It’s always interesting to talk to runners who complain that they can never improve on their times. After asking what kind of training they do, the usual answer is that they “run.” No tempo runs, no long runs, no interval training…just “run.” This is a huge mistake. Although regular running is important to build a base of fitness, the only way to truly run fast times is to invest in a variety of workouts to maximize the body’s ability to maintain a fast pace during a race. Not only do you have to run regularly to achieve fast times, but you have to run smart.
During a race, your body must rely on the ability to process oxygen (VO2 Max improved through tempo runs), leg speed (interval training), muscular endurance (long runs), and mental strength to deal with varying paces and terrains (fartleks). By ignoring the variety of running workouts, and focusing only on slow training runs, there is simply no way you will be able to achieve your true potential.
Racing for time is a hard, difficult activity. If you do not take at least two or three days per week to really tax your body, it will not be physically and mentally ready for the challenges of a race.
