“Miles make champions.”
Have you heard that phrase?
At the end of the day, running more will likely help you improve. You have to carve out the time and a solid aerobic base is necessary to excel in events from 5K up to the marathon. Miles matter, but they are not a panacea.
We must pay attention to all of the elements required for HOW one improves running economy.
This week I am providing you some rationale for how training peak power/pace addresses those elements.
There will also be a 6-week sample program that some athletes at Elite Edge have been using. There have been some impressive results.
Peak power & economy
A common concern in the endurance community is that running fast is an injury risk. This is true, but so is anything in excess. High intensity loading is impactful on the bones, tendons, and ligaments, and in a good way, but there needs to be a graded approach so that the athlete adapts.
Another common concern is that working on peak power or pace only translates to running very short distances. This is not true. There are a few key biomechanical and physiological mechanisms that translate well to longer distances and submaximal efforts (ie. your easy pace gets faster).
Let’s have a closer look at a few of these mechanisms—
Muscular efficiency and coordination
A more powerful muscle can generate the same power with fewer motor units. This reduces the overall energy and oxygen cost when running at submaximal speeds and with race pace efforts.1
There is also some evidence that training for peak power with either sprint efforts, plyometrics, heavy resistance training, or a combo of the three can have an impact on slow and fast twitch motor unit recruitment. Further support that you are able to have improvement at high and low intensities with respect to running economy when this is done as part of a well-rounded program.
Increased tendon stiffness
Stiff tendons are actually a good thing. A tendon that is stiff stores and releases more energy with each stride you take. This translates to improved propulsion, and, as we already talked about, works together at the level of the muscle to utilize that energy in a less wasteful way.2
Implementation
Now that we got the science out of the way, we can talk about the fun part—How you can make this work for you.
When we talk about peak power and pace, I like to look at three types of training:
Short hill reps
Strength + plyometrics
Bike sprints
What I have found in working this type of training into my athlete’s programs is that a bike can be a useful tool to initially. Going from never touching this energy system to all of a sudden running fast uphill can be a bit of a shock to the system. An introductory period is what a bike can afford you. You may want to make sure you have access to an indoor or outdoor bike if you want to roll this program. It has a useful role.
You will also want to have done some running before starting this program. The idea is that you will still accumulate some easy volume on a few runs per week while also tapping into your upper end. You won’t be maxing it out every session.
The basics of each week of the program are as follows:
4 runs
2 bike rides/sessions
2 gym + plyometric sessions
The plyometric sessions can be tacked on to the strength routine.
You will begin the program with performing a quick test.
Pick a familiar 1 hour loop and run at your usual easy pace. This is not a race or time trial
Pay attention to average heart rate and average pace
After 6 weeks, you will return to this loop and use it as a progress check
You can also run this loop weekly to track more immediate changes
With this data, you know your entry point.
The full program can be found in a downloadable PDF format by clicking the photo below.
Included are video demonstrations for the strength and plyometric work and full details for the speed/power focus bike or run sessions.
It’s a full package deal!
Contact eliteedge.coach@outlook.com if you have questions or comments.
One final note—
When tapping into the highest level of intensity your body can muster (AKA a sprint), it is important to use tension to your advantage. However, being overly tense in order to eek out the most power possible can steal your ability to deliver a coordinated repetition. Try taking a deep breath before you begin to go all in and execute the rep without thinking too hard about what you are doing. It may also be useful to keep a loose and relaxed jaw to avoid “grinding” it out.
Eihara Y, Takao K, Sugiyama T, et al. Heavy Resistance Training Versus Plyometric Training for Improving Running Economy and Running Time Trial Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med Open. 2022;8(1):138. Published 2022 Nov 12. doi:10.1186/s40798-022-00511-1
Barnes KR, Kilding AE. Running economy: measurement, norms, and determining factors. Sports Med Open. 2015;1(1):8. doi:10.1186/s40798-015-0007-y