THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING · 2017. 7. 11. · in preparation for running training.” Miscellaneous comments from many satisfied readers and reviewers. Earl Fee, a coach, and

This is a book for all fitness enthusiasts from a young age toninety, those with a dream, those who want to improve, those whowant to learn the why and not just the how, and those who dareto excel. The basic principles of training are applicable to all ages.With proper training the body, mind, and spirit are each fully usedand all are in harmony. This book aims for this perfection to assistyou in the serious play of athletic excellence, and to attain yourfullest talents in your sport, especially in running.

Here’s what athletes and coaches have said about Earl Fee’s “How To Be A Champion from 9 to 90”:

“I know of no other body of work on this subject that is so inclusive and practical. It is absolutelyoutstanding.”

Payton Jordan, Head Track Coach Stanford University 1957-1979, 1968 U.S. Olympic Track Coach.

“Earl’s book provides for me a comprehensive grasp of the research and technical literature onall aspects of training for sprints to marathon; plus the insights and experience gained from a

highly successful career as a competitor.”

Diane Palmason, master runner, she has held numerous world records in sprints to marathon.

“Unbelievably comprehensive and thorough on wide variety of health aspects.” “Consolidates and build on the lore of running. Easy to follow and easy to apply.”

“A great piece of work.” “Can’t put it down.” “I collect books on running and this is myfavourite.” “The investment will be the very best money ever spent on a track item.”

“Information in this book shows how to become a much better athlete at any running distance.“ “It’s like having a head track coach giving specialized training.”

“A monumental task. An attempt to present every important factor involved in preparation for running training.”

Miscellaneous comments from many satisfied readers and reviewers.

Earl Fee, a coach, and world class master runner for 18 years, has 40 world records in trackevents. This is proof of the effectiveness of the training methods and workouts described herein.His past experience in the demanding nuclear power industry as a technical writer, consultant anddesign engineer has no doubt contributed to his scientific approach and his concise, but thoroughwriting style in this tome on running training.

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PUBLISHED BY

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SPORTwww.m-m-sports.com

$ 19.95 US/£ 17.95/$ 29.95 CDN

ISBN 978-1-84126-162-1

Umschlag Earl Fee NEU 29.05.2007 12:22 Uhr Seite 1

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING

The Complete Guide Running NEU 23.05.2007 15:46 Uhr Seite 1

Disclaimer Notice

This book is intended as a guide and a reference volume to assist your fitness and exercise program. It is not claimed as a substitute for professional fitness advice ormedical advice. While an honest, best effort was made to advise and to list precautions, some potential problems may not be mentioned. Problems can arise if anindividual is unfit, proceeds too intensely or rapidly, or has some bodily weakness. Theadvice may not be suitable for every individual. Caution is advised in all new exercisesor programs and in the taking of new supplements, therefore check with your doctorbefore you begin. The opinions, advice, accuracy and completeness of the informationherein are not guaranteed or warranted to produce any specific results or to avoid allproblems.


EARL W. FEE

TT HEHE CC OMPLEOMPLE TETEGG UIDUID EE TT OO RR UNNINGUNNING

HOW TO BE A CHAMPION FROM 9 TO 90


British Library Cataloguing in Publication DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Earl W. Fee:The Complete Guide to Running

How to Be a Champion from 9 to 90Oxford: Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd, 2005

ISBN 978-1-84126-510-0

All rights reserved, especially the right to copy and distribute as well as the translationrights. No part of this work may be reproduced – including by photocopy, microfilm, or any other means – processed, stored electronically, copied or distributed in any

form whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher.

© 2005 by Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd.2nd Edition 2007

Aachen, Adelaide, Auckland, Budapest, Graz, Indianapolis, Johannesburg, New York, Olten (CH), Oxford, Singapore, Toronto

Member of the WorldSport Publishers’ Association

www.w-s-p-a.orgE-mail: [email protected]

www.m-m-sports.com


Acknowledgements ....................................................................................10Foreword ......................................................................................................11Introduction ................................................................................................12

Chapter 1 PHYSIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES ....................................................................15Energy Systems..........................................................................................................................16Muscle Fiber ...............................................................................................................................20The Respiratory Cycle..............................................................................................................22Respiratory System...................................................................................................................23Anaerobic Threshold and VO2max.....................................................................................24The Heart ....................................................................................................................................27Enlarged Heart, Coronary Vessels, and Increased Stroke Volume ............................30Heart Irregularities...................................................................................................................31The Blood....................................................................................................................................34Mitochondrial Enzyme Activity ............................................................................................34Physical Differences Between Men and Women............................................................35Your Friend, Lactic Acid ..........................................................................................................35

Chapter 2 MENTAL TRAINING......................................................................................39Introduction ...............................................................................................................................39Harmony of Body, Mind, and Spirit ....................................................................................40The Ideal State of the Mind ..................................................................................................45The Benefits of Laughter........................................................................................................46Relaxation Techniques............................................................................................................46Visualization ..............................................................................................................................50Self-Assertive Statements.......................................................................................................52Compliments, Affirmations, and Quotes in the Training Log.....................................54Overcoming Prerace Jitters ....................................................................................................56How to Stay Motivated...........................................................................................................60Focus.............................................................................................................................................61Refocus ........................................................................................................................................67Mental Toughness....................................................................................................................68Emotional Control ....................................................................................................................71The Power of Belief, Autosuggestion, and the Subconscious.....................................73

Chapter 3 RUNNING FORM ..........................................................................................77Running Sequence ...................................................................................................................78Running Form for Important Body Parts...........................................................................81Breathing ....................................................................................................................................83Toeing Outwards or Abduction............................................................................................83Discrepancy in Stride Length................................................................................................85Form Practice .............................................................................................................................86Running Stride Length and Stride Frequency..................................................................86Summary .....................................................................................................................................90

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Chapter 4 BUILDING A BASE AND HILL TRAINING...................................................93Building a Base .........................................................................................................................93Hill Training ...............................................................................................................................99

