Points to Consider - Run Base Training
During the off-season our number one goal should be to address limiters as they pertain to the individual athlete. All triathletes have limiters in each discipline. For this discussion we will focus on the run.
In testing at this time of year it’s important for the athletes to understand that this is an exercise to see where they currently stand—we can’t use numbers from last season. LT wattage will be on a bell curve from points throughout the season.
To become a faster runner there are two variables that are non negotiable. They
are stride rate and stride length. If you ever watch elite runners you will notice
that their strides are quick and the distance that they travel in mid air is far
greater than most of us. The point at which both feet are off of the ground is
defined as the “moment of flight.” Improving both stride rate and stride length
should be the focus of the run training. During the Base Phase of your training is
the time that you can devote a greater percentage of your time to these aspects.
To improve stride rate the one concept you must keep in mind is that your overall goal is to limit Ground Contact Time. There are several ways to do this. One-way is to embrace a strength-training plan that is prescribed by a strength and conditioning specialist. However, if improving your run with speed, I would recommend seeking out someone trained in the concepts of biomechanics and physiology related to enhancing human performance. Moreover, to improve stride rate there are several “drills” that your coach can recommend to you. While attending a coach’s symposium in Boulder, Colorado with Joe Friel, I discovered a tool that in my opinion is the greatest tool you can use to help you accomplish a higher stride rate. The metronome is a tool that musicians use to keep a beat or a time to music. In running, this is essentially what we are trying to accomplish. For a very low cost this is something you can carry or have with you (there are several models with features that you can choose from) while you are running to give off an auditory cue to what your stride rate should be. With research we have discovered that most runners above the 800-meter distance have a similar stride rate of above 180-foot strikes per minute (90 per foot).
Stride length can also be improved with a specific and monitored
resistance-training plan. The point of focusing on this variable is to achieve
the greatest length that is possible without compromising the integrity of your
running form.
Remember some key elements of running form: the foot strike should
land below the center of gravity with relation to your body, and you should
not reach out too far because this can lead to “braking” or heel striking. Heel
striking is not the only form of braking. Even if you are mid- to forefoot strike
runner you can still brake. Several drills overemphasize the “reach” associated
with stride length. This can cause injury if the foot is not landing in the proper
position with relation to the ankle, knee, hip, and even the shoulder joints.
A simple self-test you can do is to just listen while you are running. There
should be no “scuffing” heard. Scuffing is a form of braking that is associated
with mid- to forefoot runners. Everyone thinks that just because you are not heel
striking that you are running correctly. This is not always true. The other
factor that you have to consider when trying to improve stride length is to keep
yourself horizontal and not vertical. It is easy to get a false feeling of
traveling further while also traveling vertically. I recommend having someone
film your running form for a quality gait analysis. There are also methods used
with grid squared being taped to walls. While running on a treadmill and viewing
from the side you can see if someone has a lot of vertical oscillation or
movement upwards.
In summary, we have defined that in order to achieve faster run times the two variables that must be addressed are stride rate and stride length. It is sometimes argued which one is more genetically determined. Professionally, I feel that improving an athlete’s stride rate is the first variable to address. This makes more sense because if all you focus on is stride length than your overall stride rate will obviously decrease. The same argument can be made with the opposite of focusing all of your attention and training on improving stride rate. However, stride length to me is more genetically determined because of the length and range of motion of your extremities or levers. Also, stride rate will also help you focus on more bio-mechanically sound principals because for most of us we will have to actually shorten our stride to begin with to achieve a higher stride rate. For a triathlete I feel it is of the utmost importance to keep the stride rate similar to the optimal levels of cadence on the bike because this causes less breakdown within the neuromuscular system when transitioning to the run after coming off of the bike.
We hope this helps you consider which items to address your limiters with your run training. As always, please feel free to email us with your questions or comments.
For More Information Please contact coach Boris!
Train Well!
Boris G. Robinson
Triathlete / T3 Coach