Can you train to reduce fuel consumption? Seems like it’s something that’s highly genetic.
Can you train to reduce fuel consumption? Seems like it’s something that’s highly genetic.
Runner10287 wrote:
Can you train to reduce fuel consumption? Seems like it’s something that’s highly genetic.
Running economy can be improved. The ability to burn fats for energy at fast paces can also be improved. How much of the limits is genetic based versus training based is tougher to say.
There is also a bunch of evidence that the problems with running marathons for the HM crowd is only partially fuel. Some people seem to suffer more muscle damage (i.e. you can look for proteins in the blood to approximate this) when running the same distance and that break down causes loss of efficiency when continuing to run. But the studies I have seen have all been with slow people running relatively low mileage. If it applies to people running 2:04 and doing 200km/week of training is hard to say.
The point of the article is that a runner’s ability to hold a hugh percentage Of critical speed is the best predictor of marathon performance.
It is very common for coaches and for some physiologists to over-inflate the importance of max lactate steady state. While they were likely using a lactate threshold that had a very low mmol of lactate level (likely 4), many physiologists argue that a critical speed Model Is better at predicting performance than a lactate threshold model.
There is a persistent and incorrect notion that the maximal metabolic steady corresponds to an exercise duration of 1 hour. This can be seen with the widespread assumption that the max lactate steady state corresponds to a threshold pace of 1 hour.
This definition is not representative of any physiological meaning. There is nothing unique about 60 minutes or 65 minutes or 55 minutes of exercise.
A better scientific approach is to define the maximal metabolic steady state as the speed that separates actual physiological response behaviors, regardless of the corresponding exercise duration. This approach, which is enshrined in the critical speed concept, would likely better predict performance and be of greater use in training prescription
Many runners use race performance as a way to predict performance for other events or to dictate training paces. While this is very effective, I do think it’s important to realize that much of the training framework we use has been heavily impacted by other’s, sometimes false, ideas about physiology.
While real world experience and anecdote will Likely always win out in training design, better understanding the physiological barriers that we are up against should help us to train better in the future.
Read more here.
The real problem is to change the composition of fuel, using for the same speed more fatty acids and less glycogen, teaching the muscle fibers to use a mix of fatty acids and glycogen with the percentage of fat growing, for the same speed, step by step.
This fact happens with a correct training for marathon. Athletes change the composition of their fuel everytime go for long and fast distances, in various forms (even pace, progressive pace, or, better, alternating long tests at marathon pace with short recovery at about 85% of the race pace, for many km : for example, for an athlete running full marathon at 3' per km in 2:06:30, a session with 7 km at 3'04" + 6 km at 3'02" + 5 km at 3' (Marathon Pace) + 4 km at 2'58" + 3 km at 2'56" + 2 km at max speed, all distances alternated with 1 km between 3'25" and 3'30", for a total distance of 32 km).
If an athlete runs 30 km in 1:33:00 at 3'06" pace in even way, and after runs still 3 km in 3'18" - 3'32" - 3'44" (for example), his SPECIFIC TRAINING for creating a new mix using more fat and less glycogen are the last 3 km only : the first 30 km have the task to empty the tank of glycogen.
When athletes use this system (of course, with many years of continue improvement in distance and intensity, similar sessions are not possible with athletes in their prime as marathoners), there is no more some mythological "Wall" after 30-32 km, but it's possible to increase the speed in the last 10 km. The most part of the best performances in the last 3-4 years were achieved with negative splits, from athletes using in training long and fast runs.
If you want to run a fast marathon, training is not FAST but short, and is not LONG but slow.
For running fast a long distance, sometimes athletes need to run fast and long in training too.
Would you instruct the athlete to ingest carbs in such sessions? Or do they do it without and fasted?
This is a summary of the variables, as well as fuel consumption considerations based on VLamax (governs % of VO2max used at threshold, substrate use, and la production). Not sure in drafting was mentioned in the equation, but something which would also impact performance.
https://www.inscyd.com/blog/2019/9/26/physiologyeliudkipchoge
Renato thanks for share your wisdom your words are gold for us and with type of trainings you recommend for one athlete for increase the specific endurance in 3000-5000m? Pb 8:45 and 15;08 For increase the duration is better tempo runs.. Or increase the session in time or duration for example minutes at race pace or distance? Thanks Renato your the best