question about speed, endurance, and speed endurance

I'm not sure, but I am the same way. I get my butt kicked in short sprints and long tempos and long runs. But I always do very well with mile to 5k paced workouts.

What does your coach say?

There are so many different systems at play when sprinting - % fast fibers, ability to run at high cadence, ability to relax while sprinting, muscle strength, etc. And at distance events you have lactate clearance, aerobic power, stamina of joints (for very long runs)... Point is it's not as simple as just "speed" and "endurance."

Plus your lactate curve could be "shaped" differently if graphed at speed vs. lactate accumulation. At 5K pace yours could be lower, at marathon pace theirs could be lower.

In a workout there is recovery where the pain drops off, and in a long run there

is fatigue but no pain.

In a race there is sustained pain, and they are buckling under that. Some guys are better at tolerating the hurt.

You may be able to buffer acidity better

Bump for more

juniority wrote:

5 or 6 of my teammates and I are very competitive and run fairly similar times, and often compete for varsity spots. Over the last couple of years, I've noticed a strange trend. Several of these kids can both easily run long runs that would leave me exhausted, and not even be tired, and yet also destroy me in speedwork and sprints. Yet, I consistently beat them all in races. Almost invariably, we will be a pack at the 2 mile mark in 5k races, but I always manage to pull away and win in the third mile by 10-20 seconds. Can someone explain to me why they are so much better than me at both long distance and sprints, and yet I can beat them in a 5k almost all of the time?

It is possible your mates are "workout kings" and you are a racer.

In college I was training with 3-4 guys in my group and we would all run the 5k or 3k together at a meet and i would beat them by at least 15-20 seconds even though we trained together and did the same in workouts.

you are a racer. It is a gift. don't let it go.

br0ski wrote:

you are a racer. It is a gift. don't let it go.

^^^This. You are one that knows how to bring it in a race, they buckle when it matters.

To restate what is said above- sprinting ability of distance runners is completely variable. All depends on %FT fibers, neuromechanics (are you firing all your muscles and at the proper time) etc. Only way to train this is by doing weight/plyo work or practicing sprinting.

Long runs they could just have a higher aerobic capacity or they just deal better with general fatigue. Your running economy may be better at 5K paces, where they have higher running economy at training paces.

juniority wrote:

Yet, I consistently beat them all in races.

Look up the term workout warrior.