Run-Down Forums

[Angelo Z]

How do I get more speed for the long distance runs that I do at about 30 minutes? I was running yesterday, and an old man was next to me jogging also, and I was trying to go faster than him, but he was still going at the same speed, eventually I beat him. I need to get my legs to move faster, or longer strides during my long distance runs, but when I try harder, my legs refuse to go faster. I am just not feeling the speed to go in rythm. I don't sprint my entire long distance run, I jsut jog them at a fast pace. I ran yesterday for 30 minutes, and towards the end I always go fora full sprint. I did so, and it looked like I was still jogging. I had a hard time covering distance with sprinting. What is annoying to me, is that my workouts are not consistent. One day I feel fast, then the next I feel like my legs are deceiving me. How do I get most workout sessions to feel like a "fast" workout? I know that elites have the same problem too, but at least their times for each workout range from 1 to 15 seconds slower for a great, effective workout. It is the weirdest thing, my legs want to let me down when I sprint or want to go at a faster pace. You all have probably noticed how I complain about a problem on here, then the next day I say that it went back to normal, then the next day it comes back. I have heard that many athletes do strides after their workout sessions like Haile, maybe that could be the answer?
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Angelo Z]

Here is what I found: The very last sentence is exactly what I am looking for. Even though I am running at 5:00 pace per mile, and during the workout I feel "slow" it still unmotivates me greatly. Maybe this might be linked with the idea of doing some itnervals with weights before a workout session to "adapt" the muscles.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=2193

Here is another very good article!

http://www.devinesports.com/Article.7+M5acdbe0dab1.0.html?&cHash=036e1f7ee4

So pretty much this whole time I have been doing speed training for the lactic, and metabolic systems, not the neuromuscular system. The higher quality the workouts one does, the faster they will reach their goal. I can't wait to do these after school today before my 400s!
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Angelo Z]

What is it that makes elite runners run fast? Haile is 1 inch shorter and he can run faster than I can, say for like 300m. I just don't get it, I sprint my fastest, and it looks the same as the elite runners the way they sprint, but somehow they are faster. I need to be able to do my 300m intervals in around 40 seconds each, yet I end up with a slower time. What is it that prevents me fro mrunning faster intervals? I have done stretching, strides, neuromuscular excersises, plyometrics, form, technique, efficiency, adrenaline, etc. Nothing seems to work. Even if I go all out where I am at risk of burning out in a very short time, but I still keep it up, it still won't make my intervals faster. What exactly am I missing? My intentions are not to increase my resistance to high speeds, I want to increase the speed itself. I am already running at 1:05 for each 400m I do, and I am adapting to it quick. Dan, you mentioned I need to run at goal race pace, my goal is to run each 400 in 57s pretty soon, but my legs are just not fast enough. Another thing I have noticed are the size increase in my thighs. I do very painful squats with somewhat heavy weights (getting tired at around half way through each set), and it is not improving my stride. What can I do to increase my stride length, and frequency?
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Dan]

You're making the assumption that anyone is capable of running at world class speeds simply by wanting it badly enough. Whether or not you are capable of it, I have no idea, but it simply is not true for the majority of people. Genetics play a bigger role than training or desire.

Dan
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[Angelo Z]

57 seconds per lap is no where near world class, and again that is your record too as I have seen on the website previously. The coaches at my school said that I have almost perfect genetics for running, born with an extremely high metabolism ,etc. My mom is an extreme ectomorph and got made fun of for being so skinny in HS. Even though she ate a lot to put on weight she couldn't. On the other hand, my dad is a meso-ectomorph. From my mom's side she has liver problems, but not herself. My grandma died of hepatitis C. I don't have any liver problems. My dad has extremely strong bones, he never broke a bone, and he was a middle distance runner or a "resistance runner." At the rate of my progress, I have been told I have a huge potential. I don't assume that anyone can run at world class. I assume that to myself because I am the one who is with that goal instead of others. I have been to the doctor for a health check-up. He got the results and came with extremely high levels of iron in my blood, but not too much. Also a very high metabolic rate which is why people ask me why I eat 4 sneakers bars in one snack. The others were large lung capacities (from my dad) and a low heart rate coming in at about 54 bpm. I can have had my flexibility ever since I was little, and can do the side, and front splits. I got this report when I sgined up for cross country for a physical exam, but then found out there were no buses so I had to quit. My doctor said to me that I have a body built for extreme endurance and speed (but not raw sprinting speed.) I weigh in at 94 pounds which is way too much underweight at my age where the expected weight should be 110. The only thing is that my body is out of proportion since my upper body is like a twig compared to my lower body. I have small hands and feet. My foot size is 8, my dad's is 7 and my mom's is 6. Since my family is from Romania as well as myself, we eat very consistently, many vegetables, fruits, meat, bread. No junk food like pizza or chicken nuggets, or KFC, or Megdonalds.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Angelo Z]

Aside from all that I am curious in what makes the elite athletes run under 1 minute for every 400m. I have read an article about stride length and frequency, and it is mainly because of the runner's oxygen uptake which makes their strides wide. This is why 2 hour marathon runners make 4:40 mile pace look very easy. Why can middle distance runners sprint faster than a lean body builder with huge legs? I have also found that the secret to get fast in a distance is too get good at smaller distances first. As for the mile it would be: 50m, 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 800m, 1200m, and 1500m. My 200s, 100s, and 50s seem to be the culprits that are slowing me down. I have read training programs on middle distance runners like Ryun, Haile, etc. and they all do very short distance intervals such as 100m.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Angelo Z]

I think I have found what my weakness is. My leg muscles are not strong enough. I do squats of 13kg, Hicham does squats of 25-30kg. . I also think that I should lift more often. I made a huge mistake and that was not lifting oftenly. I lifted according to the frequency on the training program he used on this website. I was wrong, Hicham already had highly developed muscles and strength while he was using that training program, he already had strength built so he did not lift often.
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My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥

[Indeurr]

[Angelo Z]

Whoah it's been a long time since I posted this. The fact is that during that time period I suffered a lot from side stitches. I have no idea why but it was during winter, with little snow. It was just so bad that I lost motivation, and felt like a slug every time I went out to run. My legs literally did not have strength.
_________________
My favorite all time race: Hicham El Guerrouj - Prefontaine Classic Mile 2002 http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YykUTHzOL8
¥London 2012 XXX Olympiad¥