Chapter 5 26 PRINCIPLES OF TRAINING .........................................................................1 – Principle of Base Training............................................................................................1072 – Principle of Gradual Adaptation ...............................................................................1083 – Principle of Sharpening and Taper ...........................................................................1104 – Principle of Balanced Training...................................................................................1125 – Principle of Correct Mix in a Session........................................................................1146 – Principle of Training Partner.......................................................................................1147 – Principle of Limit Training ...........................................................................................1158 – Principle of Hard/Easy.................................................................................................1159 – Principle of Going With Your Strengths ..................................................................11610 – Principle of Specificity................................................................................................11711 – Principle of Use It or Lose It .....................................................................................11712 – Principle of Reversibility ............................................................................................11813 – Principle of Maintenance..........................................................................................11914 – Principle of Supercompensation.............................................................................11915 – Principle of Periodization..........................................................................................12016 – Principle of Intuition and Training Flexibility.....................................................12117 – Principle of Continuity and Consistency ..............................................................12218 – Principle of ‘Chicken Mind’ but Stronger Body ..................................................12219 – Principle of Relaxation...............................................................................................12320 – Principle of Least Effort........................................................................................... 12421 – Principle of Regularity................................................................................................12422 – Principle of Living Like a Champion......................................................................12523 – Principle of Anti-Shock...............................................................................................12524 – Principle of Neural Training .....................................................................................12625 – Principle of Training with Present Capabilities..................................................12826 – Principle of Shocking the System ...........................................................................128

Chapter 6 TRAINING FOR SPRINTERS.......................................................................131General......................................................................................................................................131Speed, Speed Endurance, and Tempo Training............................................................132Technique.................................................................................................................................133Form...........................................................................................................................................133Drills for Sprinters ..................................................................................................................134Stride Rate and Stride Length............................................................................................137Flexibility ..................................................................................................................................139Reaction Drills ........................................................................................................................139Seasonal Schedules for Sprinters ......................................................................................140Charlie Francis Sprint System.............................................................................................143Sprint Techniques from Payton Jordan...........................................................................144

Chapter 7 GENERAL TRAINING THEORY FOR DISTANCE RUNNERS......................151What Is Involved in Proper Distance Training? ............................................................151

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Energy Systems.......................................................................................................................152Interval Training.....................................................................................................................152The Five Training Systems...................................................................................................157Summary Table of Training for Distance Runners.......................................................167Running Economy .................................................................................................................171Heart Rate Monitoring to Indicate Performance Improvement..............................173

Chapter 8 TRAINING FOR 800 AND 1500 METRES AND MILE ..............................177General......................................................................................................................................177Typical Weekly Training Schedules ..................................................................................180800 Meter Training...............................................................................................................1821500 Meter or Mile Training .............................................................................................185The Kenyan Way ....................................................................................................................189

Chapter 9 TRAINING FOR 5K, 10K, AND MARATHON............................................193Preparation Time ...................................................................................................................193Training Pace ..........................................................................................................................194Mileage Goals.........................................................................................................................194How Fast to Train for Longer Runs...................................................................................195How Much High Intensity Training .................................................................................196What Kind of High Intensity or Quality Training.........................................................196Marathon Training ................................................................................................................198The Kenyan Way ....................................................................................................................205

Chapter 10 DESIGN YOUR OWN DISTANCE TRAINING SCHEDULE.........................207Quality Sessions .....................................................................................................................200Phases of Training .................................................................................................................209Principles and Guidelines....................................................................................................210Correct Balance of Quality Training Sessions ...............................................................211Example Training Schedules ..............................................................................................214How to Make the Schedules Easier or Harder ..............................................................220

Chapter 11 RUNNING IN THE POOL............................................................................223Introduction.............................................................................................................................223Advantages..............................................................................................................................224Running Form .........................................................................................................................228Heart Rate................................................................................................................................229Perceived Effort ......................................................................................................................229Workouts in the Deep End..................................................................................................231Workouts in the Shallow End.............................................................................................233Precautions ..............................................................................................................................236

Chapter 12 STRETCHING..............................................................................................239Advantages..............................................................................................................................240What to Stretch? ....................................................................................................................241Don’t Overdo It.......................................................................................................................242Stretching Do’s and Dont’s.................................................................................................243Types of Stretching................................................................................................................244Some Essential Stretches.....................................................................................................251

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Hamstring Stretches .............................................................................................................254Stretches to Avoid..................................................................................................................255Stretching Before a Workout..............................................................................................256Stretching After a Workout.................................................................................................257

Chapter 13 RECOVERY..................................................................................................259Best Recovery Methods........................................................................................................259Recovery in Days After a Race...........................................................................................264Recovery After a Marathon.................................................................................................264

Chapter 14 TRAINING SHOES......................................................................................267Types of Last............................................................................................................................268Types of Training Shoes .......................................................................................................268Tests to Determine Shoe Type ...........................................................................................269Some Useful Tips ...................................................................................................................270

Chapter 15 NUTRITION ................................................................................................275Recommended Percentage of Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fats ...........................276Carbohydrates ........................................................................................................................276Protein.......................................................................................................................................279Fat...............................................................................................................................................283Total Daily Calories...............................................................................................................286Fiber ...........................................................................................................................................287Alkaline and Acid Forming Foods ....................................................................................289Proper and Improper Food Combinations .....................................................................292Glycemic Index .......................................................................................................................295Water .........................................................................................................................................300Pre-Competition Meal ..........................................................................................................303Alcohol & Wine.......................................................................................................................304Vitamin and Mineral Supplements ..................................................................................305”Magic“ Supplements...........................................................................................................312

Chapter 16 INJURY PREVENTION AND CAUSES........................................................329Personal Injuries and Lessons Learned ...........................................................................330Causes of Specific Major Injuries .....................................................................................332Summary of Causes of Injuries Survey ............................................................................337Important Causes of Injury .................................................................................................338Precautions to Prevent Injuries..........................................................................................339Treatment of Injury ...............................................................................................................342Best Treatments for Injury...................................................................................................345Good and Bad of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs..................................................................348Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness ..................................................................................349Lessons Learned During Recovery ....................................................................................350

Chapter 17 PLYOMETRICS............................................................................................353Theoretical Explanation.......................................................................................................354



Exercises for Lower Body .....................................................................................................356Lower Impact Alternatives ..................................................................................................358Intermediate Impact Alternatives ....................................................................................359Higher Impact Alternatives ................................................................................................360Medicine Ball Exercises........................................................................................................361Recommended Frequency...................................................................................................363Safety.........................................................................................................................................363Recovery ...................................................................................................................................364

Chapter 18 DYNAMIC WARM-UP ................................................................................365Disadvantages of Static Stretching Before Training...................................................365Advantages of Dynamic Warm-up...................................................................................366Recommended Dynamic Warm-up Sequence ..............................................................367

