Training for the mile (University of Michigan) Ron Warhurst) 3/29/2004 6:03PM
Training For The Mile

University of Michigan
Ron Warhurst


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Every coach has his own ideas which he incorporates into his training program. Sharing ideas with other coaches, attending clinics, readings and a coach's personal experiences all help to formulate a coaching philosophy. As training methods improve, a coach's training philosophy changes. There are several methods used today, all of which merit some discussion. A brief discussion of physiology may help provide a basis for understanding the different training methods used today.
Physiologists have not identified the exact mechanisms involved in determining the working capacity of human beings, but much has been learned about the adjustments that are made to the demands of the activity. Three critical factors that seem to determine the working capacity of the individual are:

1.
Oxygen Requirement of the Task. This is simply the amount of oxygen the body needs to perform a given task; the more intense the activity the greater the oxygen demand.

2. Oxygen-Debt Tolerance. When the demand of a task exceeds the capacity of the circulatory system to meet the oxygen requirements of the tissue, a deficit exists. The level of which the deficit can be built before one must cease activity is called oxygen-debt tolerance.

3.
Maximal Oxygen Intake. This is the amount of oxygen an individual can take into his system during exercise.
We can assume that to increase the work capacity of the individual, we have to be concerned with these factors. In relation to running, if we reduce the oxygen requirements of the run, increase the runner's oxygen-debt tolerance, and increase the maximal oxygen intake, the performance of the individual will be improved.

Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise
The controversy over whether it is best to run long distances at a slow pace, or short distances at a fast pace, centers around the concept of aerobic and anaerobic exercise and the physiological adaptations of the body. Aerobic means "with oxygen," anaerobic means "without oxygen."

Aerobic exercise takes place when there is an adequate supply of oxygen carried within the cir-: - atory system during a given run. In other .-. :rds, aerobic running occurs when the oxygen ~:uirement of the run does not exceed the max-- al oxygen intake of the runner.

Anaerobic exercise occurs when the circu-3-ory system cannot supply enough oxygen for a given runâ??the oxygen requirement of the run exceeds the maximal oxygen intake of the runner, and a deficit occurs. This deficit is referred to as the oxygen debt. During very fast running, oxygen intake is inadequate to supply the oxygen required for production of the energy demanded, so the energy for muscle contraction is derived anaerobically through a complex series of chemical reactions (KREB CYCLE).
In these chemical reactions, lactic acid is the end product of the anaerobic metabolism. This build-up of lactic acid and the depletion of the glycogen (the energy source which is stored in the muscle tissue) results in the failure of the muscle to contract any longer, and thus the runner slows down.

Endurance is the ability to withstand fatigue, or the ability of the body to withstand fatigue, or the ability of the body to withstand the stresses set up by prolonged running. Endurance includes
â?¢ aerobic endurance,
â?¢ anaerobic endurance, and
â?¢ muscular endurance.
These types of endurance are closely related within the unity of the human body. In terms of running a given distance in the fastest possible time, it would be most ineffective for the sprinter to concentrate primarily on the development of aerobic endurance or for the long distance runner to concentrate primarily on the development of anaerobic endurance.

Aerobic Endurance, also referred to as stamina, is the general ability to withstand fatigue of the entire body in the presence of a sufficient supply of oxygen over a prolonged period. It involves the ability to resist fatigue under conditions where oxygen intake and oxygen requirement for the run are kept at a steady and equal level. This is sometimes referred to as cardiovascular endurance and circulo-respiratory endurance.

By definition, aerobic running is running at a pace over a given distance so that the running effort or pace does not go beyond the capacity of the circulatory system to supply enough oxygen for the effort involved in the run.

The more running that can be done at this pace (Lydiard refers to this as steady-state running), the more efficient the runner's respiratory and circulatory systems will become. The stroke volume of the heart will be increased, allowing a more rapid blood flow throughout the circulatory system. With the increased blood flow, a greater volume of oxygen and carbon dioxide can be exchanged in the lungs. With increased activity more capillaries develop as well. The increased efficiency of the respiratory and circulatory systems will allow for more oxygen to be taken into the body, thus raising the maximal oxygen intake of the runner. An increased maximal oxygen intake is one of the factors exercise physiologists have used in determining the running ability (work capacity) of the individual. Also, the more efficient the runner becomes, the lower the oxygen requirement of the task becomes which is a second factor in determining the ability of the runner.

Anaerobic endurance is endurance in the absence of oxygen. It is the general ability to withstand fatigue of the entire body when oxygen is in insufficient supply. This type of endurance is especially important in middle-distance running. Muscular endurance is local endurance which may be either aerobic or anaerobic. The extent of the blood supply in the muscles involved, oxygen transport at the tissue level, muscle tissue viscosity, and muscle strength are among the qualities upon which muscular endurance is dependent.

By definition, anaerobic running is running at a pace over a given distance so that the running effort goes beyond the capacity of the circulatory system to supply oxygen for the effort. This situation creates the critical situation of oxygen-debt. Because of the complex chemical reactions that take place, lactic acid is produced, and this lactic acid cannot be easily removed by the cells within the muscles, so it is passed into the circulatory system. The circulatory system develops buffers to help neutralize the lactic acid, but most of it is removed through the kidneys and liver. Much of the lactic acid remains in the system and slows down muscle contraction. This, along with a depletion of glycogen, causes the runners to slow down. An increased oxygen supply will allow the runner to go farther because the system can supply more oxygen to the muscle cells, thus postponing the onset of the oxygen-debt.

During anaerobic running the body becomes accustomed to the stresses of performing in an anaerobic state. The more efficient the runner becomes in handling the state of anaerobic running, the higher his oxygen-debt tolerance will become, and thus he will be able to sustain his effort at a faster rate, and for a longer duration.

TRAINING METHODS

The most common method of training is the interval system. It is a system of repeated efforts in which a measured distance is run alternately with measured recovery periods of low activity. The term "interval" refers to the rest interval between the repeated efforts. The control of the rest period is the most important segment of the interval system.

The goal should be to reduce the rest period as much as possible after the number of repetitions has been established. This should be the primary goal in the early stages of interval training. For example, instead of running 10 X 440 @ 70 seconds with a 440 jog rest, run 10 X 440 @ 75 seconds with a 220 jog rest. From this point work on reducing the time of the repeated effort to a level, perhaps of 10 X 440 . 66 seconds with a 220 jog. A possible format might be:

1. Establish number of repeated efforts to perform (10x440).

2. Reduce rest period between repeated efforts.

3. Reduce time of repeated efforts.

Overdistance Running involves training at distances greater than those of actual competition, and may include continuous runs of six to ten miles or more. The pace of such runs is normally pre-determined and is usually slower than the runner's racing pace. In pre-season training the pace should not be as fast as it would be during the season, when the pace for the over-distance runs should only be slightly slower than the runner's racing pace. During the racing season these runs should be timed.

Fartlek Running is kind of a combination of1 overdistance and interval running. It is defined as "speed play," freetype running done over an in-j definite distance for an indefinite time with some' segments of the run performed at a faster pace than others, depending on the way the runner feels during the run.