Should we all embrace our inner sprinter??

Testosterscone

https://www.scullytherapyclinic.com/single-post/2017/06/15/Lets-Bring-Ireland-1500m-Back-To-The-World-Stage-pt-1

https://www.scullytherapyclinic.com/single-post/2017/06/15/Lets-Bring-Ireland-1500m-Back-To-The-World-Stage-pt-2

Even though most of us would probably be firmly in the distance camp, is there place for regular proper "speed" work in training?

adrian522

I think the first link should be:

https://www.scullytherapyclinic.com/single-post/2017/02/18/Taoufik-Makhloufi-Training

adrian522

I love this line...

It doesn't matter if you feel tired in a race. You either run through it and win or run through it and lose

Overall I don't think we really do much speed work at all in training (or at least I don't), it's probably more speed endurance than pure speed work. I guess its a bit different training for 1500m than training to cover distances from 5K to the marathon though.

BeepBeep67

Good timing!

I'm on the slow road to trying to rediscover my speed.
I'm going on the cautious route due to a legacy of injuries, but slowly adding more strides, structured workouts with drills and short races back into the mix.
Jumping out at me more so than the specific training, is the absence of specific strength and flexibility work from my current training that I need to start bridging.

Short term goal is to have some fun with it and add a few shorter races into what is primarily 5 - 10k training with a few tweaks.
Medium term is to make an appearance on the boards this Winter, with 3k being the main target.

pconn062

Great article and something I am changing in my training at the minute. I am only going to race 1500m this summer so I don't really need to do 90 minute runs/or to try and do big mileage. This nearly always leads me to getting injured. Instead I am going to (try) and improve my biggest and best asset, raw speed. This will probably in the form of sprints, (80m-150m) and hill sprints/reps. Of course combined with some speed endurance/tempo like workouts.

As for the idea of mileage over speed, I don't think it's purely an Irish thing either. How many articles have we read recently about returning to the training of the 70/80's where guys did massive mileage, 100+ miles a week. This is important for marathoners of course but for 800/1500m guys who only need to run for a max of four minutes?!

Mulberry

pconn062 wrote: »

Instead I am going to (try) and improve my biggest and best asset, raw speed.

Sounds like you should be doing 100s and 200s! Have you tried them?

pconn062

Mulberry wrote: »

Sounds like you should be doing 100s and 200s! Have you tried them?

Ha, I am a former sprinter as a Junior, ran the 60m, 80m (when it was a thing) and 100m from age 10-14 or so at a fairly high level (national, never International). Middle distance now is my preferred discipline, and although I still have some speed I'm nowhere near as explosive as I was hence my new thinking in terms of training.

Murph_D

Not sprinting I know, and only an experiment really, but I feel I really benefitted from 200 sessions (at 800m pace) during recent mile training. I now want to do more middle distance races as a result, as that seems to be where I get better results, relatively speaking, although distance is still the main focus for now.

Murph_D

Mulberry wrote: »

Sounds like you should be doing 100s and 200s! Have you tried them?

Not sprinting I know, and only an experiment really, but I feel I really benefitted from 200 sessions (at 800m pace) during recent mile training. I now want to do more middle distance races as a result, as that seems to be where I get better results, relatively speaking, although distance is still the main focus for now.

Mulberry

pconn062 wrote: »

I'm nowhere near as explosive as I was

Err... you would be in good company - none of us masters is as explosive as we were!!

You might find you'd do quite well!

pconn062

Mulberry wrote: »

Err... you would be in good company - none of us masters is as explosive as we were!!

You might find you'd do quite well!

Still a good few years before I become a Masters athlete, maybe I'll consider it upon my senior retirement!

Mulberry

pconn062 wrote: »

Still a good few years before I become a Masters athlete, maybe I'll consider it upon my senior retirement!

Oops! LOL.

This boards incognito thing is very trying. Last night I met Ivory Tower in person, and it turns out I had his real name utterly wrong, thought he was someone else completely, which caused some confusion!

Now I'm adding years to you because I think I'm mixing you up with someone else!

So I can understand not wanting to sprint as a senior unless you're bloody brilliant. Masters sprinting is much more ...accommodating Something for you to look forward to Pconn.

Chivito550

Mulberry wrote: »

So I can understand not wanting to sprint as a senior unless you're bloody brilliant. Masters sprinting is much more ...accommodating Something for you to look forward to Pconn.

I really don't get this thinking we have in Ireland. I ran my first 200m race a mid 28 wind assisted, first 400m in 64 seconds. Was 25 at the time. Hardly the stuff of talent. Worked hard at it to grind the times down over the years. The more people who take up sprinting, regardless of level, the better. While the setup isn't nearly as good as it is in Melbourne (where I took it up), there are plenty of accommodating meets available for newbies, particularly the gradeds. And as one progresses there's plenty of other meets, as long as the ego is left at home, and one doesn't mind finishing last a few times. Finishing last by 2-3 seconds in a 400m is hardly going to destroy ones confidence. It's not like getting lapped twice by the entire field in the 5000m. Absolutely no need for people to wait until they are 35 to take up sprinting. If somebody wants to do it, they should do it, rather than hold off.

Mulberry

Chivito550 wrote: »

I really don't get this thinking we have in Ireland. I ran my first 200m race a mid 28 wind assisted, first 400m in 64 seconds. Was 25 at the time. Hardly the stuff of talent. Worked hard at it to grind the times down over the years. The more people who take up sprinting, regardless of level, the better. While the setup isn't nearly as good as it is in Melbourne (where I took it up), there are plenty of accommodating meets available for newbies, particularly the gradeds. And as one progresses there's plenty of other meets, as long as the ego is left at home, and one doesn't mind finishing last a few times. Finishing last by 2-3 seconds in a 400m is hardly going to destroy ones confidence. It's not like getting lapped twice by the entire field in the 5000m. Absolutely no need for people to wait until they are 35 to take up sprinting. If somebody wants to do it, they should do it, rather than hold off.

I'm with you really Chivito, I'm just fixated at the moment on encouraging Masters to try T&F. I'm in a large club and the number of senior athletes we have is tiny, most are masters, so I always tend to go for the low hanging fruit, the majority. But you're right, the more the merrier at all levels. I was at the Drogheda & District graded meet last night and it was ideal for athletes of all abilities. The more meets we have like this the better.

Murph_D

Plus it's too late for many of us to take up sprinting before 35!