Chapter 19 WEIGHT TRAINING....................................................................................369Advantages..............................................................................................................................370Off-Season and In-Season Training..................................................................................372Recuperation...........................................................................................................................373Free Weights vs Machines...................................................................................................374Rubber Tubing Exercises .....................................................................................................374Training Principles.................................................................................................................375Number of Reps, Sets, and Loads .....................................................................................379Nutritional Supplements for Strength Trained Athletes............................................381Importance of Abdominals and Back Muscles .............................................................382Popular Weight Training Exercises...................................................................................382

Chapter 20 TACTICS......................................................................................................391General......................................................................................................................................391Planning ...................................................................................................................................392Tactics for Middle Distance Races....................................................................................393Tactics for Long Distance Races........................................................................................396

Chapter 21 YOUNGER AND OLDER COMPETITORS...................................................399Young Competitors ...............................................................................................................399The In-Between Years ...........................................................................................................404Older Competitors .................................................................................................................404Interview with Multi-World Record Distance Runner Ed Whitlock ........................412

Chapter 22 INSPIRATIONAL SAYINGS........................................................................417

Credits and Copyright Acknowledgements ..........................................427

Index ..........................................................................................................429

Photo Credits ............................................................................................439

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AA CKNOCKNO WLEDGWLEDG MM ENEN TSTSI express a debt of gratitude to Meyer & Meyer Sport, who agreed that this 2nd Editionwould be of benefit to the running community, and to the staff (especially ThomasStengel) for their efficient dedication.

The great spirit and camaraderie of the Saugeen Track Club, the achievements ofthese young athletes, and the dedication of the coaches has been an inspiration tome. The assistance and training with the North York Track Club in Toronto for over 14years, and their encouragement in getting me started after a 33-year layoff is grate-fully acknowledged. In particular, the coaching, often one-on-one from David Welch(President of NYTC), prepared me to break many world masters’ track records; many ofthe middle distance/anaerobic workouts in this book were his creation. Also, myenduring friends at the Credit Valley Marathon Club and Gladstroke T&F Club havebeen an example of inspiration.

The assistance of the following resulted in a higher quality book and are also grateful-ly acknowledged:

• The generous editorial services of Duncan Mounsey• The many photographers who supplied inspirational action photos (see the photos

for credits) • The large number of research papers on fitness and nutrition from physical

education teacher Ken Glance, which added considerably to my knowledge;• The many individuals (experts) and publishers (especially Human Kinetics) whose

material for the book increased it’s authenticity (see the credits and references).Special recognition and gratitude is acknowledged to the following for their va-luable material: Dr. D. Costill, Dr. I. Lynch, and Dr. W. Scott, Charlie Francis, PaytonJordan, Ed Whitlock, Geordie and Earl Farell.

I express gratitude to Physiotherapy One (in particular, Vince Agostino), chiropractorDr. Robert Taylor, chiropractor Dr. Astrid Trimm, chiropractor Dr. Michael Hardie,sports physician Dr. Anthony Galea, physician Dr. Edric Sum, the Mississauga YMCAand staff, and my many training partners (see Chapter 5, Principle 6); they all assistedme greatly to attain and sustain world record form; without the world records, no bookwould have been attempted. Finally, my thanks go out to my family and friends fortheir patience and understanding while I neglected them during this huge, but tre-mendously rewarding, project.

Earl W. Fee



FF OREORE WW ORDORDEarl Fee revealed his training secrets in the very successful self published book ”HowTo Be a Champion from 9 to 90.“ In this Second Edition appropriately titled ”TheComplete Guide To Running“, the previous edition has been updated, many actionphotos included, and the following new material added: new chapters on plyome-trics, dynamic warm-up and inspirational quotations, the latest information on stret-ching, additional information on weight training, new magic supplements, besttreatments for injury, effect of age on stride length and frequency, new training workouts, and more.

Earl Fee reveals his training secrets in The Complete Guide to Running. Earl Fee as aworld-class master runner for over 18 years (including nine world masters track andfield championships), has gathered extensive knowledge on physiology, and allaspects of fitness and running; this was largely based on a careful observation ofeffects in his own body. This knowledge has contributed to the achievement ofmany world masters records from the 300-meter hurdles to mile races. His qualitytraining enabled him to develop particularly into one of the world’s top 800-meterrunners. Earl’s experience also in the demanding nuclear power “Candu” industry asdesign engineer supervisor/technical writer/consultant in writing many exactingreports has no doubt contributed to his concise, correct and complete writing style.

All health enthusiasts, coaches, athletic trainers, parents of young athletes, andespecially runners from beginner to elite will benefit from this in-depth book. The specialemphasis on nutrition, mental training and inspiration (in addition to the physicaltraining) will be of interest to athletes of all ages.

The latest techniques and fitness aspects are discussed in 22 chapters, and include: 26 training principles (many new), anaerobic threshold training, VO2max (aerobiccapacity) training, vVO2max (velocity at VO2max) training, central nervous systemneural training, running in the water, stretching techniques, self-massage, weighttraining, ”magic“ supplements including creatine, injury prevention, and special trai-ning considerations for extreme young and old athletes. The 19 anti-aging tips (whichI also heartily advocate) could assist you to “age slower than your rivals”, and live de-cades longer with a higher quality of life.

All aspects of running training for sprinting, middle and long distance, and marathonare covered in detail except clothing and altitude training. I know of no other body ofwork on this subject that is so inclusive and practical. It is absolutely outstanding.

Payton Jordan, Head Track Coach Stanford University 1957-19791968 U.S. Olympic Track Coach

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ININ TRODUCTRODUC TIONTION“If you’re going to be a champion, you must be willing to pay a greater price thanyour opponent” (Bud Wilkinson). You must pay the price with sacrifice. Success is notjust training hard—it’s a way of life. Do your sacrifices exceed your over-indulgences?This book will show you the way of the champion. And the inspirational chapters aredesigned to instill some enthusiasm for the dedication and determination required tobe a champion.

This is a book for all fitness enthusiasts from a young age to 90, those with adream, those who want to improve, those who want to learn the why and not justthe how of running, and those who dare to excel. The basic principles of trainingare applicable to all ages. With proper training, the body, mind, and spirit are eachfully used and in harmony. This book aims for this perfection to assist you in theserious play of athletic excellence, and to attain your fullest success in your sport,especially in running.

Proof of the effectiveness of the workouts and training schedules described herein(apart from my world records) is shown below by my age-graded percentage mainlyfor my 800-meter races over the past nine years. (Note, 100% age grade is equiva-lent to the open class world record.)

