The 30 Minute Runner 2.0 experiment has entered into a new phase. After three weeks of base training with easy mileage, I’m now ready to start added some variety to my workouts – including the progression run.

I’m still in the “introductory” running period of the Run Faster program, so these first few workouts are not meant to be overly difficult of long – however, they are important in building a foundation for more challenging workouts in the future.

The Progression Run

I ran my very first workout yesterday in the Run Faster program – a 6 mile progression run. A progression run is simply a steady run that ends with a fast pace.  For example, my workout today was a 6 mile run with the last ten minutes at a moderate pace.  The ten minutes were also run uphill to maximize strength training.

One of the cool things about the Run Faster program is that it often combines the traditional Sunday long run with these progression runs. It is a fantastic way to take advantage of the benefits of the long run while also including a mini tempo run at the end.

Combining two workouts into run is a huge help for my very busy schedule.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that concluding a long run at a faster pace is really tough.  I had averaged about 8:20 minute mile pace for the first 5 miles of the run and I ended up dropping the last ten minutes to about 7:40 pace.

Due to the fact that I ran the last ten minutes uphill, I was really feeling it in my legs and lungs.  However, it was also a lot of fun to switch pace and get my legs cranking.

It is difficult to know if I ran the ten minutes at the correct pace.  In his book, Coach Hudson does not provide specific time goals for progression runs.  Rather, he leaves it up to the runner to determine what pace feels “moderate” or “hard.”

In order to run well during the “progression” phase of the run, I definitely recommend taking the first part of the run easy.

So without further ado, here is my current training for 30 Minute Runner 2.0 as recorded by the Garmin 310XT.  I realize that many of these runs exceed 30 minutes, but I had the time to go a bit further on some of the days and took advantage of it. Not every week will be the same.  Stay tuned for a recap of the first fartlek workout later this week!

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My experience of the “introductory period” of Coach Hudson’s Run Faster training plan continues. Currently, my running has only included easy runs to build mileage, a few (short) long runs, and a few sessions of hill sprints to build strength and help prevent injury.

While my training has been fairly routine during these first few weeks, a sneak peak at my upcoming training during the introductory period is very interesting. For example, next week I will run my first “progression run,” and the week after I will run my first fartlek workout.

I am surprised to see that the “base building” phase of the Run Fast plan includes these workouts at such an early stage.

Progression Runs

A progression run is simply a regular easy run that includes a section of increased pace at the end of the run.  The Run Faster program often combines progression runs with long runs – a runner goes on a usual long run, but accelerates to a faster pace for the final 20-30 minutes of the run.

Progression runs are a great way to help build a runner’s aerobic endurance without taxing the body too much.  This makes it a perfect workout to include in the introductory period of a training plan as it provides a bridge between easy base building runs and faster “threshold” workouts.

Fartlek Workouts

I’ve written about fartlek workouts extensively on The Runner’s Resource, but the way that the Run Faster program describes the fartlek was new to me.

As a brief refresher, “fartlek” is Swedish for “speed play” and refers to a workout in which a runner alternates fast a slow running. Generally a fartlek is an unstructured workout that is done on roads or trails.

I have always assumed that this workout should only be used after a runner has developed a solid training base. However, Coach Hudson uses fartleks throughout the entire course of the plan as a “specific endurance” workout.

According to Coach Hudson, fartleks are a great way to get the body accustomed to running at the specific pace of the “goal race” of a training plan – the “hard” portions of a fartlek are run at this specific pace or faster.

For example, if your goal is to run a 20 minute 5k, your goal race pace is 6:26 per mile.  Therefore, the “hard” portions of a fartlek should be run at 6:26 mile pace or faster.

Early in a training plan, the hard sessions of a fartlek are very short in duration (only about 30-45 seconds).  Again, the whole idea is to gently introduce the body to the goal race pace.

As the plan progresses, the hard sessions of the fartlek become longer (i.e. 50 seconds, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1k, etc). By gradually building your body’s tolerance for running at the goal pace, you will give yourself a great chance to achieve your goal time.

