Doing an effort (i.e. vasodilation) of 30 seconds to 6 minutes (that's the range I've observed; and there are pros/cons for the time in relation to the race duration and intensities) at near maximal heart rate is a way to prep the heart (specifically the left ventricle) for the work it is about to do (in racing and intense workouts).
Vasodilation has less (if anything) to do with the legs feeling fresh; though, psychologically I would imagine this would be difficult to do/sale to runners if only done on race days and not included in a typical intense workout routine.
I'm no medical scientist, but I also don't believe the purpose of vasodilation has much (if anything) to do with muscle pH levels associated with Lactate Tolerance work. Lactate Tolerance work is geared towards what happens at the END of a race, not the beginning (Vasodilation prep).
If Lactate Tolerance is "needed" or used at the beginning of a distance race, the runner has likely gone faster than what they physiologically can handle - and it will show in the later stages of a XC race (see other threads on how some people feel some teams/individuals may have been too aggressive from the start at XC Nats). There is a reason running even splits (efforts) and negative splits (increased efforts) yield some of the fastest times/performances.
On the track, this is relatively easy to do from a physiological standpoint. XC courses, on the other hand, require a bit more nuance in trying to figure out how to run the course (hills, turns, etc...) in relation to everything else that is going on (psychological, race dynamics, other potential environmental influences).
Lastly, Vasodilation is not a "new thing" we are learning from the Ingebrigtsen camp; it has been around for quite some time and runners/coaches have been doing this for years.
Apologies for the lengthy post, but Malmo did ask!!! LOL
Wartburg's been doing this for years. Every meet. Like 15 min. from the start. Hasn't seemed to hurt them much. They're not the only ones. I think it's pretty normal for some of the better teams.
Wartburg's been doing this for years. Every meet. Like 15 min. from the start. Hasn't seemed to hurt them much. They're not the only ones. I think it's pretty normal for some of the better teams.
We do 2x200 w/30 seconds rest...before sessions and races. Good thread and remember there is a study where a 200m at race pace 20min before an 800 improves performance.
It's an old story, but 30 years ago, I was on my college's XC team, and one day, I was shooting the breeze with our swim team coach. He asked what we did to warm up before races. I said we stretched, ran a few miles, and, just before the race, did 4-6 stride outs.
He said swimmers do much more just before a race and suggested I do many more stride outs -- like 20. I was worried I would tire, and he said, "You run 80 miles a week, trust me, this isn't going to tire you out."
My next race, I did what he said and ran the best XC race of my life. The first couple of miles were effortless.
I know nothing of the science behind this, but ever since, I have coached runners in good shape to do many more strides. It seems to work.
It's an old story, but 30 years ago, I was on my college's XC team, and one day, I was shooting the breeze with our swim team coach. He asked what we did to warm up before races. I said we stretched, ran a few miles, and, just before the race, did 4-6 stride outs.
He said swimmers do much more just before a race and suggested I do many more stride outs -- like 20. I was worried I would tire, and he said, "You run 80 miles a week, trust me, this isn't going to tire you out."
My next race, I did what he said and ran the best XC race of my life. The first couple of miles were effortless.
I know nothing of the science behind this, but ever since, I have coached runners in good shape to do many more strides. It seems to work.
I recall hearing, perhaps on Coffee Club, that doing short tempos before races is becoming more common on the track circuit as a way to get primed for races. I've started doing it more often before races and it definitely helps me feel more into race mode (physiologically) than when those first couple race miles are the first ones at pretty intense effort.
You sound like someone who loves to hear himself talk and feel knowledgeable
I understand that my posts can sometimes become lengthy or appear self-indulgent to some, and I apologize if I gave you such an impression of overindulgence in expressing my viewpoints. However, it is essential to emphasize that my intention is not to monopolize the conversation or simply revel in my own words. Instead, my main goal is to engage in meaningful and productive exchanges of ideas, where all participants have the opportunity to learn and grow. Rather than seeking to appear knowledgeable for the sake of personal gratification, my aim is to contribute to the conversation by offering well-informed perspectives and insights. I take great value in acquiring knowledge, and if it helps to enrich discussions, I gladly share what I have learned. However, I genuinely believe in the power of collaborative learning, where everyone involved can benefit from the collective knowledge and experiences shared.
It is vital to acknowledge that individuals may have different communication styles and preferences. While my approach might involve sharing thoughts more actively, I genuinely appreciate and welcome different perspectives and voices in any conversation. I believe in the importance of an inclusive dialogue, where ideas can be exchanged freely and respectfully.
Did anyone at on course notice how the OSU men did a super long stride right before the race on the course? They probably went around 400m, and was interesting to see since no other team did something similar. Maybe this was the secret to their incredible performance?