For example:• 100.5% at Buffalo World Masters WAVA, 1995 (age 66)• 99.49% at South Africa World Masters WAVA, 1997 (age 68). Second highest

of all male races (1st: Robertson, NZL, 102.7% in the steeplechase at age 56)• 102.04% at Boston US Masters Indoor, 1998 (age 69)• 100.62% at Boston US Masters Indoor, 1999 (age 70)• 99.71% at Gateshead World Masters WAVA, 1999 (age 70). Second highest of

all male races (1st: Bradford, AUS, 99.93% in steeplechase at age 60. Mueller,GER, had 99.1% in 300-meter hurdles at age 60)

• 100% at Puerto Rico World WAVA, 2003 (age 74), average of 3 races

What are the principles of training and tips in few words? Work the five energysystems. Build a strong base before the speedwork phase. Train to increase theVO2max (aerobic capacity) and increase the lactate threshold. Speed should not beneglected any time of the year. Have a plan and adapt gradually to your faraway goal.Practise periodization. Ensure proper nutrition and rest.



Use legal ‘magic’ supplements. To avoid injury, stress recovery in training, and practicecross-training, e.g., running in the water (my favorite). Run with good form andrelaxation; be quick but don’t hurry. Do not neglect stretching, strength training, andworking the central nervous system neural pathways; older athletes particularly willbenefit from these anti-aging exercises. Develop and practice the mental techniques.Race often, when ready. Taper. All the above are of no avail without desire, determination,and dedication. And, most important, look at each workout as a body, mind, and spiritexperience. All the above are discussed, including the methods (secrets if you like) thatI used to break over 40 world records in the 300-meter and 400-meter hurdles, 400-meters, 800-meters, 1500-meters, and mile in masters’ track competitions.”

The information herein is applicable to general fitness and many sports since 10chapters are applicable in general and 12 chapters are specific to running. All theimportant fitness aspects are covered to make you faster, stronger, healthier andmore knowledgeable; this book is meant to enhance mental preparation and physio-logical improvement and to inspire. Therefore, the total chapters provide a completetraining system, but the individual chapters were written to be independent (stand-alone). A lot of the information has been obtained by careful observation of theeffects of various training on my own body—observations recorded in detailed logson running training for the past 18 years—what worked and what didn’t. Thesupporting views and experience of others are included and referenced; manyexperts in their field have been quoted.

This is a book useful to the experienced runner but also to the serious beginner. Thetraining workouts for 400-meter and middle distance runners in Chapters 6 and 8respectively are applicable to all runners of all caliber and most ages of runnerssince they are based on race pace times.

We all need inspiration and motivation. We should have our favorite inspirationalsayings to keep us going forward toward our goals. In Chapter 22, and throughoutthe book, you will find yours from the many examples listed (some by myself). These will complete your body, mind, spirit training.

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CHAPTER

1A mechanic must understand the workings of a car

to make it run smoothly and efficiently. Similarly, a coach and athlete must understand the physiological aspects

of the human body to condition it to run smoothly and efficiently.

PHYSIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLESPHYSIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES

Changes to Your Body from Consistent Intense ExerciseWhen you train consistently for a few years, particularly if exercise is intense, you willfind some beneficial changes in your body, such as:

1 Loss of body weight. The good news is you can increase your 5K and 10Krunning speed by one percent by lowering your weight by one percent.

2 Loss of body fat. Along with losing some weight, your body fat will decrease.Most sedentary females have about 27% body fat and sedentary men have about20%. For runners, high body fat represents excess baggage. After about 12 years ofconsistent aerobic and anaerobic intense training, and a healthy low-fat, low-sugardiet, my body fat went down to 5%.

3 Resting heart rate decrease. With intense regular exercise, one or more of thefollowing is likely to occur: the heart enlarges, heart ventricals become stronger, orcoronary arteries enlarge. This results in more stroke volume or blood pushed on everystroke. So your resting heart rate will decrease. The normal resting heart rate is about

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72 beats per minute for men and slightly higher for women. Generally, a low restingheart rate is indicative of a very fit individual. My resting heart rate has dropped to 41beats per minute after 18 years of training.

4 Maximum heart rate, MHR, declines at a slower rate with age. Everydecade, the sedentary person’s MHR decreases by about 10 beats per minute. But withintense training, your MHR can stay nearly constant for decades. My MHR has stayednearly the same for 17 years—near 190 beats per minute, due to consistent intense trai-ning. With a higher MHR, more blood is pumped, resulting in more oxygen utilization.

5 Mitochchondria and capillaries increase in muscle cells. Thus, moreoxygen is utilized by the body resulting in more energy.

6 Slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fiber enlarges. A distance runnerexperiences slow twitch fiber enlargement, and a sprinter experiences fast twitch fiberenlargement.

Most of the above changes take years to reach a plateau of improvement. This isperhaps the major reason for a delay of about seven years for an athlete to normallyreach a peak in performance. See further details below on these and other importantphysiological aspects.

To run faster and/or longer, an understanding and application of the physiologicalreactions of training are essential to athletes and coaches. “The athlete should under-stand the physiological reaction they are trying to achieve and should know when theyhave had enough and why they feel that way” (Lydiard6). By applying physiological datain a meaningful way, training and racing effectiveness are improved. Some of themore important physiological aspects are discussed below: the energy systems, musclefiber, the respiratory system, anaerobic threshold, VO2max, the heart, blood volume,mitochondrial enzymes, and lactic acid.

ENERGY SYSTEMSThere are three primary sources of energy available to the muscle for training andraces. Tables 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 on the next pages show the relative proportion of theseenergy systems depending on the length of the exercise. The three systems are thecreatine phosphate or power system, the non-oxidative or anaerobic lactate system,and the oxidative or aerobic system. It is essential that the athlete train to exercise allthree systems since all are used in running. Training must concentrate on those energysystems mainly used in the athlete’s particular event(s).



The various chemical reactions in these systems are shown below. ATP, adenosine tri-phosphate (a high energy molecule) is the main source of energy for muscle contrac-tion in the three energy systems. (One mole of ATP represents about 46 kilojoules, or11 kilocalories2.) ADP, adenosine diphosphate, is another important energy moleculein the reaction.

Power or Creatine Phosphate SystemPower is defined as strength (force) times speed (velocity).

This power system is immediate acting for events such as shot put, weightlifting orsprinting where maximum muscle strength, with a burst of maximum energy, is required.It is important in a 100-meter or 200-meter dash, and also in the final sprint at the endof a middle- or long-distance race. The other two systems are too slow to supply thissudden energy. Creatine combines with an enzyme in the body to produce creatinephosphate (CP). The energy comes from breakdown of creatine phosphate producingmore creatine and ATP. In the process, highly acidic hydrogen ions, H+, are removed. Theinitial start to the reaction is from minimum ATP already in the cell. This energy source isuseful only for exercises up to about 30 seconds. The equation below shows theimportance of creatine in short, intense events. See Chapter 15 on creatine supplement.

