runfaster: race preparation and threshold running
So we’ve sorted you out with running further (see news dated 28 August - follow the link and scroll down), but what about running faster?
The three latest articles to be published on the runbritain Sennheiser training site focus on race preparation in two parts: the days leading up to the race and the race day itself; and threshold running.
For short summaries, keep on reading, then follow the ‘read more’ links for the full articles.
Your training journey to the race that you've targeted doesn't always go smoothly. You may have had to miss some training sessions - or perhaps even a full week of training - but if you've decided that you're going to put yourself on that start line, you should get the final couple of days right and that can make a big difference to whether or not you achieve your goal.
runfaster: The big day has arrived
You've done all the training, you've tapered well and now the big day is here. Here are our top tips on how to get to the finish line in the time and condition that you are aiming for.
Wake up raring to go...when race day arrives you want to wake up feeling fresh, alive and excited about your race. You may think that this will only happen if you've had a good night’s sleep the night before, but that can be difficult if you're nervous about the race. Don’t worry too much about the amount or quality of sleep that you get the night before the race. It is the night before that night that is important, so try to plan for that by ensuring you get your full quota of sleep when there are still two sleeps to go so that you don’t need to worry about the night before.
What is a threshold run? The simple answer is that it is a run carried out at an intensity or speed just below where your body would not be able to get rid of the acidosis that builds up in your muscles. You can only run above that pace for a short amount of time before you start to feel like you're running through treacle. This is why threshold runs are very important for road-runners, especially half marathon and marathon runners as you should aim to complete most of that race just below that critical level.