson has coached a number of Ironman and Olympic Games Champions.
Beginner and experienced triathletes can contact him at LifeSport Coaching (coach@LifeSport.ca) or visit LifeSport.ca.

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Posted with permission from LifeSport.ca.

© Copyright 2006 Lance Watson Professional Coaching Inc.