ATP + H2O————-ADP + H3PO4

Creatine + enzyme———CPCP + ADP + H+———creatine + ATPThe cycle repeats itself over and over.

Note: Running fast repeats under about 20 seconds results in little acidic buildup,hence less fatigue. From above, it is seen this is due to creatine in the body that assistsin removing the H+ ions.

Anaerobic Lactate SystemThis speed system is of major importance for events such as the 400-meter and 800-meter. In this energy system, the demand for oxygen exceeds the rate at which oxygenis delivered. In the absence of oxygen, ATP is derived from the breakdown of glucose(in blood) and glycogen (stored in muscle and the liver). The anaerobic enzymes forthis reaction are present in fast twitch muscle fibers. In view of the high speed, the aer-obic system cannot produce energy fast enough to keep the muscles supplied; an oxy-gen debt is incurred and energy is supplied by the anaerobic system. The chemicalprocess is called anaerobic glycolysis:

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Glucose———-2ATP + 2 lactic acid

Glucose has the chemical formula C6H12O6.The lactic acid produced dissociates into negative lactate ions and positive H+ ions(commonly called protons). The “H+ ions eventually inhibit the enzyme reactions forfuel metabolism” (Martin and Coe2). The accumulation of H+ and lactate ions reducesblood pH into the acid range and impairs muscle contractions.

Up to about one minute of speed exertion the anaerobic system produces increa-singly more energy; thereafter, the anaerobic system supplies less and less energy asthe aerobic supplies increasingly more. The time period of one to two minutes repre-sents a transition period from mainly anaerobic glycolysis to mainly aerobic glycolysis.About 120 seconds of intense effort uses 55% anaerobic and 45% aerobic energy(see Table 1.3 on page 20).

Aerobic SystemFor endurance events lasting more than about two minutes, the aerobic systemsupplies the majority of the energy with a constant supply of oxygen from the cardio-vascular system. For events longer than a 5K, the energy from the anaerobic source isless than about 7%, eventually reducing to less than 1% for the marathon. ATP forendurance events is generated from several sources, including sugars, carbohydrates,fatty-acids (C16H32O2), and to a much lesser extent, from amino acid proteins3 (the lat-ter chemical reaction is not given below). The aerobic enzymes required for thesereactions are present in slow twitch muscles. The chemical reaction is called aerobicglycolysis.

Glucose + 6O2————36ATP + 6CO2 + 6H2OFatty acid + 23O2————130ATP + 16CO2 + 16H2O

The body obtains more energy from fats than carbohydrates after about 30 minutes ofrunning. After about one hour of running at marathon pace the fat burning/glycogenburning ratio has increased to about 3/1 for the athlete. At two or three hours ofexercise, nearly all of the energy is from fatty-acid metabolism. Thus it is important forthe long distance runner to train long enough to activate the fatty-acid chemicalreaction.

Note: By comparing the energy release from anaerobic glycolysis to aerobic glycoly-sis, the anaerobic metabolism of glucose requires 18 times more glucose to producethe same amount of ATP. The aerobic metabolism is more efficient. Also note the largeamount of ATP from fatty acids.



% Of Each Energy Source Used In Running Races

It is important that the coach and athlete know the percentage of each of the threeenergy systems or sources used in the athlete’s specialty event. The training can thenbe directed to cover all three systems but with more concentration on the major energysystem(s). The breakdown of energy source versus events from the 100 meters tomarathon for men’s 1987 world records is shown in the Table below from Peronnetand Thibault7. The anaerobic energy system consists of creatine phosphate energy andanaerobic lactate energy. The creatine phosphate energy is mainly significant up toabout 20 seconds (contributing an average of about 65% of total energy betweenzero and 20 seconds) but dropping off rapidly after this to near zero at about twominutes. Hence it is important to train for the three energy systems: creatine phosphate,anaerobic lactic, and aerobic.

Table 1.1 • Energy Contribution Vs Race Distance

Event 1987 World Record % Energy ContributionMeters Aerobic Anaerobic100 9.83 8 92200 19.75 14 86400 43.29 30 70800 1:41.73 57 43

1500 3:29.46 76 243000 7:29.45 88 125000 12:58.39 93 7

10 000 27:08.23 97 3Marathon 2:06:50 99 1

The above shows reasonable agreement with other references, e.g., Sparkes andBjorklund4.

Note: It would appear from the breakdown that little effort need be put on thespeed and anaerobic training for the 10 000-meter and marathon. This would beincorrect. To achieve your maximum potential and fast times, they still need a lot ofattention and cannot be neglected.

Similarly, Tables 1.2 and 1.3 (from Bangsbo, et al.13) show the “approximate relative con-tributions of anaerobic (phosphate + anaerobic lactate energy) and aerobic energysources” during sequential and cumulative periods of exhausting exercise lasting 180seconds.

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Table 1.2 • Sequential Energy Distribution

Period Anaerobic % Aerobic %Sequential

0–30s 80 2030–60s 60 4060–90s 42 58

90–120s 36 64120–80s 30 70

Table 1.3 • Cumulative Energy Distribution

Period Anaerobic % Aerobic %Cumulative

0–60s 70 300–90s 61 39

0–120s 55 450–180s 45 55

The above tables clearly show the great importance of aerobic training for runs longerthan one minute.

MUSCLE FIBERDuring the fall, while training for cross country and building a base, I transform mybody from a sprinter/middle distance runner into a long distance runner (this is aslight exaggeration). Some of the fast twitch fibers (FT Type IIb) take on aerobic quali-ties and there is possibly enlargement of the slow twitch (endurance) fibers. See dis-cussion below. The improvements in endurance are quite evident after about six toeight weeks of cross-country/base type of training.

Some of the main characteristics of fast and slow muscle fibers are:

Fundamental Differences. The fast twitch fibers (Type II) are light in color andhave a relatively fast contraction time and a predominance of anaerobic glycolytic(breakdown of glycogen and glucose) enzymes which can utilize glycogen withoutoxygen. These fibers provide rapid movements in a short period of time. There are twotypes, FT Type IIa (white) and FT Type IIb (grey). FT Type IIa also contain aerobicoxidative-glycolytic enzymes referring to capability for oxidative metabolism, as well asglycolytic. FT Type IIb have low aerobic enzymes.



