KEY WORKOUTS FOR RUNNERS AND MOUNTAINEERS

HOW TO BUILD A WORKOUT FOR RUNNERS AND MOUNTAINEERS

🟢I talked about training principles in the previous post (Overload, Progression, Recovery, Specificity, Detraining and Individuality). 

❓If you go out for a training how do you know that the training will have the effect you are seeking. 

👉By using and adjusting these variables you can address the principles of training:

1️⃣Volume (in time or distance)

You can measure your volume of training in mileage or time. For trail running the best is to measure in total time as distance in the hilly terrain won’t quantify the training accurately.

2️⃣Intensity (how hard is your effort)

How hard are you training will directly affect what impact the training has on your body. I will talk about how you can measure this in future. But for now check the different types of workouts of different intensities below.

3️⃣Frequency (how often per day/per week)

How often should you train per day or per week? How often should you do intervals? How many days per week should you rest? All this matters when you make a smart training plan.

4️⃣Environment.

Road, trail, snow, mountain terrain, hot or cold weather, humidity. All these factors will affect the difficulty of your workout and its effect on your body. Running on flat trail for one hour will feel different than running uphill for the same time.

5️⃣Cadence

You might have noticed that some runners use longer steps than others. Some bikers have higher spin frequency. We all seem to choose the one that feels ‘the easiest’ for us. There is nothing wrong with that. But, you can train your body to use different cadence with different load. Your muscles will work slightly differently and you can have so much needed relief during your long workouts or races.

KEY WORKOUTS FOR RUNNERS AND MOUNTAINEERS

🟡RECOVERY RUN

Easy jog or hike that will help you recover from your hard workouts. 

Duration up to 1 hour is sufficient at easy intensity.

🟠ENDURANCE RUN

This is a workout at an intensity that you should spend the most time at. You could go like this for hours. It means going a bit faster than during your recovery run. You can use your breathing as a guide. It should be regular and not too deep. You can make a conversation, meaning your breathing is not too deep and irregular not to allow you to talk several words or short sentences. 

Duration between 1 hour until 6 hours depending on your training status and objective.

🟢AEROBIC RUN

This workout is helping to increase your speed at aerobic threshold. You might have heard about anaerobic threshold and lactate. At the aerobic threshold there is already some lactate getting created in muscles. Your body needs to get some energy from carbohydrates as fat metabolism is too slow. 

Between 1-2 hours or 2-3 30min intervals at moderate intensity. 

🔵TEMPO

Some athletes and coaches love these, some avoid them. There has been a lot of controversy around training and lactate. However, the tempo intervals can increase your body’s capacity to process and reutilise lactate. You will be able run faster for longer. Just be careful to not overdo these. They are strenuous! Give your body time to recover after.

Intervals of 5-30 minutes. Total time spent at this intensity zone should be between 20-60 minutes. Again, be careful with these and choose according to your level and objective.

🔴INTERVALS

Who does not love intervals!? Hard intensity with short rests so that you can accumulate time at the high zones. They are bloody hard but pay off well in the long run. They can vary in length, you can do them on flat or uphill terrain. The ideal length can be between 2-3 minutes but you can go up to 8 minutes. It depends on your fitness level. You should be able to sustain the hard intensity during the length of the intervals.

Intervals between 2-10 minutes with total time spent at this intensity zone 20-30 minutes with rest intervals equal to interval times. 

Get in touch if you look for more advice or coaching