Workouts
All workouts are tailored to your current fitness level. This is important, as the types of workouts described below can be utilized by a runner of any fitness or experience level. Personalization is usually applied to two main parts of the workout: target time for each segment and the total quantity/distance covered.
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Most of these coach led workouts will be on "closed-circuit courses" which include local 400 meter tracks, or running paths and parks in the Naples, Florida area. All courses are accurately measured. This will ensure that your workouts are properly executed and that your results can be trusted. Clients will receive their results both during and immediately following each workout. These accurate results are a powerful feedback tool that you and your coaches can use to both assess your current fitness level, and to design your future workouts.
Tempo
A tempo-paced workout is described as 80-85% of your maximum ability over a distance. This type of workout is also called a "threshold" workout, as the physiological goal is to raise your "lactate threshold". It is believed that your body produces lactate when you start to exercise; this lactate can be trained to be used as fuel by your body, however it gives off hydrogen ions as waste products. These ions are what some physiologists believe to cause the "burn" that an athlete feels in their muscles.
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Tempo/Threshold running trains your body to push this somewhat uncomfortable burn "back" to a point where you can run farther, faster, without slowing down. As a result, tempo/threshold training is often useful for beginning runners to build their stamina, as well as for those who are training for race distances of the 10k up to the marathon. While a runner won't run their marathon at their tempo pace, being able to run a considerable distance at your T pace will make your Marathon pace seem more achievable.
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Tempo training can also be called "Speed endurance". You are not sprinting, but rather are holding a faster pace for a considerable distance. As such, pure nonstop tempo workouts may last anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour, depending upon the fitness of the runner.
However, it's sometimes useful to break up a tempo run into intervals called Cruise Intervals. Here, you will run a certain amount of prescribed intervals of a particular length; these intervals will be broken up by brief rests. The brief rests are important so as to not allow your lactate level to drop too much. You will want to keep your lactate level high so you can push the threshold point back. By keeping the rests brief the lactate levels will remain elevated.
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Cruise Intervals are helpful for runners who are new to tempo/threshold running and may find running 20 minutes or more continuously at their T pace too strenuous, or for experienced runners who are looking to push new boundaries of their tempo training by incrementally adding longer or higher quantities of cruise intervals to their tempo workouts.
The general rest guidelines for Cruise Intervals are as follows:
800 meter CI's = 30 seconds in between each interval
1 mile CI's = 1 minute rest in between each interval
2 mile CI's = 2 minutes
VO2 max
VO2 max is described as attaining an intensity that is 95-100% of your maximum ability over a distance. In short, you'll be getting your heart and breathing rate up to an appropriately high level.
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The goal with these workouts is to keep your heart rate high during each segment. In general 10-15 minutes of total time per workout is best. This will build your heart muscle; increase your body's oxygen carrying capacity; and in my opinion, teach yourbody how to best"move it's resources around" so you can more efficiently run at a high level.
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Running 10 minutes all out, without rest, is really difficult if not impossible!! Trying to run for that long all out may find you slowing down = your heart rate drops = the intention of the workout is lost. That is why breaking up a VO2 workout into intervals (not to be confused with Cruise Intervals...see above in the Tempo/Threshold section) are most helpful. The rest in between each interval is full; you should be rested enough before you attempt the next interval so you can run it at the same pace as the preceding interval.
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There are many different types of interval workouts that you can do to accomplish the same physiological goal. Utilizing different types of VO2 max intervals will help to keep your workouts varied and interesting. You can be creative, but remember the goal is the amount of time spent at the proper intensity.
Repetition pace
Reps are shorter runs (max distance = 200 meters) that are run 95-100% of your maximum capacity. Generally speaking these runs will not put you into oxygen debt. They are long enough, however, in that you may find that your form is challenged. Certain things may occur with your form in the last 50-100 meters, such as facial muscle tightening, raised shoulders, and other form deficiencies that may occur with fatigue.
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The idea with these short repetition workouts is to pay particular attention to keeping your form smooth and strong. Reps usually require a full rest period in between each one. You may find that this rest period decreases as you become more fit.
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