Type IIa fibers are often referred to as FOG fibers (fast oxidative glycolytic) and TypeIIb fibers are called FG fibers (fast glycolytic).

Fast twitch fibers, when compared to slow twitch, have greater strength, fastercontraction, poorer endurance, fatigue quicker, and have fewer mitochondria andcapillaries2.

The slow (“oxidative”) twitch fibers (Type I, ST or SO) are dark in color with aslower contraction and a predominance of aerobic enzymes, which utilize oxygen formetabolism.

Sequential Operation. The slow twitch fibers are used throughout light tomaximum levels of exercise, while the fast twitch fibers are utilized over the range ofmoderate to maximum effort. As effort is increased, the FT Type IIa fibers are thenactivated followed by FT Type IIb fibers during maximal effort or speed. The number offibers used has increased with the effort until all three types are used at 100% effort.Costill1 states: “Great mental concentration is required to maintain a given pace nearthe finish of a race. Much of the mental effort is probably used to activate the FT TypeIIb fibers that are not easily recruited.”

Sprinters versus Distance Runners. As the names indicate, the athletes with apredominance of fast twitch fibers have superior speed and those athletes mostly withslow twitch fibers have superior endurance. A muscle biopsy from Alberto Salazar’s calf(gastrocnemius) revealed it was 93% slow twitch, 7%FT Type IIa, and no FT Type IIbfibers1. Fourteen elite distance runners showed an average of 82% of the cross sectionalarea (gastrocnemius) was composed of ST muscle2. Elite sprinters’ muscles are composedpredominately of FT Type IIa fibers. However, an average individual has roughly 50% ST,25% FT Type IIa, and 25% FT Type IIb in the gastrocnemius leg muscles1.

One can guess the composition fairly well based on performance over a range ofraces. Also, if you can jump 16 inches or higher from standing and have little endurance,you have predominately fast twitch muscles. If you have little speed and lots of enduranceyou have mainly slow twitch muscles.

Genetically Fixed or Trained. The ratio of fast and slow twitch fibers is genetical-ly determined according to Mangi et al3. Costill1 also reports that studies have indicated:“The fraction of slow twitch and fast twitch fibers appears fixed and unaffected bytraining.” This suggests this quality is inherited. Some are born with the potential to besprinters, middle distance, or marathoners, depending on the parents.

Genetically Fixed but One Exception. The consensus is that fibers are genetical-ly fixed with one exception: FT Type IIb fibers can take on the characteristics of FT TypeIIa fibers with continued endurance distance running. This provides a greater oxidative

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capacity for the working muscles. “This alteration is strictly an effect of distancetraining and not a permanent change in the fiber itself” (Sparks and Bjorklund4). “Theopposite, FT IIa to FT IIb fibers, can occur with strength training” (Martin and Coe2).

Hypertrophy or Selective Enlargement of Fibers. “Experts have proposed thatthe training for endurance may result in selective enlargement (of existing cells) ofslow twitch fiber and strength training may result in fast twitch fiber enlargement”(Costill1). New evidence may not support this (Costill).

The muscle micrograph of Mary Decker supports the theory that slow twitch fibersenlarge with endurance training4. Sparks and Bjorklund4 report: “She is primarily 65%fast twitch and 35% slow twitch but at the micrograph time of all endurance training,based on the actual area distribution the fast twitch to slow twitch ratio was about50:50.”

Continual Speed to Retain Fast Fiber Response. Martin and Coe2 emphasizethe importance of periodic inclusion of fast training throughout the year. “Without anytraining at higher intensities for a long period the FT fibers will have minimal trainingstimulus to improve their performance or to ensure maintenance of their performance.”This suggests that the FT neural pathways have become “rusty.” Hence it is importantto retain some speed during the base building period. Charlie Francis, past coach ofBen Johnson, also believed in and taught retaining speed year round. See also Principle24-“Neural Training” in Chapter 5.

THE RESPIRATORY CYCLE BETWEEN OXYGEN SUPPLY AND CO2DISCHARGEThe cycle starts with air (which is 20% oxygen) inhaled into the lungs through themouth and nose. From the millions of minute alveoli in the lungs, oxygen diffuses intothe hemoglobin of the blood. The blood is pumped by the heart to the capillarieswhere oxygen is transferred from the hemoglobin across the capillary membrane tothe myoglobin in the muscle tissue.

The muscle cells receive the oxygen and tiny molecule food nutrients for producingenergy. Digestive enzymes aid in producing these tiny molecule nutrients, such asglucose from carbohydrates, glycerol and fatty acids from fats, and amino acids fromprotein. These food nutrients pass through the small intestine into the lymph andblood.

The mitochondria, those tiny powerhouses of the cell, use oxidative enzymes inthe presence of oxygen to breakdown these food nutrients into energy in the form ofATP. The muscles use the ATP as fuel and the waste, CO2, is returned to the blood in



the veins via the capillaries. Water and cellular waste go to the large intestine. At thelungs, the CO2 diffuses from the blood through the minute alveoli into the dischargedair. At VO2max, the volume of CO2 production (exhaled) has exceeded the volume ofO2 consumption (inhaled) and the athlete experiences high levels of acid in the blood.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEMThe maximum volume of air that can be expelled in a single breath (vital capacity)increases with years of distance running training. I recall being able to show a significantincrease only one year after I started my running comeback after a 33-year layoff. Alarge group of cross-country runners measured 5.7 liters compared to 4.8 liters for agroup of untrained similar age men1.

The maximum breathing capacity for an untrained runner varies from as low as120 liters (L) per minute and typically about 180L/min for a highly trained distancerunner. Breathing capacity = breathing frequency (usually about 50 times per minutemaximum during running) x volume of a breath. To accomplish this, I have noticed somegood runners have a shallow rapid breathing compared to deeper slower breathing(myself).

The average person breathes at rest five to six liters of air per minute; this takesabout one percent of the body’s total energy need. An untrained runner could sustainabout 100 L/min for a few minutes only, but a distance runner sustains about 100-120 L/min. for long periods which represents about 9% of total energy. Costill1

further states, “Respiratory ventilation is probably not a limiting factor except at highaltitude.” It has been my understanding (from past reading) that breathing is not amajor limiting factor. Therefore, it would appear no point in practicing running withholding the breath or other such tricks. (Zatopek used to hold his breath while runningto get the feeling of oxygen debt.) However, proper breathing from the belly isimportant and also running with chest high rather than slouched. More efficientbreathing would bring in more oxygen per minute and theoretically should result inimproved performance.

