A very good comment! This is the case,,,! With the LT Cruise intervals you can go a much more
amount at the right triggering pace to get a better LT level.
A very good comment! This is the case,,,! With the LT Cruise intervals you can go a much more
amount at the right triggering pace to get a better LT level.
I did a lot of continuous tempos, or tempos with speed variations, but tried once to include 30s joggs inbetween and found it to be giving a boost in pace. that has its own purpose, I feel. More speed at same effort. Now I do threshold work either as long (5-8min) intervalls with 20s joggs. That is basically contiuous, but I get a psychological break which feels better than going continuous. Or I do short duration, short rest such as 50-75s effort + 30s jogg or 2-3min alternations slightly over/under threshold.
If I run faster than at 1h threshold pace, the recovery is increasing a lot, but if I run at 1h threshold pace it does not really matter if i do continuous or with short rest.
Jon Arne Glomsrud wrote:
I did a lot of continuous tempos, or tempos with speed variations, but tried once to include 30s joggs inbetween and found it to be giving a boost in pace. that has its own purpose, I feel. More speed at same effort. Now I do threshold work either as long (5-8min) intervalls with 20s joggs. That is basically contiuous, but I get a psychological break which feels better than going continuous. Or I do short duration, short rest such as 50-75s effort + 30s jogg or 2-3min alternations slightly over/under threshold.
If I run faster than at 1h threshold pace, the recovery is increasing a lot, but if I run at 1h threshold pace it does not really matter if i do continuous or with short rest.
Thanks
Jon Arne Glomsrud wrote:
I see in Norway people do so called low threshold intervalls such as 10x1k with 45-60s rest. I think this is too short durations and too long a rest to be an efficient use of the training time. I think that if this setup is needed to keep recovery low there is something wrong with the aerobic base capability
Not sure which athletes you are thinking about in particular. But I think you need context to evaluate the efficacy of this session. Within the approach currently popular in Norway, this is one of two to four weekly sessions around threshold intensity (often controlled by measuring lactate).
In a situation like that, where you're obviously covering most bases, I believe it makes sense to allow for some slightly faster running by shortening the intervals and having 25-30% rest time.
I generally agree with your overall sentiment, though, that it's overrated as a "threshold" session.
I am referring to low threshold intervall work (often the first workout of two in a double threshold day). The lactate could be around 1-2, not over and could be 10x1k with 45-60 rest at a pace 5-10% slower than the 1h threshold (this estiamte is course). i would think this is a not very hard workout and doing it together with a faster threshold later that day is a good combo. But why no go continuous? I think one should cope with that equally well. Of course the pace might be a touch higher with the rest. Normally aerobic support work is done as continuous work
If you want to bang this will get you there:
1. Look. I always show up to the track ready. Zip up hoodie, mesh top mid-drift showing, nylon short shorts 2 sizes 2 small, jock strap tight, racing flat, ankle sock although recently I’ve been wearing a tan dress sock mid-calf height. Beard, looking like Gandalf if he could split sub 18 at the Local Turkey Trot. Sunglasses is a must. Masked always.
2. Warm up. Traditional 2 mile warm up, Drill routine. Dynamic flex. 6x100m STRIDERS. Unzip the hoodie, throw it on the infield. See through mesh top, hairy chest. Ready to go.
3. These days I’ve been experimenting with the “Lane 8 Tempo.” Or in my case “Lane 9 Tempo.”
4. I saddle up to the Lane 9 4x400m start, Timex Ironman ready, I start the running time.
5. Get up to a nice Tempo Pace, feeling the racing flat through the big toe at toe off. Full stride.
6. No checking splits here, ALL EFFORT BASED. Lane 9 THE WHOLE WAY.
7. Hit the common finish in Lane 9, split it on the Ironman but don’t peek. Slow the pace.
8. No stopping here, up tempo jog through the exchange zone to the Lane 9 4x400 start and REPEAT. Remember to start the split.
9. The Uptempo Jog throw the exchange zone is know as your “Refractory Period”.
10. 30 min NON STOP. Your tempo pace is FULLY in Lane 9. Your recovery is FULLY in the Lane 9 exchange zone.
11. You’re not don’t yet. At 30 min give yourself a 400m jog, then head over to the 200m start line. 4x200 @ 1500 pace with 200m recovery jog. Do these in Lane 1. Nobody likes a surprise.
12. Never stop, always on the move. If you’ve completed the workout CONGRATULATIONS, you’ve earned yourself a 10 min cool down and 8 min abs. They’re going to love the up short view of your jock during abs.
LT intervals vs LT tempo have their purpose.
Let me phrase it this way...
If you are a miler, would you rather do a 40 minute tempo run, or 8x mile at LT? What about if you’re a marathoner? Each has its place and it’s two different ways to get the same work done.
Intervals are easier to evaluate, you can check in with your coach after every rep. Oftentimes I feel that young athletes run tempo runs way too hard anyways so the intervals gives them some time to regroup and reconcentrate.
I like the 40 minutes as opposed to 50 minutes with breaks. Everything stiffens with any amount of rest.
Dairyland wrote:
LT intervals vs LT tempo have their purpose.
Let me phrase it this way...
If you are a miler, would you rather do a 40 minute tempo run, or 8x mile at LT? What about if you’re a marathoner? Each has its place and it’s two different ways to get the same work done.
Intervals are easier to evaluate, you can check in with your coach after every rep. Oftentimes I feel that young athletes run tempo runs way too hard anyways so the intervals gives them some time to regroup and reconcentrate.
Why not do tempo in a known course with known splits to hit? I do that comparing all the time.
My point was low LT work at 80-120min race time. I would think the best aerobic support comes from continuous work. Alternations are good, but see no point in rest and intervall work.
I think the short rest in the tempos at 80-120 minute pace is for muscular and mental reasons. Lactate levels don’t drop much if at all after a minute rest( I prefer jogging as opposed to standing). What it does do is give the muscles a little bit of a break and time to use some of that lactate as fuel. Also it eases concentration for a second. This enables one to do more work at same effort with more effect and quicker recovery if done in moderation(Norwegian intervals or Kenyan Fartlek).
It all comes down to the athlete that you are coaching. An experienced athlete with excellent pace judgement and concentration can do a continuous run. High school athletes? Break it up into intervals with very short rests. I find that boys tend to turn tempo runs into races and girls, due to a greater disparity in fitness within a typical group, either cannot run the correct pace or mentally switch off halfway and slow down. The net result is that you just hosted a useless session. Break it into 1000s or miles with a 30-60 second walking recovery and you get better results with younger athletes.
Bingo. Our college 800 guys often did bulk 400s with short rest instead of tempos. Partially because we all sucked at tempos and nailing the proper pace, also partially because we could get a better 800-specific stimulus. Instead of doing, say, 4 miles at 5:30, we might do 12x400 @ 75–80, usually slowly cutting down a bit, with 20–30 second rest. We get a tiny bit less volume, but significantly faster paces, and the short rest keeps a bunch of mental wimps in the game.