Variety in Training

Variety in distance running can provide better training and recovery, help you avoid staleness and keep training fun and fresh.  Variety in training can take many forms including:

·    Using different training intensities

·    Following a hard – easy training pattern

·    Varying locations of workouts

Use different training intensities

The most successful endurance running training programs use a variety of training intensities to elicit different training adaptations. At the most simplest, two training intensities – endurance and high intensity can be used.  A more sophisticated approach uses five different training intensities of recovery, endurance, lactate threshold, VO2max and anaerobic.  Training at different intensities requires the use of heart rate training zones or training speeds to get the most benefit.  Training at the lower intensities of recovery and endurance provides a foundation for peripheral adaptations.  These include the building of microstructures in the muscle cell to increase energy and deliver more oxygenated blood to the muscle.  The higher intensities of lactate threshold, VO2max and anaerobic have more of a focus on central adaptations: an increase in the amount of oxygenated blood leaving the heart.  

Training at the lower intensities helps return the body to homeostasis – the ability of the body to return to equilibrium or balance.  This helps the body recover faster.  Training at the higher intensities results in quick and measurable training effects.  It also can result in injuries and overtraining.  Try to achieve a balance in your training plan with a mixture of low and high intensity workouts.  Try to follow a high intensity interval workout with recovery or easy endurance workout.  Generally, a training week will include:

·    1 overdistance workout of 2-3 hours

·    1-2 high intensity interval workouts

·    1-3 recovery or endurance workouts

Pattern of hard – easy workouts

I call the overdistance and interval workouts the “key” workouts of the week.  They help you meet your fitness and performance goals.  The recovery or endurance workouts add training volume and promote recovery.  The “key” workouts are hard because of the length of the workout (2-3 hours) or the high intensity.  The recovery workouts are easy because of the short duration and low intensity.  Each week should have a pattern of hard – easy workouts.  Follow one of the key workouts with a recovery workout.   

Location

We all have our favorite running routes or locations.  To keep things fun try exploring new trails, routes and training locations.  This keeps the mental freshness in your running. 

From a physiological perspective, the body likes variety.  It will positively respond to a variety of training intensities, a hard – easy training pattern and different locations.  If variety is the spice of life, then variety in distance running provides nourishment to improve fitness and performance.