I’m excited to get into these early base building workouts and see how they impact my training and racing down the road.  It is a lot of fun to challenge my preconceived notions of what the “base building” portion of a training plan means.

The post Building A Training Base: What Workouts Should I Run? appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

The more things change the more they stay the same. Although I’m shifting to a different training plan, my running last week wasn’t all that different to my old plan – minus the 10-20-30 workouts.

Training in the “Introductory Period”

As I mentioned in my post explaining the 30 Minute Runner 2.0 plan, I am following the excellent advice in the book Run Faster by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald.  As explained in the book, quality training plans should always include  3-5 week “introductory period” of training.

During this period, the focus is on building mileage volume and strengthening the body for future speed and threshold workouts. Therefore, I ran an average of 30-35 minutes five days last week. On Monday and Thursday, I included one set of hill sprints.

The whole idea of using hill sprints as a method of injury training is still pretty foreign to me.  However, I’m going to commit to them and see if it improves my bad track record when it comes to running injuries.

On Sunday, I ran a five mile long run – long runs are something that were missing from my original plan. I think they are a key component of building aerobic endurance, strength, and reducing the chance of injury.

Status of My Runner’s Knee Injury

Speaking of injuries, I’m still working on fixing my runner’s knee.  My knee feels much better than it did a few weeks ago. The RunnersConnect strength training routines are fantastic and are helping to strengthen my weak hips, glutes, and quads.

Of course the real challenge is to commit to the strength program.  This can be really tough – especially with a busy schedule – but I am trying to include at least a few of the exercises in the RunnersConnect program after every run.

Another thing that is helping my knee is self-massage on my quad muscles.  After poking around a little, I discovered that my outer quad on my affected leg is super tight. I think the tight quad is slightly pulling my knee cap off its track, which causes pain on the inner portion of my knee.

I’ve been using a foam roller to loosen it up a bit – using the roller hurts a bit, but I think it’s working.

More Introductory Training – And Hood to Coast?

During the next few weeks, I am going to continue to build as much mileage as possible with my busy schedule and continue focusing on hill sprints at the end of some of my runs.

My hope that smart “introductory” training will provide me with a solid foundation for the speed workouts and threshold runs that will come later in the plan.

By now, you might be saying, “This all sounds great, Casey, but what are you training for?” Good question.

A few of the teammates on my old college team are pushing me to run on their Hood to Coast team in August.  If you don’t know, the 200 mile Hood to Coast race is one of the largest relay races in the world.  The course winds from Mount Hood in Oregon to the Oregon Coast.

If I run, I will be expected to run at least three legs of the relay, with distances that vary from 3 miles to 7 miles. I obviously have a ton of work to do to get into shape, but I think I will try it.  It will certainly provide me with plenty of motivation.

The first week of 30 Minute Runner 2.0 is in the books. Onward!

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As I mentioned in my prior post, I am a big fan of the book Run Faster by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald.  One of the most interesting parts of the book is the discussion on “hill sprints” as way to reduce running injuries.

Don’t Hills Cause Injuries?

This was my first reaction when I read Coach Hudson’s suggestion that running hills prevents injuries – and I still think I’m right.  If a runner trains too much on long, hilly terrain he or she increases the chances of developing injuries, including achilles tendonitis.

However, by using the phrase hill sprints, Hudson is referring to very short and very quick bursts of hill running of about 8-10 seconds.  The idea is that these workouts enable runners to make tremendous gains in strength and muscle power that will help prevent overuse injuries.

The hill sprint workouts start in the initial “introductory” period of a training plan and gradually phase out as the runner gains the necessary strength to handle the more challenging, race specific workouts later in the plan.

Building Functional Strength

If you have ever been to a physical therapist for a running injury, he or she most likely prescribed certain strength exercises to build areas where you are weak. For example, you may be told to perform “clam shell” exercises for weak hips, or squats for weak quads.

However, it can take a long time for these exercises to make a noticeable improvement in your running because muscles do not work in isolation – the activity of running is only possible through the coordinated movement of many different muscles in the body (hips, glutes, hamstrings, calves, quads and so many others).

