Does anyone know how I can develop pure speed, and a really great finishing kick in the final 300m of a race? I have read about runners who used entire training sessions to just run tons of 100m strides. Would it be beneficial to run 10-20x 100m-150m after runs 3-4 times a week?
And which events would benefit the most from developing lot of pure speed.
Pr's
800m -2:00
1600m -4:26
3200m 9:29
3k - 8:44
5k - 15:31
10k 32:36
18 Years old
What is your current best at 400 or even 200?
I've got a kid right now who has split 49.9 on a relay, but keeps getting out kicked in 800s by guys who are quite a bit slower. His problem appears to be speed endurance.
For most distance types, the kick is a function of how much left you've got in the tank when the last 150 rolls around. For most of us "Strength = Speed"
The shorter events obviously benefit more unless you are like Mo Farah and can just sit and kick in longer races.
You are better off working mostly on your even pace ability unless you are routinely almost winning races but getting outkicked at the end.
I hear about a lot of people wanting to learn how to kick when they can't even keep up with the trailers.
Before this degrades into an argument over semantics, let me help you define speed. You want to be faster than your competitors in the 800m and up and you want a faster kick at the end. Pure speed is more for the 100 and 200. Top 800 and 1500m runners don't need to run 10-second 100 meters.
That said, strides are good, as you described.
To have a kick at the end of a race, I believe it's helpful to practice kicking in your interval workouts. Short intervals of 200-300m where you pick up the pace over the last 70m or so seems to work wonders for the adults I train.
For example, on 3 sets of 3x300m, run the first interval normally until the last 70 meters, then move your arms much faster to finish. (This increases cadence because the legs have to follow the arms.) The idea is not to run a lot faster, just get the legs and arms moving faster. You may have to chop your stride a bit to keep from running a lot faster. That's okay. This is a drill for cadence, not speed.
On the second rep, run normally until the last 70 meters, then forcefully push off harder until you're almost bounding. The idea is not to run a lot faster, just get as much push off as you can. You may have to slow your cadence to do this. That's okay. It's a drill for push off.
On the third rep with 70 to go, combine the two previous drills. Push off harder and increase cadence. This time, you will run a LOT faster.
Reps 2 and 3 will hurt, so take an extra minute or so during your recovery if you need it.
Once you can handle this workout, increase the kick part to 100 meters instead of 70.
Question: Why focus on moving arms faster in rep #1? 1. In a race, you legs will be tired, but your arms will be fresh. 2. Focusing on your arms gives your oxygen-starved brain something to do. 3. It gives you the confidence that you can run hard while letting someone else set the pace and then outsprint them over the last 200m.
What's your mileage like, and how fast are your easy runs?
(almost) always end your long run with a fast 300.
do 6 strides after each workout.
Do hill sprints and drills.
Do all this as extra training. so your normal workouts + this.
Having a finishing kick is just a matter of not being worn out by the time you reach the last lap. So if you want to, say, run a 15:30 5k with a massive finish kick, you need to get to the point where a 5:10 pace feels easy enough that you can run 2 miles at that pace and then have enough energy to tighten the screws to a 4:40 pace for the last mile.
Drills and hill sprints.
There are dozens of youtube videos on the subject.
Wannabe distance god wrote:
Does anyone know how I can develop pure speed, and a really great finishing kick in the final 300m of a race? I have read about runners who used entire training sessions to just run tons of 100m strides. Would it be beneficial to run 10-20x 100m-150m after runs 3-4 times a week?
And which events would benefit the most from developing lot of pure speed.
Pr's
800m -2:00
1600m -4:26
3200m 9:29
3k - 8:44
5k - 15:31
10k 32:36
18 Years old
Difficult to develop pure speed - you can focus on good running form which will help a little bit but there's no point in building muscle to get even faster at sprinting because it would be detrimental to your overall performance. What you can do is develop your ability to deliver the speed that you already have.
Most people lose a race because they run out of energy to maintain their speed not because they're not quick enough.
Incidentally, in a true run 800m the person who wins is usually the one who slowed the least not the one who sped up.
CrossFit
Style
Sprint
Repeats
[quote]Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:
CrossFit
Style
Sprint
Repeats
Make you
slower at
Distance
Running
there I fixed it for you.
100 miles/week like Herb Elliot. Be the most aerobically fit person in the race, and slow down the least at the end.
I am coming up on my first year of running high mileage. Averaged 95 miles per week from June, 2013 to now. Is this something that takes a while to just adapt to? After 8 months of high mileage I only dropped my 5k by 25 or so seconds.
Lamest troll job ever. Asks a completely reasonable question then breaks out that garbage? Why?
CoachB wrote:
What is your current best at 400 or even 200?
There's your problem. He lists all his PBs, but neglects the 200 and 400.
RE: How to develop speed and a finishing kick?
Years of anger and frustration that you acquired in your life and take it out towards the finish line. In other words, experience will bring out the best of you.