Over-Training

Whenever you begin training for a particular goal, remember to let your body recover. Becoming an improved runner should not be a painful experience. During your workout routine, you should never feel so much discomfort that you wish you could just stop. Though many people get the wrong impression due to improper training routines, running and getting back into shape should not be painful at all. If it does hurt, you are doing something wrong or pushing yourself too hard. Improvement is incremental and slow and over-all fitness happens over the long-term. Fitness is not only defined by your ability to run a particular pace, but ALSO how well you feel when you run this pace. So, if your running a 6 minute mile pace and you are huffing and puffing, you are not fit enough to run this pace and your body is telling you to slow down! Huffing and puffing is a clear sign that you are pushing yourself hard! SO, do yourself a favor and LISTEN to your body and train yourself the right way before you go pushing yourself harder than you should!

5K Theory

The 5K theory states that inefficiencies in running form should be fixed while training for shorter races, such as the 5K.

The 5K is a short race, but can be very challenging if you try running faster than your half-marathon or marathon pace. In fact, marathon runners who attempt to seriously train for 5Ks, often find it very frustratingly difficult to chop a few seconds off their 5K times. Why is this? Well, the answer has to do with running form. Running form directly affects how fast a person can sustain running a given speed, independent of the level of cardiovascular fitness. Thus, a runner can train to improve cardiovascular fitness, yet not improve performance in races due to inefficiencies in form.

During 5K training, inefficiencies in running mostly appear as an inability to lower a race time, given a certain level of cardiovascular fitness. While, during marathon training, inefficiencies in running often appear as injuries, mainly due to the larger increase in the volume of running.

Thus, the 5K theory states that inefficiencies in running form should be fixed while training for shorter races, such as the 5K. With this theory, you will avoid many repetitive stress injuries (plantar fasciitis, shin splints, stress fractures, etc). You can consider your form efficient when you consistently cut time from your 5K after given training sessions.

Training

Remember, when you are training to achieve a particular goal, you are preparing your body to do something it has never done before. In order to achieve this state, your body must adapt. A good training regime will not only challenge your body with difficult tasks, but also allow it to adapt to these new challenges.

There have been numerous books that describe how to train, however the theories expressed in Daniels’ Running Formulae (by Jack Daniels) are mostly incorporated in every training regime. Anyone thinking about seriously training for a race should read this book.

Here are some rules of training (from my experience and various books):

BEGINNING YOUR TRAINING:
(1) Never increase your mileage more than 10% per week.
(2) Before beginning any serious training, one should have at least 4-6 months of a strong mileage foundation (i.e. 20-40 miles per week at an easy pace—2.5 minutes slower than your best mile time). Otherwise, you will get hurt.

CONTINUING YOUR TRAINING:
(1) Never increase your mileage more than 10% per week.
(2) Always warm up before every run (at least 1-2 miles at easy pace (2.5 minutes slower than your best mile time).
(3) 45-55% of your running (per week) should be at easy pace (about 2.5 minutes slower than your best mile time).
(4) 10% of your running (per week) should be at maximum heart rate (4 x 3-5 minute intervals with 3-4 minute recovery at a pace approximately 25 seconds slower than your best mile time).
(5) 5% of your running (per week) should be at max pace speed but for shorter distances and longer recoveries (6 x 400 meters at best mile time pace with complete recovery—i.e. 10-minute breaks).
(6) 20-35% of your running (per week) should be at Tempo pace (20 minutes at 1 minute slower than your best mile time).

These rules can be applied to training for 5K, 10K or even a marathon.