Posted: August 10, 2005

Science of Sport: Q and A with Owen Anderson, Ph.D - Improving Endurance

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Visitors are invited to submit training questions for exercise physiologist Owen Anderson, Ph. D. to answer in a weekly column.

Owen currently writes a weekly column for the Runner's Web.

Questions can be emailed to Owen via Form Mail.

Each week, Owen will pick the most interesting question(s) and publish his answer(s) on the Runner's Web.

I am training for MCM at Washington D.C. in Octber 30. I am following a mixed program to achieve from 3:15 to 3:30. I am doing fartlek, hills, altitude long runs once a week. And speed repetitions once every two weeks. One XT day in which I swim 1 - 1.5 km.
Through this year races I feel my training program is giving me results, achieving 4:50-5:00 mins. per km. in long and heavy 15 and 16 km. races.
This past weekend I ran a 21 km. race which 2nd. part has a very hard hill climbing and till km. 17 km. I was on time but tired. I slow my pace to recover from here to 18 km. Then I tried to speed up but there was no more strength to recover my pace so I finished in 1°51:48 instead of programmed 1°45:00.
My question is what you recommend to improve endurance to achieve my goals, what do I need to insert or increase in my training program.

Best Regards.

Dr. Armenta

Answer:

Hi Dr. Armenta,

Congratulations on your great running and outstanding preparations for the Marine Corps Marathon. I am confident that you will do well in the race. Here are the adjustments I recommend:

(1) If possible, avoid carrying out your long runs at altitude; do them at as low an elevation as possible. Altitude training decreases the quality of your long runs (e. g., slows the average pace), and thus you end up with less endurance at your goal marathon pace.

(2) Be certain that you are not racing too much. Entering a race about once every three to four weeks should be about right.

(3) In the time remaining, try to complete at least one 32-K run, with about 16K of this at goal pace, at low elevation. This should be completed about four to five weeks prior to October 30 (on around September 24 to October 1). Naturally, you may need to complete a run of ~ 25K (with 10-12K at goal pace) as a preparation for this.

(4) Be sure to include vVO2max workouts in your training. To carry these out, run as far as you can on a measured course in six minutes, and then figure out how far you have run and determine your average pace. For example, if you cover 1600 meters in six minutes, your average tempo is 90 seconds per 400 meters. Once a week, do intervals at this tempo, which is very close to your vVO2max. Start with 200s and gradually work up to three-minute work intervals. The recovery intervals should always be equal in time duration to the work intervals. After four weeks, repeat the six-minute test and re-adjust your vVO2max.

Very kindest regards,

Owen Anderson, Ph. D.

www.RRNews.com

About Owen Anderson
Owen Anderson, Ph.D., is the editor and founder of Running Research News and the author of the books Lactate Lift-Off (http://www.rrnews.com) and Great Workouts for Popular Races (http://www.runningresearchnews.com). An exercise physiologist and training expert, Anderson coaches and offers training camps for runners. He's based in Lansing, Michigan. To learn more about Owen and his work, please visit www.rrnews.com

Running Research News is a monthly newsletter which keeps sports-active people up-to-date on the latest information about training, sports nutrition, and sports medicine. RRN publishes practical, timely new material which improves workouts, prevents injuries, and heightens overall fitness.