Running Your Personal Best On Three Days A Week?
Conventional wisdom holds that in order to
run a good marathon or shorter distance races, it is necessary to run 5 or 6
days per week. Traditional marathon program required running 40 to 60 miles (64
to 96 km) weekly. These are often
scaled-down versions of elite runners' programs.
Most of us juggle busy family lives, work
commitments and social interests.
Running 5-6 days per week, 40 to 60 miles weekly can easily add more
stress to our already busy lives.
Now for the good news! It has been proven that for runners that are
not racing at an elite level, this frequency and distance are not necessary for
good or even personal best performance!
Running three days a week, supplemented by one or two of days
of cross training is all that is required for faster racing times.
Cross-training can be aerobic in nature
(e.g. cycling, swimming, elliptical) or strength training.
Studies and training programs from Olympian
Jeff Galloway and Bill Pierce, exercise physiologist and chair of the Health
and Science department at Furman University (South Carolina) have demonstrated
that personal best marathons can be achieved running as infrequently as 3 days
per week, supplemented by 1 or 2 of days of cross training.
Does the same hold true
for shorter distances? Yes. Another study took runners who ran 5-6 days
per week, reduced their running time by 32% and substituted weight training. Their 5K times improved substantially.
How do you improve if you reduce running frequency
and mileage? Running only three days a
week 
requires that you make every run count.
No junk miles. Other than your long runs, all runs are conducted at
faster than usual pace, consisting of a mix of tempo, interval, hill running and
race pace runs.
This approach makes logical sense. In order
to run faster at race time, you must practice running faster in training. This principle holds true regardless of your
current regular training pace or ability.
If you are not currently running faster than
usual workouts, your cardiovascular system, muscles and tendons will take
several weeks to adapt to the faster pace.
Decrease your frequency by one run per week and add a faster paced
workout. You'll know your body has grown accustom to the new stress of the
faster pace when the workout becomes easier to complete. This adaptation
process usually takes 3 or 4 weeks. Then
add second fast workout and so on.
For many runners, especially those who have
finished their fall racing and have completed their recovery periods, now is
the ideal time to phase in this new approach.
Although decreasing mileage and frequency
will decrease the incidence of injury, running faster can increase
susceptibility to injury. That's why the
adaptation period is important. It allows
muscles and tendons to get used to working harder. I recommend including two strengthening
sessions weekly, consisting of running-specific strengthening exercises that
can be done at home. These will make you more injury-resistant, enhance your
muscular endurance, increase your resistance to fatigue and strengthen your
stride -- thereby improving your speed and performance. An example of a running
specific exercise is featured in my article "Debunking the Myth Surrounding
I.T. Band Pain" http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs093/1102585583796/archive/1102624135435.html
If you are aiming for improved race
performance and are strapped for time, this "less is best" approach will help
you achieve your running objectives and maintain balance between the various
aspects of your life that compete for your time and attention.
© 2009 Savvy Runner Inc.