The idea for hill sprints is to build stability muscles through all of the coordinated movements of running.  In this way, hill sprints are a form of “functional” strength training in which the specific movement is trained rather than just the individual muscles involved in the movement. This could be a way to build the strength of running muscles that need the most improvement.

How to Get Started with Hill Sprints

As stated in Run Faster, a runner can start doing hill sprints at the beginning of the training plan.  Initially, the sprints should be on a hill of 6% to 8% grade (take a look at veloroutes.org to determine the grade of a hill) and should only last for about eight seconds. On two days of the first week of your training plan, run one hill sprint after a run.

Gradually increase the number of hill sprints until you are running 6-8 after a run.  After about four to six weeks, you will have probably developed enough strength to shift from the hill sprints to strides after your runs.

I know that the hill sprints for injury prevention idea seems a bit crazy at first, but it is a really great way to quickly strengthen your foundational running muscles and reduce the chance of injury.

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Welcome to 30 Minute Runner 2.0. 

As chronicled in the last few posts of the series, 30 Minute Runner 1.0 was a pretty big failure.  My original goal was to see how fast I could run a 5k with only 30 minutes of running per day.  My plan was to do easy 30 minute runs 3-4 times per week and run the 10-20-30 workout 1-2 times per week.

The hope was that the 30 minute easy runs would build my aerobic capacity, while the 10-20-30 workouts would help improve my VO2Max.  I thought it was the most efficient way to improve my running.

Well, it may have been efficient, but it was horribly misguided.  I ended up with knee tendonitis after running the intense 10-20-30 workouts when my body was not ready for them.

The Plan for 30 Minute Runner 2.0

Instead of jumping into intense workouts without a proper base, 30 Minute Runner 2.0 will be based on tried and true training principles. I will still plan to stick to 30 minutes per day of running – except for some long runs and speed workouts – but the plan will be very different.

My go-to guide for designing my plan is Run Faster From The 5k to The Marathon by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald. As I mentioned in my prior post, this is an outstanding book that simplifies complex training principles.

The foundation for the book is the idea of three training periods of training: Introductory, Fundamental, and Sharpening.

• Introductory: 3-4 week period in which a runner gradually increases mileage through daily easy runs and one long run per week to build an aerobic base.  This period  may include some light threshold training (sustained runs at close to race pace). Any speed workouts during this period are shorter in duration (i.e. 4 X 30 second fartlek workout). This period also includes a 8-second hill sprints in order to increase hip and lower leg strength to prevent injury.
• Fundamental: 5-7 week period in which a runner’s training because more specific for his or her race.  There is a focus on more race pace workouts for a longer periods of time (i.e. 7 X 600m at 5k race pace).  Hill training is included in this period, but they are “repetitions,” not “sprints.”  The hill repetitions are a good way to combine strength training with speed work.  Threshold runs are longer and more sustained.
• Sharpening: 4-6 week period which is designed to peak a runner for his or her goal race.  The workouts are designed to simulate your specific goal race as close as possible (i.e. 5 X 1000m at 5k goal pace with one minute rest).  All workouts are tailored for the exact race – you don’t run 400 meter repeats if you are training for a marathon.

By focusing on three different periods with different types of workouts, I stand a much better chance of maximizing the development of all of my body’s running systems.  This is much more comprehensive than just running 10-20-30 workouts every week.

How to Fit All This Into 30 Minutes Per Day

As you can tell, my new plan is more complicated than running easy 30 minutes per day with a few 10-20-30 workouts thrown in now and then.  The 30 Minute Runner 2.0 plan is a bit different and includes the following weekly pattern: (1) 3-4 days of 30 minute runs, (2) 1 long run, (3) 1-2 workouts (i.e. threshold runs, speed workouts, etc.).

This is going to take more effort than the original plan, but is also a much better way to train and will hopefully will be much more fulfilling.

