Ready, get set, GO! A running guide

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si nga mag-40 na... takbo pa din ng takbo...

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Si ! Hahaha!

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Introduction

To run faster and longer you will need two BASIC things: Muscle endurance and cardiovascular endurance.

While muscle strength IS THE RESULT OF the exercises and drills needed to attain these two basic things. Hence, its a consequence of training to run faster.


So what are the exercises and drills that you need to do to attain these two?

Simple: Its the work out you've been doing since you started running which is to run (faster, literally) BUT you'll also need to focus on exercising and training certain muscle groups to bring out more noticeable results.


Which muscle groups do you need to focus on?

Well AT THE VERY LEAST you will need to train your back, core, glutes, and legs.

The back and core helps stabilize your form while you run, glutes and legs helps your speed.

Eventually, however, you will need to develop your arms, chest, and shoulders so that you could run even faster and further.

You'll notice that the proper running form requires you to swing your arms, well when you are running at faster speeds you will need to swing 'em faster too.

REMEMBER, running is a whole body affair. Its a mistake to say that running only involves your leg muscles.


What are the exercises that target these muscle groups?

For starters:

1. Regular Plank, hold this position for at least 20 seconds, 3 reps. Work up until you could hold it for a minute.

This develops your core and back at the same time. It also prepares you to do push ups which you will EVENTUALLY need to run faster

2. Squats. Do ten reps, for 3 sets. Work you way up until you could finish 20-30 reps with ease.

This will develop your glutes and upper leg muscles.

Note: Read here to find out how to squat properly and safely.

3. Calf Raise. keep on doing it until your calf muscles fail and note the number of raises you completed and then half it and that will be the number of reps for EACH set. Work your way up until you could double the reps for each set. You could also apply this formula to the first two exercises.

This will develop your calf muscles.

Now, you are thinking "These three are basically strength training exercises, where is the muscle endurance part?"

Well here it is, after you've gotten used to the above mentioned reps and sets its time to ramp it up by doing it 1) faster, 2) by doing negatives, and 3) holds (follow the progression of Regular Planks).

So by the time you get to number 3, you will now be performing three exercises done in 4 different modes per exercise. You progress by going faster and faster, doing it slower and slower, and by hold it longer and longer. Eventually, all of these things will be TOO easy for you so that is when you progress either by doing the the more advanced version of these three exercises or by increasing the reps and/or sets ( or until muscle failure) or by training with a totally different exercise that targets the same muscle groups.

(To be continued)

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What are the drills needed to attain greater speed?

Most of these will be familiar to most veteran runners but for the newbies here are some drills you might find helpful.

1. Walk-Run. As the name suggests you intentionally and purposefully WALK for a period of time and you RUN after that period during your regular runs. Do this a few times during your run. NOTE: This is the most newbie friendly of all the drills that you will be doing.

2. Fartleks. Its simple really, RUN at an increased speed from your normal pace over a period of time after such period you resume your normal pace. Note: Vary the speed of each fartlek leg.

3. 4x speed test. You will need a track oval for this. Divide the 400M track oval into four sections of 100M. Run each section in different speeds of increasing intensity BUT never approaching full sprint. Rest for 3-5 minutes in between each sets.

4. 300M-100M. Again you will need a track oval for this. Run the first 300M using your regular pace BUT run the last 100M in 3/4 sprint to full sprint. Do not set a rest period as the 300M should be your rest period.

5. The Yasso 800. You will need a track oval for this. Read here for a complete explanation of the drill.

To be continued.

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6. 10 X 100M. Warning: This is a pure sprint exercise and considered to be HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING. Although this will burn away your fats fast and tone your muscles and make you sprint faster it wont really translate into faster times in long distances because the muscles that you use during all out sprint is different from those you use during runs. Do 10 reps of 100M sprints with 2 minute rests in between each sprint.

7. 10 X 400M. This is more in line for medium distance runners (anything below 5k). your goal is to finish each 400M in 60 seconds or less. do 10 reps of 400m with 5 minute rests in between each run.

8. Quick step + high knee + 100M/400M. The same warning found in number 6 applies here if you choose the 100M option. A quick step is just like doing a single leg calf raise at high speeds, alternating between each leg. You should feel your calf muscles working. Do the quick step for 10 seconds, high knee for another 10 seconds and then you either sprint a 100m or run a 400m. Work up until you could extend the quick step and the high knee to 30 seconds. Do 10 reps with a 5 minute break in between each rep.

Note: All of these drills are designed to teach you DIFFERENT SPEEDS and not necessarily to develop your muscles to run faster. Think of it this way, this is to train you to shift between different gears! The running faster part is but a consequence of learning the gears.

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What are the more advanced options for exercises?

1. Burpees. Do ten reps, 2 sets and work you way up to 30 reps, 3 sets. From there do ladders sets (30 reps, 29 reps, 28 reps, etc). After that increase the intensity but doing it faster. Note: this single exercise alone targets most of the major muscle groups. Click here to learn more.

2. Mountain Climber. Do this for 10 seconds, 3 sets. Work your way up until you could do a full minute. Then progress by increasing the time and the speed. Note: This is a full body exercise. Click here to know more.

3. Bird Dog. Do this as if your doing a regular plank. You progress in the same manner also.

4. Bridge. Do this as if your doing a regular plank. You progress in the same manner also.

5. Push ups. start with 5-10 reps, 3 sets. Then work you way until you could do 50 reps in 1 and a half minute.

So that is about it. These and the first three I've mentioned are the most important exercises you will need to attain higher speeds. Just remember to NEVER omit the first three exercises that I've mentioned, specially the negatives and the holds, unless you plan to use another exercise that targets the same muscle groups.

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Should I stretch?

YES! According to Stretching Anatomy by Nelson and Kokkonen these are the benefits of regular stretching: Flexibility, muscle endurance and strength, and fuller range of motion among others. You need all of these to run faster and longer.

Click here for an introduction to stretching.

Click here to know the stretches you need to do before running.

Note: If you doing the high intensity drills its recommended that you do INTENSE stretching BEFORE the drill to avoid injury (pulikat, etc).

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Can you give me a sample speed program?

Here is mine before I took up law.

Brisk walk for 15 minutes (Warm up)
Stretch
Regular run of 3KM with some fartlek legs
20 fartlek legs in different speeds (If I'm in an oval I'll do the 4x speed test)
Finish the remaining leg of my run
Cool down by brisk walk of 15 minutes
Stretch

The exercises can come in before you do the speed drills but its HIGHLY recommended that you separate the drills and the exercises in two different sessions.

As you can see you incorporate speed drills and exercises in your regular day to day runs. Its up to you which drill to use but I highly recommend the Yasso 800s, the fartleks, the walk-run, and the 4x speed test.

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So where is the cardio endurance part?

Your regular run is the cardio part. As a rule of thumb, you should run farther than the event you desire to run in finishing it at the pace you've set for the event.

Example: if you wanna run a 5km race then you should run 5km+2-3km = 8km and finish it in your 5km pace but not in 5km time.

A few weeks (say 3 weeks) before the event you should time yourself doing the event distance to determine whether or not you need adjustments. If you need adjustments then do a 4x a week training and then do light trainings a week before the event and REST two to three days before the event itself.

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In sum, if you wanna run faster all you have to do is to ACTUALLY run faster during your regular training runs. The exercises and the drills are just there to help you speed up the process and to teach your mind and muscles the different gears you have in you.