Lol why did the OP get downvoted so much?
I like doing a couple hard 400s before races to get the endorphins going. A club I occasionally work out with does a "warmup quarter" where most people blast it. Seems like it should be discussed more, because I never heard of such a thing in HS or college.
Did anyone at on course notice how the OSU men did a super long stride right before the race on the course? They probably went around 400m, and was interesting to see since no other team did something similar. Maybe this was the secret to their incredible performance?
Lol why did the OP get downvoted so much?
I can only guess why others may have provided a downvote for the OP. Perhaps the last sentence gives it away - that completing a 400m Vasodilation "...was the secret to their incredible performance."
While I do believe that a race specific vasodilation is key in priming racing performance, it alone will not yield an incredible performance.
Incredible performances take shape weeks and months in advance - as dedicated runners put in consistent work to elicit physiological adaptations and psychological frameworks.
A pre-race Vasodilation is simply a tool in that process to get every little bit out of each runner as possible.
We sometimes did 2-2.5 minutes at 5:00 min/mi pace 10–15 minutes before races in college. Threshold warm-up is what our coach called it.
Sometimes it was a good way to get that “my legs feel like garbage” out of the way. Sometimes it made you realize you were really tired, haha. I ran 800/1500 mostly.
many times you run your fastest rep if a workout on the last one when you’re exhausted, so OSU studs getting tired because of a warmup is very unlikely.
As a road racer now, I do 60 seconds at 5:00 /mi pace 10 mins before all races half marathon or shorter. Getting my heart rate up makes the start much more manageable and, I would argue, is less tiring than a longer warmup running slow miles, especially for a HM.
You sound like someone who loves to hear himself talk and feel knowledgeable
I understand that my posts can sometimes become lengthy or appear self-indulgent to some, and I apologize if I gave you such an impression of overindulgence in expressing my viewpoints. However, it is essential to emphasize that my intention is not to monopolize the conversation or simply revel in my own words. Instead, my main goal is to engage in meaningful and productive exchanges of ideas, where all participants have the opportunity to learn and grow. Rather than seeking to appear knowledgeable for the sake of personal gratification, my aim is to contribute to the conversation by offering well-informed perspectives and insights. I take great value in acquiring knowledge, and if it helps to enrich discussions, I gladly share what I have learned. However, I genuinely believe in the power of collaborative learning, where everyone involved can benefit from the collective knowledge and experiences shared.
It is vital to acknowledge that individuals may have different communication styles and preferences. While my approach might involve sharing thoughts more actively, I genuinely appreciate and welcome different perspectives and voices in any conversation. I believe in the importance of an inclusive dialogue, where ideas can be exchanged freely and respectfully.
Warm regards,
Stan Hayes
If you're for real, which some doubt, it's unfortunate that your style matches ChatGPT almost perfectly. The over-explained, fussily precise, on-the-one-hand-this-however-it-should-also-be-recognised-that way of writing that really does look like copy/paste from either GPT or a content farm filler blog page.
No offence, but maybe loosen up and write more conversationally to avoid these responses?
It's an old story, but 30 years ago, I was on my college's XC team, and one day, I was shooting the breeze with our swim team coach. He asked what we did to warm up before races. I said we stretched, ran a few miles, and, just before the race, did 4-6 stride outs.
He said swimmers do much more just before a race and suggested I do many more stride outs -- like 20. I was worried I would tire, and he said, "You run 80 miles a week, trust me, this isn't going to tire you out."
My next race, I did what he said and ran the best XC race of my life. The first couple of miles were effortless.
I know nothing of the science behind this, but ever since, I have coached runners in good shape to do many more strides. It seems to work.
with all due respect to all the other scientific theories that have been advanced on this thread. Here is what I think happens based on doing studies on steady state running in an Ex Phys lab.
Doing these rigorous routines prior to the race gets your heart rate up in the high range.
Warm up running and 50 yard strides don't do this.
The net result is that when you start the race your heart rate is higher at the start and gets to steady state more quickly once the race begins. This, in turn reduces the O2 Debt that you accumulate while GETTING to steady state is lower.
In layman's terms... It is much easier to get your "second wind".
This post was edited 5 minutes after it was posted.
Did anyone at on course notice how the OSU men did a super long stride right before the race on the course? They probably went around 400m, and was interesting to see since no other team did something similar. Maybe this was the secret to their incredible performance?
Don't know why this has so many downvotes it's an interesting observation and question
It's really obvious you're a chatbot talking in circles. Get some new material.
I spent more than 15 minutes on an article for LRC and several people said I was trolling! When someone is trying to help you, maybe you should wakeup and take them seriously.
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