For proper breathing18, as the opera singers do, practice belly breathing. As youinhale, your belly should rise. As you exhale, the belly moves in. This is most easilypracticed when sitting with your hands on your belly but can also be practiced whenwalking. When running slowly, I have sometimes concentrated on this, but it is im-possible to think about when running fast. Also, by keeping the chest out, shouldersback, and hips forward when running, your lungs will open more to aid breathing.Breathe through the nose and mouth.

Before a race, it is helpful to take some deep breaths. A sigh or two will help tomove the blood from your belly to your muscles and brain.18

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Morehouse and Gross18 also state, “Breathing is best left to nature. The less you thinkabout and try to control your breathing, the more economical it will be. Natural brea-thing costs less than trying to breathe with a contrived rhythm.” I agree; do not tamperwith the rhythm of breathing, but practice belly breathing.

Oxygen DebtThe oxygen debt for a trained athlete for events from 200 meter to marathon is about17 liters. An untrained individual can rarely tolerate more than 10 liters oxygen debt.Total O2 requirement = O2 intake + O2 debt.

Based on oxygen intake and oxygen debt, the aerobic and anaerobic energy percentagescan be estimated:

Aerobic energy = O2 intake/ O2 total requirement Anaerobic energy = O2 debt/ O2 total requirement

ANAEROBIC THRESHOLD AND VO2 MAXSee also Chapter 7 for advantages, description, and training for anaerobic thresholdand VO2max thresholds. These thresholds increase with higher levels of training as de-scribed in Chapter 7.

Anaerobic ThresholdThe running pace where lactate acid begins to increase at a much greater rate thanpreviously is commonly called the anaerobic threshold (AT) or lactate threshold (LT).“At this working level: the elevated removal of CO2 can no longer maintain bloodacidity (pH) within reasonable limits; the blood lactate production greatly increases,the rapidly rising H+ ion concentration and corresponding falling blood pH provides anadditional powerful ventilatory stimulus” (Martin and Coe2). Therefore, at the samerunning pace to produce the AT and LT, the ventilatory threshold (VT) also occurs,wherein the breathing starts to become heavier and somewhat labored, resulting in anincreased rate of oxygen intake. This threshold can often be observed by the athletebecause of the noticeably increased breathing rate. A marathon runner must run a fewpercent just below this threshold to avoid the lactate buildup. Therefore, the AT is thebest predictor of marathon performance.

For runners, the anaerobic threshold is roughly as follows: novice = 0.65 to 0.75MHR, experienced = 0.80 to 0.85 MHR, elite = 0.85 to 0.90 MHR. With training, theAT occurs at a higher percentage of maximum heart rate, MHR, and VO2max.



Below the AT, the aerobic metabolism provides essentially all the required energy, e.g.,less than one percent anaerobic. In between the AT and VO2max, there is an aerobic-anaerobic transition. As the running pace increases above the AT, there is an increa-sed percentage of anaerobic metabolism and a corresponding decrease in percentageof aerobic metabolism (as seen in Table 1.1).

VO2maxA one percent reduction in body weight will improve the VO2max by one percent! Anda one percent increase in VO2max will improve your 5K or 10K race time by about onepercent.

Description: Maximum aerobic power or VO2max represents the maximum amount ofoxygen that can be removed from circulating blood and used by the working tissuesduring a specified period. The units are milliliters of oxygen/kg of body weight/minute.“Once 100% VO2max is achieved, anaerobic glycolysis provides the additional energyfor continued work” (Martin and Coe2). An elite athlete, after having reached thismaximum oxygen intake, cannot operate at VO2max for more than a few minutes (5 to8 minutes). However, some elite athletes can run a marathon at near 90% VO2max.

Typical values of VO2max ml/kg/min are:• 70 to 85 for elite (world class) runners • 50 to 60 for competitive club runners• 35 to 50 for average healthy individuals

Prediction of VO2max by Chart: Based on race times, a runner can predict his orher VO2max from charts showing race times vs. VO2max.

Table 2.4 from Noakes8 is one source where VO2max can be predicted from racetimes for 1500 meters up to a marathon and even for a 56K race. This chart is basedon data in Oxygen Power from a 1979 book by Jack Daniels and J.R. Gilbert. A similarTable, 3.1, is found in The Running Formula by Jack Daniels. My VO2max is about 52to 56 based on the race time chart Table 2.4 in Noakes8. Since this table is based onrace times, it takes care of the lower VO2max for older runners.

Prediction of VO2max by Formula: VO2max can be predicted within + or – 4% bymy simple formula below. This was obtained by an examination of the above tables.

VO2max = 1000/5K race time in minutesThis formula gives the same VO2max as the above tables at a 5K race time of

about 20 minutes (e.g., VO2max = 50). It overpredicts for slower runners (by +4% at24 minute 5K), and underpredicts for elite runners (by -5% at 15 minute 5K).

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Predictor of Performance. VO2max is commonly mentioned as the best predictorof performance in the 3K, 5K and 10K. “The true predictors of the potential of runnersare the peak running velocities or work loads they achieve during maximal test, notthe actual VO2max values” (Noakes8, 1989 and 1990). Also in modern VO2maxstudies, only half of all tested showed true plateau in oxygen consumption duringmaximal exercise. [Noakes suggests] “that factors related to muscle, not cardio-vascular system prevented half from reaching VO2max.8 This is quite conceivable: for ex-ample, in view of my limited experience on the bike, my running muscles prevent mefrom reaching a heart rate as high as 120 beats/minute. So untrained muscles couldlimit an individual in achieving VO2max.

Effect of Training. “Because VO2max can only be improved by about 15% with intensive training, it is clear that the average individual will never achieve the highvalues of the elite athletes” (Noakes8). However, Martin and Coe2 state “Untrainedpeople over a broad range of ages, on a serious fitness program can raise theirsedentary lifestyle VO2max as much as 40%.” [It appears the Noakes figure is moreapplicable to experienced runners where percentage gains are more difficult (a case ofdiminishing returns). Also those with predominant slow twitch fibers should showgreater improvement. Both references would agree genetic endowment is a majorfactor in the percentage achievable; one cannot make a thoroughbred race horse outof a donkey.]

Effect of Reduced Training. Hickson and co-workers9 showed that training inducedincreases in VO2max and heart size can be maintained when training is reduced fromsix to two days per week provided the intensity of exercise is high (85 to 100%).

