Building The Right Foundation: Training Philosophy

      Every athlete is different and every training program is specific to each individual. But the end goal is always the same: to be the best you can be on the day you need to be at your best. The goal is always to build a foundation of an athlete at any skill level. The foundation consists of the aerobic system as well as general form and strength to compliment each athlete. From there, you can build by implementing specific training such as hills, intervals, fartlek (speed play), drills, etc. Training each energy system on a regular basis will assist with being a well-rounded athlete regardless of experience. Being able to handle this training can result in performing at a high level. 
 
 
Training Philosophy
        Speed is something that is needed regardless of the event you are training for. Stimulating the anaerobic system year round can do just that. This can be done through basic strides or hill strides. 5k race pace may be considered speed for the longer races but tapping into the VO2 (training close to max HR) strengthens the muscles in your heart and increases the volume of blood. Hill repeats or intervals around 5k effort can build VO2 max. Training at a little slower than VO2 max effort, Critical Velocity (CV), which is essentially 10k effort, is used to improve aerobic capacity, which can lead to stronger long runs. Tempo effort or Lactate Threshold is important in building aerobic capacity. Faster paced runs can be another great tool in building aerobic capacity and managing longer races. These can be considered your marathon pace or aerobic threshold pace. Regular Run Pace is meant for days with general mileage. Long Runs can be at a regular run pace as well unless a specified workout or pace is prescribed for them. Recovery is a key component to ensure the body can recover throughout training. Easy running during the week is ideal to be able to maximize training to the fullest.  A lot of the focus in training  is on effort. Sometimes the body may not be at its best and the effort level is much higher than is needed. A perceived exertion (RPE) can assist with adjusting when needed and minimizes over stimulating or over training. It is also key to the longevity of training.