Why would an athlete preparing for an event that lasts more than 8 hours want to spend time running around a track, and for what benefit? Though they can seem contrary to the spirit and demands of Ironman distance triathlons, track workouts are actually an integral part of preparing your body for a faster and stronger performance in your next, or first, Ironman competition.
Why bother with the track?
With all the beautiful trails and paths you could run through, why should you bother running in circles? Well, successful triathlon training is all about managing your time and getting the biggest impact from each of your training sessions. The track offers a prime opportunity to focus your running workout on high-quality intervals so you can get the stimulus you need to become faster, but not so much fatigue that you struggle to recover in time for your next training session.
Track workouts are strenuous, but they serve a very specific purpose beyond making you tired. By pushing the pace and training at the high end of your aerobic range near your lactate threshold or maximum sustainable pace, you’ll force your body to adapt to producing and recycling increased amounts of lactic acid. Over time, this results in the ability to run faster at both moderate intensity levels and at race pace.
One departure from old-school track workouts you may notice in the descriptions below is that we’re not talking about gut-busting, go-till-you-puke intervals. Instead, these should be done at a pace between your 5K and 10K race pace, which is faster than your marathon pace, but not an eye-crossing sprint, either. It is best to incorporate one track workout a week into your training program, starting about 4 months out from your Ironman-distance event.
1000-meter repeats
Of the 3 workouts listed here, this is the hardest one because the pace is the highest. Following a warm-up and perhaps a few stride-outs, you’ll commence with eight 1000-meter intervals, separated by 4 minutes of easy jogging or walking. Start each interval gradually instead of sprinting up to speed, but quickly settle into your 5K race pace. The first 3 or 4 intervals may feel pretty easy, but they will get more challenging as you proceed, especially since the 4 minutes of recovery is purposely too short to allow for full recovery. You should, however, be able to complete all the intervals at the same pace, and shouldn’t feel totally wiped out when it’s over. If you do, go 3–7 seconds slower per 1000-meter repeat the next time you complete the workout.
2-mile repeats
The natural question we get regarding 2-mile repeats is that if you’re strong enough to run 4 miles at the same pace, why bother with a recovery break after 2? Because in order to go from running 9–minute miles to running 8:30s, you have to move your feet faster and push your heart and lungs harder, and that means running long intervals at a pace you can only sustain for limited period of time. These intervals are good to do on the track because you can time each lap and see if you’re still on pace, something that can be much more difficult on the open trail. Of course, with newer heart rate monitors you can use GPS technology to monitor speed and distance accurately on roads and trails. These intervals should run at your Tempo run pace, which is a strenuous intensity but about 98–102% of your heart rate at your maximum sustainable pace (not your max heart rate!). After a good warm-up, run two 2-mile intervals at this pace, separated by 4 minutes of easy jogging or walking for recovery.
2–mile ladder drill
Ladder drills are a staple of track training, but these may be a little different from what you used prior to sprint and Olympic-distance events because these are a bit longer and slower than you may be used to. The key is to complete each segment of the ladder at the same pace. The shorter segments in the beginning will seem very easy, but resist the urge to go faster in the beginning so you have the stamina to put in quality intervals all the way to the end. Like the 2-mile repeats, these intervals should run at your Tempo run pace, about 98–102% of your heart rate at your maximum sustainable pace. Start with 400 yards, then proceed to 800, 1200, 1600, 2000, 2400, 3200, 2400, 2000, 1600, 1200, 800, and 400 yards; and recovery after each work segment should be the same amount of time it took to complete the work segment.
Jason Koop and Jim Rutberg are Pro Coaches for Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. (CTS). Jason was an NCAA Division I cross-country runner at Texas A&M, and coaches athletes for events ranging from 5K charity runs to Ironman triathlons. Jim co-authored “Chris Carmichael’s Food for Fitness” and other titles with Chris Carmichael. To find out what CTS can do for you, visit
www.trainright.com.
Disclaimer:
The scientific information found on the powerbar.com website is derived from the following sources unless otherwise stated:
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Expert Panel:
Trent Stellingwerff PhD, BSc, Senior Research Scientist – Performance Nutrition, Nestlé Research Center
Christopher D. Jensen PhD, MPH, RD Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher
Tricia L. Griffin RD, CSSD, POWERBAR Sports Nutritionist