With that said, I will have to break the “30 Minute” Runner rule at least 2-3 days per week:

• Long Runs: The original 30 Minute Runner plan included no long runs.  In order to maximize my training, I am going to make a real effort to introduce long runs into my training.  Long runs are really important in developing endurance and aerobic conditioning. Although my busy schedule leaves me no time for long runs during the week, I am going to try to run long on either Saturday or Sunday.
• Speed Workouts: Depending on the workout, I may have to run longer than 30 minutes.  Due to my busy schedule, this is going to be tough.  One option is to combine the long run day with a threshold workout (i.e. run the last 20 minutes of the long run at threshold pace). We’ll have to see if I can make it work.

However, before launching into 30 Minute Runner 2.0, I am focused on getting my hips and lower body muscles stronger to treat and prevent knee pain. I’m diligently following the RunnersConnect strength training program, including the Bia hip routine, and strength program for runner’s knee. I’ve been super happy with the exercises and already feel stronger and more stable in my lower body.

Follow My Progress

I have appreciated all of the support I’ve gotten from runners who are interested in a training plan that can work for busy people.

I’m sorry that my first attempt was unsuccessful, but I hope you understand that I’m not holding anything back – this blog contains my real experiences in trying to run fast with a family and full time job.

Please contact me with any helpful tips and advice. It is always great to hear from readers.

Let’s see if this works!

The post Welcome to 30 Minute Runner 2.0. Let’s Do This – 30 Minute Runner appeared first on The Runner's Resource.

If you’ve been following my 30 Minute Runner experiment, you know that I wanted to see how fast I could race a 5k with only 30 minutes of running per day.  In order to give myself the best chance to succeed, I decided to jump right into high intensity interval training workouts to help improve my VO2Max.

The main workout that I used was the 10-20-30 workout which a recent study showed to be a quick but very effective option for increasing a runner’s VO2Max. Unfortunately, I got a little too excited about this workout and underestimated its intensity.

Long story short – I now have some knee tendonitis that is preventing me from running – not cool!

You can see the sad state of my training by looking at the data from my Garmin Forerunner 310XT in the month of April.  There are far too many days with no running.

This is certainly not a pretty running log, but I want you to understand exactly what I’m going through.  I don’t want to hold anything back because you may be able to learn from my mistakes and avoid the problems I’m experiencing in my training.

I have been following the excellent RunnersConnect strength training program – including the Bia strengthening hip routine and the specific exercises for runner’s knee. These routines have helped to improve my knee pain, but I have a long way to go to improve my strength.

So What’s the Plan Now?

Well, I think I’m done with the 10-20-30 workouts for a while.  While I believe it is an effective workout, they are way more intense than I originally thought due to the constant changes in speed.  My body clearly was not ready for the intensity and I paid the price.

Instead of chasing a secret workout, I think I need to go back to the tried and true methods of periodization and gradual progression used by running coaches for decades. In other words, I should have focused on building a solid aerobic base and then gradually have introduced speed into my training.

Instead, I jumped into some pretty intense speed and am now paying for it. Don’t make my mistake.

Using the Run Faster Principles of Coach Brad Hudson

While I am disgusted with my dumb training plan that got me injured, the 30 Minute Runner experiment is not over.  I’m currently working on a smarter training plan that allows my body to gradually adapt to higher intensity running.

One book that is really helping me think about training plans is Run Faster from the 5k to the Marathon by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald.  Brad has coached many great American runners, including Dathan Ritzenhein, and details his training principles in this easy to read book.

Run Faster is a fantastic introduction to building a training plan and gives reader plenty of tools to customize plans – even on a very busy schedule.

My favorite training book had been Daniels’ Running Formula by the great coach Jack Daniels.  But Coach Hudson’s book is a bit easier to digest – it is not as scientific Daniels’ Book – and provides some great insights the best way to adapt a training plan to your specific circumstances.  I’ll share more about the book in the coming days and weeks.

Until then, I’m focused on clearing up my knee tendonitis and returning to pain-free running.

Have you ever rushed into a training plan only to get injured?

Do you have any advice for me in coming back from injury?

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