What's Your Best Running Event?
Learn how to train for your event + find your best event
Do you consider yourself a mid-distance runner or a distance runner?
Personally, even though I’ve run a marathon, I definitely consider myself to be a true middle-distance runner. I don’t know about you, but the idea of running track workouts is more satisfying to me than doing a 20-miler on a Sunday.
You might not feel like I do, but you should know what your best running event is so you can prepare - and train - appropriately.
Today’s post is going to look at 4 different aspects of finding your best race:
The energy systems of major race events
How you can go about training for those races
The goal of improving your peak race
How to determine your best race event
Training Energy Systems
Depending on what you are training for dictates what kind of training you should do. If you are primarily a mid-distance runner or even a long sprinter, your events use more anaerobic energy than aerobic systems, anywhere from 40% aerobic/60% anaerobic [800 meters] to 50%/50% for the 1500 meters. The 5k is 80% aerobic and 20% anaerobic.
Distance races require you to be predominantly aerobic with some anaerobic work. This would be your 10k-10 mile races (90% aerobic, 10% anaerobic), and even possibly a half marathon for some of our faster runners.
And then for the long-distance races, you’re looking at mostly aerobic with a sprinkling of anaerobic work.
*Percentages come from Coach Vicki Mitchel, UB XC Track
Training Emphasis
In order to adequately prepare for these races, you need to focus your workouts and mileage differently. Yes, no matter what you are training for you need to incorporate long runs and threshold runs, tempos, etc, but it’s in how much you put in that changes based on your event focus.
The shorter the distance (800s and 1500s), the more intervals you need. 200s, 400s, 500s - faster stuff with more rest. Again, yes, you need threshold, but not as much as if you were training for a 10k.
5ks require you to run intervals from 400-800m at goal race pace, plus have the endurance of a long-distance runner, plus the speed of a sprinter.
As you get over 5k and into the 10k and beyond, the focus shifts to endurance where your goal becomes spending time at your aerobic threshold pace for as long as possible. Rinsing and repeating.
How you achieve these training demands is up to you (and your coach).
How to Determine Your Best Race
Just because a race is your “best” race doesn’t mean that’s what you always have to train for. It means that’s what you tend to be good at. To find your best race distance, I would use a VO2 calculator and plug in your PRs and then I’d also plug in recent times.
Here are the scores of my lifetime PRs, which I knew would trend to shorter distances.
800m - 91.0 score
1500 - 90.9 score
5k - 86.7 score
13.1 - 81.2 score
26.2 - 60.9 score
To find my scores, I used Tinman’s calculator to find my “best race”.
Goal
Is this information useful to you? Perhaps.
Here’s how I’d use this info:
Train to my strengths. I’m good at the mile, so I’d emphasize speed work (short intervals and striders).
Train for events below and above my target so that I was always adequate in all facets of training.
Find a balance between always training the same way and trying new methodologies.
Spend time working on your weaknesses so they hinder you less.
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Friday’s Action Plan
Work to improve your best race distance by practicing at paces faster than and slower than your goal time.
What Has My Attention:
Understanding and Treating Plantar Fasciitis
What Good Comes from Compression Boots
How I’ve Improved My Sleep Quality
Quote of the Week:
You must always do your best every day, even when you are feeling defeated. Always do your best.
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