The effects of detraining for four weeks was studied by Madsen, et al.,17 in nine well-trained endurance athletes. Detraining consisted of one short high intensity bout perweek compared to the normal 6-10 hours per week on a cycle ergometer. The test con-sisted of time to exhaustion at 75% VO2max. There was no effect on VO2max, but en-durance capacity decreased by 21%. Glycogen stores in resting muscle were 20%lower after detraining. Also, there was significant reduction in the utilization of freefatty acids.

Coyle14 reports after 21 days of detraining in highly trained athletes VO2max reducedby about 7% due to a reduction in maximum stroke volume of the heart. Further decli-ne at a slower rate was due to decline in oxygen extraction rate until the increasesproduced by training are all lost in three months.



Effect of Four Weeks of Inactivity. In 1992, after a prostate operation, I hadfour weeks of inactivity except for walking. Then I had six weeks of cross-training,followed by six weeks of running training. After this total of four months, I raced inJalapa, Mexico, in the 400-, 800- and 1500-meter races on separate days, but was stillmore than 2 or 3% slower than before the operation. This was at age 62, a youngerathlete should be able to recover quicker.

%VO2max Used vs. Length of Race. The percent VO2max increases as the lengthof the race becomes shorter hence faster. For the marathon to 3000 meters, it wouldvary from about 80% to 100% VO2max.

THE HEART

Maximum Heart RateMaximum heart rate, MHR, and maximum VO2max can be determined by monitoringan athlete while running to exhaustion on a treadmill or riding an exercise bike whilebreathing into a device that measures gas volume. Fortunately, there are easier waysto determine the MHR.

Note: Heart rate in beats/minute = b.p.m. in the discussion below.

The usual MHR formula for men, i.e., (220-age) b.p.m., or (226-age) for women ismore appropriate for an untrained person, like the average sedentary person, or novicerunner. One finds this formula in many books and it is even used at the local healthclubs, e.g., YMCA, to determine the working exercise range, based on age, usually60% to 85% of MHR. It would not be accurate for a runner with many years ofexperience because trained runners can show little reduction in heart rate over severaldecades. Also, some individuals have MHR significantly below normal; for example,Hal Higdon10 reports that his MHR at age 60 was 153 b.p.m. and has been within afew beats of that for 20 years. Studies of very fit athletes have shown no change norinsignificant decrease in MHR for at least two decades. Also, I believe my MHR hasremained close to about 195 b.p.m. from 60 to 70 years of age due to consistentintensive training.

My own experience with a heart rate monitor indicates my MHR is of the order of195 b.p.m. but the formula above would predict only 150 b.p.m. at age 70.

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Determine MHR The following methods are suggested to determine the MHR.

Method 1 This method makes use of the expected ratio of anaerobic (or ventilatory) threshold toMHR. As mentioned above, an observant runner can detect fairly accurately his or herventilatory threshold, VT, due to the noticeably increased breathing at this pace. Then,using a heart rate monitor, the heart rate HR@VT at this pace is determined, and theMHR is determined using this information as follows.

Runner VT/MHR* MHR

Novice 0.70 HR@VT/0.70

Experienced 0.83 HR@VT/0.83

Elite 0.88 HR@VT/0.88

*The 2nd column lists representative averages accurate to about + or- 4% to 5% sothe formula is about + or – 6% or 7% accurate considering also the error in HR@VT.(For example, an experienced runner with VT of 163 b.p.m. has a MHR = 163/.83 =about 195 b.p.m.)

The above formula accounts for those individuals who have a much lower MHRthan normal (i.e., larger than normal blood volume pushed on each heartbeat), suchas Hal Higdon, and/or for athletes who have trained intensely for decades.

Method 2The MHR can be determined by running to near exhaustion as explained below:1. When in good shape, do fast intervals after a good warm-up. Run about 4 x 200

meters or 3 x 300 meters at 95% effort with 5 or 6 minutes rest between. Imme-diately after the last interval, measure the heart rate.

2. A 1500-meter or one mile race would produce close to MHR just before the end ofthe race or immediately after. The heart rate monitor is recommended for theabove as it is impossible to measure by watch when heart rate is this fast andwhen one is exhausted and bent over with hands on the knees.

3. After a good warm-up, run 4 or 5 x 200 meters at 600-meter race pace. Restbetween reps equals time for the run. Take the pulse immediately after the lastinterval. Without a heart monitor, have someone take the pulse for you.



Taking the Pulse

Without a heart rate monitor, place the fingers of the left hand on the artery at the topinside of the right wrist. When pulse coincides with one of the seconds call this zero.Thereafter, count all beats for 15 seconds. Multiply by four to get beats per minute.The error can only be less than one half beat in 10 seconds.

Benefits of Pulse Measurements1. Indicates sickness or lack of recovery next day. Take pulse every morning

before getting out of bed. If the pulse is about five beats per minute above normalyou are possibly catching a cold or flu, or the training the day before was too hard.In either case, take it easy that day. If the resting pulse remains higher than aboutfive b.p.m. or more above normal for five days or more the athlete is overtrained. Itcould take several weeks to get over this over-training; see page 416 of Noakes8.

2. Indicates severity of workout. After a workout take the pulse about 15 mi-nutes after the cool down. If the pulse is still too high, e.g., about 25 b.p.m. orhigher above the resting value, this indicates the workout was too hard; in thiscase take it easy or easier the next day. The important thing is to take the pulse ata consistent time after the workout, for a variable time will only confuse thematter. With experience one can relate the effect on the body by the high or lowrecovery heartbeat. I have often found that my heartbeat seems to want to settleat 60 b.p.m. for a fairly long time after a workout, and I have suspected that thewrist watch is having some effect on my recovery pulse. After a hard workout, Ihave found my pulse is sometimes still up to about 15 b.p.m. above the restingvalue 90 minutes after the workout.

3. Train in the recommended range. The main advantage of pulse keeping is totrain in the recommended range or to keep just within the anaerobic threshold; fromexperience, the athlete will know what value will keep him or her just below the AT.With training, the athlete notices at the same heart rate, the pace eventually becomesfaster due to adaptation, increase in VO2max, and/or improved running economy.

4. Indicates when the next “rep” can start. The rapidity with which the heartrecovers during interval training is useful to determine the correctness of the pace,the length of the run, and the interval rest time. Ideally, the heart rate should decreaseto 120 b.p.m. within 90 seconds; otherwise, the pace is too fast or the length of therun is too long or both. However, I had found that when in good shape in doing setsof 200-meter repeats at age 65 at 800-meter race pace (about 34 seconds) I could

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Documents

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING · 2017. 7. 11. · in preparation for running training.” Miscellaneous comments from many satisfied readers and reviewers. Earl Fee, a coach, and