Speed work

[ksmith]

Questions to runners who have added speed work to your workouts–how much do you do and how often? Do you run yourself to Chariots of Fire-level exhaustion? Do you mix it in with regular workouts, or do you do special speed work sessions?

I ask because I’m wondering if I do enough, or if it matters what I do as long as I do it. My typical workout is:

10 min warm-up
10 min jogging
5 minutes of 30 seconds run/30 seconds sprint (for me, a sprint is 6-7 mph, 8.5 – 10 minute mile pace)

After this, I alternate 4 minutes speedwalking/1 minute sprinting for about half an hour.

I mix running and walking in deference to my knees, which have been problematic in the past. Even so, I can feel the difference since I added the sprints to my workout. I’ve lost weight that just wasn’t budging before, my legs are getting nice and hard, and my endurance has definitely improved. But I’m kinda making things up as I go along, and I’m curious as to what other folks do.

Mirrored from Kristine Smith.

Comments

[daveamongus.livejournal.com]

I've just started running again (and hopefully I'll have lost some weight by the time we see you again in January), but I'm noticing that I do need to run faster when I'm doing intervals like that. Too slow and I actually get worn out faster, and seem to be hurting more in ankles and knees. Something about going for an unnaturally short stride, or something.

Right now I'm doing the Couch-to-5k thing (with the handy iPhone app that measures the intervals for me and beeps me in my earbuds), and I plan to do the whole cycle twice before I run a 5k in May, the second time around making sure I pick up the pace on the running intervals, so I can shoot for 8-10 minute mile time overall.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

You know, I do notice that a faster jog/run feels better than a slow jog (4.5 mph). Less jarring or something, although I'm not sure how that works. Given my knees and my ultra-high arches, I'm constantly reevaluating to make sure I don't hurt myself. I changed from ASICS Gel Nimbus to Gel Kinetics over the summer--Kinetics are a stiffer, less mushy shoe. For me, it provides better support.

I usually crank out 4-4.3 miles over the course of an hour workout. I use a treadmill, which I'm sure is different than road running. But it lets me track calories burned and heart rate, which is nice.

My goal is a sub-30 minute 5k. I may sign up for some local races in the spring/summer, depending how the legs hold up.