Monday, January 21, 2013

Suggestion for Training : Run Routine

I've been diligently following my own training plan for the past 10 weeks. Having learnt about all the different type of Tempo run, Hill workout and the ever favourite HIIT. Coupled with the new found knowledge of finding and using Lactate Threshold, everything is falling into place now.
Only thing left now is to be better looking
As I've always believe in sharing and none of my trainings are "secret" and I call a-km, one km, you can try to use this and see if it works for you on a daily basis. Remember, I am a working parent tat has limited time for myself and many other things. My "workout" has always been restricted to what I can get to do between 30-70minutes on daily basis. It need to be "quality" rather than "quantity" and you be surprised that I hardly do any "distance" work unless I am specifically preparing for anything that needed it. The hardest part of all these is to fit in all 3-discipline in a week to make it a "triathlon"-centric training.
Building The Base
Running is the most basic fitness everyone should have. If you can run, you can basically do any sports. With that in mind, not many people actually put their time and effort into running - most citing that running is "not fun" or "painful". Here is the truth. I hate running.
I do.
And i need to run so i will learn to love it. So far, I still hate running.
Here is my (current) training routine. Feel free to copy and/or modify to your own fitness level.
Recap : Training Zone calculated from Lactate Threshold Heart Rate
Zone 1 (Recovery) Less than 85% of LTHR
Zone 2 (Aerobic) 85% to 89% of LTHR
Zone 3 (Tempo) 90% to 94% of LTHR
Zone 4 (Sub Threshold) 95% to 99% of LTHR
Zone 5a ( Super Threshold) 100% to 102% of LTHR
Zone 5b (Aerobic Capacity) 103% to 106% of LTHR
Zone 5c (Anaerobic) More than 106% of LTHR


Monday - Recovery Day

Training Zone : Zone 1
Estimated Distance : 5km
Time to completion : 45minutes
Average Pace : 6:30 to 7:30
It is an easy run with wifey while waiting for our daugther to finish class
Tuesday - Tempo Basic
Training Zone : Zone 3 and Zone 4
Estimated Distance : 8km
Time to completion : 45minutes
Average Pace : 4:45 to 5:30
It usually will start with a 3km run with the dogs at 5:30 before I leave them back home. I then finish the remaining 5km within 25minutes.

Wednesday - Easy Run
Training Zone : 1 and 2
Estimated Distance : 7km
Time to completion : 45minutes
Average pace : 7:30
This is a run I will do with my wife. The pace will change as her fitness level improves back again. The run is aimed to be her Tempo run.

Thursday - HIIT/ Tempo Race Pace

Training Zone : 4 and 5b
Estimated Distance : 5km/10km
Time to completion : 25minutes/50minutes
Average pace : 4:30
Alternate Slow-Fast speed over 1km-1km-800m-800m-400m-400m-200m-200m-100m-100m. I usually start at 4:45 pace and finishes at 3:45 pace.
If it is a Race Paced Tempo, it will be well, a race (against myself)

Friday - Recovery Run
Training Zone : Zone 1
Estimated Distance : 5km
Time to completion : 45minutes
Average Pace : 6:00 to 6:30
My recovery for today will be wifey's tempo day. This run is important or I would not be able to reap the maximum benefit from the planned workout on the weekend

Saturday -  Hill Tempo
Training Zone : Zone 5a to 5c
Estimated Distance : 10km
Time to completion : 50minutes
Average pace : 4:30 to 5:15
I will split this tempo into two sets of 5km each. It's Hammer Time.
Sunday - Hill Circuit
Training Zone : Zone 5a to 5c
Estimated Distance : 12km
Time to completion : 60minutes
Average pace : 5:30 uphill. 4:10 downhill.
Bukit Kiara will be the choice route. Guardhouse to guardhouse distance is 1km with elevation gain of
And the cycle repeats again on Monday. I keep things flexible with regards to the intensity of the workout depending on how i feel the night before. It is important to learn to read your resting heart rate after a hard workout and gauge from there if you are strong enough to push harder. Going through a workout half-heartedly (or with your heart busting out too early in the workout) is demerital and a waste of time (and potentially fatal if we fail to see the signs of overtraining).
One more thing to note, I cross train too. It is essential as it will allow the overused muscle some rest while we still can enjoy some exercise intensity. That is when the Swim and Biking comes in. It is also important to varies the surfaces you run, and that is why I run in the trails. My principle is the same - Get out. Do it. Get home. 
ps- you might wonder "where is the REST day?". My easy days are my rest day. I am training for potential ultra races and my mileage per week is close to 60km on the average. Not very high and the only way to get the body to "get accustomed" is to clock in mileages and slow recovery pace is good stuff too.

10 comments:

  1. Hi stupe, u did mention that u do x-training with cycling to prevent same muscles being overused. But I tot cycling & running are using almost the same muscles?

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    1. You answered it yourself - "almost". Cycling and running uses the legs muscle (group) but the smaller components varies. When we are exclusively running, the body/legs will use the same group of muscles, while ignoring the other supporting muscles. Likewise with cycling.

      This is why triathletes and duathletes perform BRICK or Bike-Run (ick) to accustom the body to the changes of the muscle groups used in both.

      Same reason why triathlon bike are more specific to triathlon which allow the "almost same" muscles to be used while cycling and running; which may differ to a certain extend for a road bike-run scenario.

      Also, cycling utilises the upper body to stabilises and running utilises the core to help with propulsion.

      All these, taken into effect, and with cross training, provides a more "wholesome" body workout. :)

      This question warrant a separate blog post, but I believe i've shared my thoughts (in short) in this reply. :D

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    2. This is a very detailed reply. Thanks for sharing.

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    3. Danielle - hope it help. :)

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  2. not a day without running? this is what i takes to became a triathlete

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    1. I am not worthy as a triathlete for now as a real one will at least combine two exercises in a day.

      I used to cycle in the morning 70km before work and run in the evening 5km.

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  3. Wah piang. If this is not Quantity, I don't want to see your Quantity man.

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    1. I want to do ultra. I need to clock in close to 100km/week. it's a need, not a want. :(

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  4. Wow, intense training Bro, Might test it out myself. Thanks for the sharing, Nonetheless...when do you do your LSD.

    Thanks anyway.

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    1. No races currently requiring LSD bro. :) But the need will start in about 3 weeks. Will do it on Saturday - usually 20km.

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