Forums >Cross Training>Incorporating sprints into training
Any middle distance runners (5k, 10k, even half marathoners) work sprints into their training? I was looking to add something different to training to keep things interesting and came across an article on Born Fitness that referenced David Beckham's sprint workouts - see below. I was thinking of scaling them back by cutting them in half. Just pick 1 of these 5 and do it once a week. Thoughts?
Beckham’s training challenge 1: 5-minute run at 80% of your max HR. Rest 4 minutes. Repeat for 5 sets.
Beckham’s training challenge 2: 2-minute intervals running at 95% of your max heart rate. Rest 1-minute between sets. Repeat for 8 sets
Beckham’s training challenge 3: Run a 20-second sprint as fast as you can. (Think running for your life.) Rest 1-minute. Repeat 30 times.
Beckham’s training challenge 4: Run 60 yards and return back 60 (120 yards total). Complete each set within 20 seconds. Rest 100 seconds and complete for 10 sets.
Beckham’s training challenge 5: Sprint 60 yards. Rest 10 seconds. Repeat for 8 sets.
Looks good! Going to try next run. I like the idea of toning it down a bit! Thanks-
sometimes I am making a joke with a long distance and add couple sprints, just to have fun
RunByFeel.net
I know little about sprint drills but those Beckhams seem like good sprint exercises.
One thing that I've started doing that seems to hold some promise for me is to alter the way I do my 200s. After most interval workouts I'll do 3 to 5 200s at a pretty good clip, just to get in a little fast running. What I've started to do is to run the first 100 at a good clip (hard but relaxed and slower than what I'd normally run the 200s at), then accelerate to normal 200 pace over the next 60m, then run the last 40m all out. I get a great sprint workout at the end, get practice upping the intensity a little during the interval and I've found I can do a decent number of these vs hard 200s. Last time I did this was at the end of a 5X1600m at HMP workout. Was able to do nine 200s (with 200 jog) like this fairly easily. Why 9? Cuz 10 would have been plum crazy!
All systems Go!
You might take a look at the Hanson Marathon Method book. I recall they had a very good chapter on speed work where they talked about the 2 types of fast twitch muscle fibers: purely anaerobic (not useful for endurance athletes) and the intermediate anaerobic. The idea is to recruit the intermediate anaerobic muscles into the workload. They have greater endurance and also burn O2 for fuel. The adaptation that speed work is looking for is increased VO2MAX in the athlete and greater pace at VO2MAX (or sub VO2MAX). Here is one link I found, but the book is the best source.
http://running.competitor.com/2013/09/training/workout-of-the-week-speed-workouts-the-hansons-way_61275
The information is good, i need more, i'm still learning about it.
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