Gearing Up for Calgary Ironman 70.3
By Lisa Mensink-Professional Triathlete & Olympian
April 2010: Tips & Tricks Running Faster!
I used to run all my runs at the same pace. Basically I would head out at lunchtime and hit the Calgary pathway system. I had a few different routes to choose from but limited time, I had to be back at the office and showered by 1pm sharp. So I would pick a route for that day and time myself, hopefully going faster than I had the previous week. There was no long runs, no intervals, no ‘VO2max’ work, really nothing but running hard for the 40-55 minutes I had free at lunch. I was able to run a decent 10km time but it was basically the same pace I ran all my runs at and I struggled to see any improvement. So here are few tips & tricks that have taken me from a solid 40 minute 10km runner to a 34 minute runner:
Ø Join a group/get a coach; Having someone to run with is a good thing. If you find someone who is around the same speed and is motivated to run, you’ll both be running faster in the end! Finding a coach is also another way to push yourself, suddenly you have someone else to be accountable to and report back to. Plus they will give you workouts you probably would never dream up on your own.
Ø Listen to the beat; Learn your heartrate zones & use them! I’m not the most technologically savvy athlete out there but once I learnt to use my heartrate training zones (a good coach can help you with this!) and how to use them, I saw a big improvement in my run fitness. I recommend the Timex Race Trainer for a HR monitor.
Ø Run long & slow; Running slow can make you fast! Once you’ve mastered the HR zones above, try running slow and at a low heartrate! Think of these runs as strength builders, hold perfect form throughout. Try not to focus on the old guys passing you on the path, stick to the plan on this run, make this your longest (time wise) run of the week.
Ø Off to the races! Enter a few races. Now that you’ll have a run partner/coach and be running faster than ever, you’ll want to test yourself from time to time. Check the local running community websites for the calendar of races throughout the year. See how fast you can go!
There you have it, a few things that I used along the way to find some speed and run faster and farther than I ever have. Make sure you incorporate all your stretching and injury prevention exercises into your running routine as well. See you on the pathways!
Train hard & smart!
Lisa
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