Articles

Running Performance Indicators

What is critical in improving your running performances? If you were to line up 5k & 10k runners in order by the following criteria, which would be the best predictor of race performance?

• Weekly Training Mileage (total miles)
• VO2max (the maximum ability to process oxygen)
• Running Economy - RE (the oxygen consumption at a particular pace)
• Lactate Threshold - LT (the pace above which lactate begins to accumulate in your blood)
• 50 and 300 meter Sprint Times (applied to distance runners not sprinters trying to run distances)
  

The research is actually quite definitive that the first two items (total training mileage and VO2max) are poor predictors of racing success. RE is good but the best predictor is your LT pace! And lo and behold, sprint times for distance runners (not sprinters against distance runners) are a very reliable predictor of the longer distance results as well. What this means is that if you lined distance runners up by each of these categories of training in order - highest to lowest rated - the last three line ups will be most like the 10k race results (or even up through marathons).

A critical, yet commonly overlooked, key element in improving racing at the longer distances is improving your maximum speed. On a graph, visualize two lines; one indicating your maximum speed (sprint) and another indicating your race pace of the longer distance. There is a direct relationship in improving maximum speed and its effects on improving longer race paces. So, as we move maximum paces faster it drags along all other race distance paces with it. Speed work is not an afterthought after some mythical "base" is established. Speed work is essential in improving your racing at all distances. The optimal way to do that is through a year round quality training focus - not mindless miles.

The nature of speed training certainly changes over the course of the year. The interval distances, rest intervals, paces, even the drills change throughout the year as you move through phases. The misconception is to back off speed work in your non-racing season. This antiquated approach has clearly been demonstrated in research not to be optimal training. It takes too long to ramp up your speed each season - you lose valuable gains from the previous season. Do not lose what you worked so hard to gain. A modicum of speed work in your "off season" will maintain leg speed and give you a kick-start for the upcoming season.

And so what do these performance indicators all mean to you? You improve the most when you incorporate running-specific strength training, hill work, vVO2max running and race-specific pace training.