Improve Results in Long Distance Events
Long distance track events are often a great test of fitness and stamina. Improving your times will ultimately lead to being more fit. Having amazing track results only means that your are amazingly fit.
Steps
- Train. It's as simple as that, in order to get better results, you'll need to train. 3-4 times a week is perfect, anything less and you won't be improving fast enough for results to be noticeable, too much and you could risk over training and 'burning out'
- Choose an athletics track for best training results. If there are no tracks close by, a sports oval is good. Do not run in large areas that are over {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} long. Having a short (400m) track makes it easy to keep track of your progress.
- Ensure you already have some sort of fitness base. Do not start this plan unless you already have some sort of fitness.
- Test and time yourself over the first week. Run various distances ranging from 800m - 5 k. Write down your times and also your lap times. By keeping track of your lap times, you can see how well you run the distance and if you go out too hard or not hard enough etc.
- Set Goals.Goal setting is imperative if you plan to stick to your workout regimen. Without goals, your running will feel futile and pointless.
- Try interval training. That means shorter distance at or close to race pace. e.g. if your pr (personal record) for 1500m is 5:30 and you want to drop down to 5:00, you should run say 6x300m with each 300m in one minute (which happens to be the pace you need in order to run 5 minutes) with, say, a 45 second rest in between each 300m. As you get fitter and it becomes easier, reduce the rest until you can run the complete 1500m in the time desired. Do this for whatever distance is required and make up your own plan.
- Go on long runs. Runs lasting 45 minutes to 1 hour should be done twice every three weeks. This will ensure your legs can stay the distance in any event.
- Set aside one day a month for preparation and sprinting. Results should appear within weeks and after a few months; your fitness should be through the roof.
Tips
- Wear a good pair of runners, this will prevent blisters and prevent general pain and from your joints coping a lot of the force of each stride.
- Core workouts are very important for long distance runners. They help you keep your form even after a long run, which will help you run better. Isometric exercises are the best for this type of strength. If you work out in a gym use low weight with high reps.
- Drink plenty of water!
- ALWAYS warm up before any workout. If you do not warm up, you will inevitably injure yourself by tearing a muscle or tendon, keeping you out for months at a time.
- Buy running socks. They will help prevent blisters and are very comfortable.
- When you go to run make sure you never run too fast, say it was a 1500 run don't go to fast. This could make you weak for your big run.
- Eat a balanced diet that doesn't mean going crazy and tracking everything you eat. It means common sense. This doesn't need to be explained as everyone knows to avoid junk food, eat fruit and vegetables etc..
- One way to make running easier is to run with music. It can keep you running for much longer than without it. Make sure it doesn't have a slow tempo though that could slow you down.
- In order to help prevent shin splints do toe raisers after every practice. Lean against a fence and raise your toes a few inches into the air and hold for about 3 seconds. Repeat between 15-20 times. You can increase the number you do as you get stronger.
- Have one day a week dedicated to speed workouts to improve your time. Make sure you are timing yourself to see improvements!!
- Keep a book/notepad or other place where you can track your results and workouts. By doing this, in two weeks time, you can look over it and see all the progress you've made which will help you stay motivated.
- Start off jogging when going on long distant runs and run right at the end to improve stamina and speed at the same time.
- If you the kind of person who find running boring, find a partner to run with. If you both workout, your results should come down the same, its great to have someone to compete with and make training more fun
- Try eating peppermints or spearmints while you run this will increase your blood oxygen level causing you to be able to breathe easier and more plentiful also try when you are running try to have a count for your steps of when to breathe like for the mile I count to 8 and breathe on 1 and 2 and 7 and 8.
Warnings
- Soreness will follow post workout. It is normal and a sign that the muscle is recovering and becoming stronger. However if a muscle on one side of the body is sore, but its counterpart on the other side is not, it could be a sign of a more serious injury. If it continues to hurt after a few days consider seeing your doctor before it develops into something that will keep you from running.
- Shin splints are a terrible injury and one you should learn more about before any running, however they are very preventable and thinking about possibly getting injured should not stop you from running.
Things You'll Need
- Sport clothing (runners, shorts, shirts)
- Water bottle
- A decent track to run on
- Stopwatch
