Welcome back to All Things Running with Sonja & Jen
On Monday, Sonja shared with us some principles of speed development training. You can read that article here.
I’d like to take you through my personal experience with speed development over the past 10 years. Sharing my journey as I’ve made my way through my 40’s running. First I’ll explain the three different types of runners, then I’ll tell you what I am and finish off with details about my stubborn personality.
There are three types of runners (aka muscle fiber types)
Sprinters have FAST TWITCH B fibers which are high ATP, low oxidative and heavy reliance on anaerobic metabolism.
Middle Distance 400/800 have FAST TWITCH A fibers which are a mix of slow twitch and fast twitch. They are higher oxidative and slower to fatigue than fast twitch B.
Distance Runners have the majority of SLOW TWITCH but may also have some fast twitch fibers. They are smaller fibers, produce low force, fatigue very slowly, can sustain contractions for a long time and highly oxidative.
It took me a long long time to accept that I am FAST TWITCH A. I keep trying to master the 5k but my body will not let me do it no matter how aerobic (oxidative) I try to make my muscles. I have limitations. Not every middle distance runner is built this way. There are some mid-distance runners where training more improves their mile & 800 time. But for the Fast Twitch Type A runner, this may not be an effective strategy. There is a lot of other work that would be beneficial to improving their times than running more miles. I am speaking from personal experience. I’ve tried it many different ways. If you don’t know me, then you might not understand. I’ve recorded insanely high heart rates to try and master the 5k and then when it gets high enough, my body shuts down. It is not that I give up. That is not in my nature. YOU CAN NOT OUTSMART THE GOVERNOR (the brain). Yes, I still run a decent 5k but my athletic ability says that my 5k time should be much faster.
Everyone has a mixture of fiber types. It is important to know how to train your body and to communicate with your coach. I don’t think you need muscle testing to figure this out. Just look at your personal bests in events.
Having more time to train was not necessarily a game changer for me.
I remember when my kids were really little and still in pre-school. I would say “Once they are in elementary school, I’m going to have so much time to train. Well not only did this prediction not happen as far as having more time but dedicating more time or more miles wasn’t necessarily a game changer for me. It was great training don’t get me wrong but in having more time for miles, I let other things more crucial to my speed development go.
Alternative forms of training that were beneficial to my speed development.
Yoga - mobility and strength needed for yoga are so important. You don’t have to be super flexible to benefit from Yoga. It allows you to check in with different muscle groups and even identify tight areas before they become a problem.
Plyometrics - basement plyos as I would refer to them. They would happen when I wasn’t able to get outside due to weather or children who cramped my wanting to live a pro-athlete lifestyle. Ha ha. Sometimes I couldn’t muster the mental fortitude to hop on the treadmill. I would do jumping jacks, box jumps and step ups. Hopping or bouncing motions are my favorite plyos.
Strength Training at Home - I don’t have a fancy gym and I hate going to the gym with other people lifting around me. I would do it if my team were together but solo is a non-starter for me, I feel out of place. So in my basement gym, I have a 10 pound medicine ball and dumbbells of various weights.
Walking - I walked a ton when my kids were little. In the house, constantly picking up and doing laundry, there were times when I would walk 20 miles in a week. I don’t have to do this as much, as they are older and doing their own laundry and such. I do more sitting because I drive to work, drive the kids and here I am sitting writing a blog. While I spend time on my feet coaching in the morning. I spend even more time on my computer recruiting, writing programs and answering emails. So much changes. Embrace the walking.
Pool Running - this seems to happen more when I’m injured and I hate that its the case. I love water running but something in my head always down plays its importance to my training and fitness. It is a total body workout using muscle groups in the back, core & legs. We should be doing this at least two times a week. I’m committed to one day and I will continue to try to get in another.
What changes will I be making going forward?
I’m going to incorporate all of the above back into my training. I will keep my long run but instead of popping off 8 miles easy on a recovery day. I may opt for pool running or just a few miles of running instead of 8. I realize my mileage won’t look the same and that doesn’t mean I won’t be running 8-10 miles for a long run, I absolutely will but I’ll also be sure to take one full day off a week instead of being so focused on hitting 50-60 mile weeks.
Speed longevity.
Over the past 17 years, I’ve averaged a 5:09 mile on the NYRR 5th Avenue mile course. In 2006 I ran 5:09 and in 2023 I ran 5:08. I have during this time run under 5 minutes for mile on the track and at other races. Yes, there have been some ups and downs along the way but overall my speed has stayed the same. I do hope that next year my mile time on this course improves and I’m not giving up hope of getting faster. I see no reason why I have to believe that and maybe all the other things in my life have been obstacles to overcome. A chance for me to learn from my mistakes. Maybe I had to learn that mileage isn’t everything. Yes, my endurance has improved over the years and yes, I am grateful to accomplish distance challenges I never thought possible but at the end of the days I just want to be fast in the 800 and the mile.
I think it is so important to have the science and also to share real stories. I’m incredibly grateful for Sonja’s insight & wisdom. The two of us have a lot of work ahead of us. We’ve had our share of ups and downs but knowing that others are going through it too is so helpful.
Sonja and Jennifer are sharing their personal experiences. This is being provided for informational purposes only. We are not giving medical advice and you should always consult your own doctor for advice related to your own health.