Understanding the principles of training theory is an important aspect of training middle distance runners. Training theory applies the laws of the natural world to the domain of athletics so that coaches do not have to rely on hope, belief, and trial or error in setting up a sequential training plan for their athletes. Training…
Archives for middle distance training
Fatigue, Part 4 – The Aerobic Energy System
The scientific information presented in the first three sections on the onset of fatigue during exercise (Part 1 Fatigue–Energetics, Part 2 Fatigue–Anaerobic Alactic Energy System, and Part 3 Fatigue–Anaerobic Glycolytic Energy System) pointed out the importance of beginning each discussion on energy system metabolism with basic review of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its role in…
Fatigue, Part 3 – The Anaerobic Glycolytic Energy System
Information presented in the first two sections on fatigue during exercise (Part 1 Fatigue-Energetics and Part 2 Fatigue-Anaerobic Alactic Energy System) pointed out the importance of beginning every discussion on energy system metabolism with basic knowledge of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its role in muscle contraction. Humans have advanced through natural selection using three metabolic…
Fatigue, Part 2 – The Anaerobic Alactic Energy System
Information presented in the first section on fatigue during exercise (Part 1 Fatigue-Energetics) pointed out the importance of beginning every discussion on energy system metabolism with knowledge of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its role in muscle contraction. Humans have evolved using three metabolic energy systems for their daily activities which may range from lifting a…
Fatigue: Part 1 – Energetics
The onset of fatigue in certain systems of the body is what causes running performance to deteriorate and degrade. Too much fatigue and exhaustion occurs, with the inability to continue an activity. Fatigue can be acute, as in a single race or training session, or chronic, as in inadequate day to day regeneration of the…
The Human Stride
The human foot is designed to only do two things, propel the body forward and absorb the shock of doing so. The center of mass of the body must balance itself on a broad, saddle-shaped pelvis that distributes the weight of the organism equally on either side of the sagittal plane straight down to…
Aerobic Capacity and Aerobic Power
There are several critical aspects to aerobic fitness in all endurance sports, including cross country running in particular. For instance, aerobic capacity is an important factor, and is defined as the maximal oxygen intake in liters per minute for an athlete. It is a true measure of individual work intensity, and its measured value…
A Need for Iron
Minerals play an important role in the physiology of the body. Generally they act as co-enzymes for many bio-chemical processes and many are linked to the actions of organic vitamins which are responsible for many different aspects of life. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, constituting approximately 40% of the total mineral…
Setting up an Anaerobic Profile
In middle-distance training it is important that workouts are determined by certain individual anaerobic index performance values that are unique to each athlete. In distance training it is common to use the athlete’s field-tested, date sensitive,VO2 max value to determine workout pace intensity for aerobic work. As an example, a four mile tempo run should…
Training Plan Components for Middle Distance Runners
Everything important in life deserves a plan. But what really is a plan? There should be general components in a training plan, these can than be mixed with specific directions and could lead to an attainable goal or end-result to the plan. It is also important psychologically, developmentally, and strategically to have the plan in…
Dealing with Common Running Injuries
All middle-distance athletes desire a pain-free road to the top. Unfortunately, that scenario is very unlikely, as humans do not have it in their genome to either run far or fast without structural breakdown. With this in mind, a track coach should be well-versed in two aspects of the team members’ musculo-skeletal health: common running…
Dissecting Elite Level Middle Distance Workouts
Training theory is a fascinating point of discussion for most middle-distance coaches. These conversations can vary from something as simple as typical microcycle mileage to something as detailed as workout construction. There is no doubt that there are “many roads to Rome” in the journey to getting a talented middle-distance runner into top physical condition. …