How to establish our career rhythms?

One of the most frequent doubts in career training is usually what is the proper rhythm to which the different types of sessions must be performed.

In this article our collaborator Personal Running It will give us some basic guidelines to be able to establish the appropriate rhythms to which we must go at each moment.

10.000 test

In order to calculate these training areas we will build on a recent brand in a competition or 10.000 m test. For example, we will take the best recent brand in 10.000 m. a time of 40'00 '', which implies a rhythm of 4'00 '' / km.

(If we had not done any 10km test, you can use the brand in a race or 5km test and multiply the time obtained by 2,07 to obtain the approximate mark in 10 km).

From there we will establish percentages that will give us the approximate training zones. We will divide it into 5 training zones:

1 Zone: (Light Aerobics)

30% slower than the Best Brand in 10 km. Taking the 40 'as a reference, the approximate rhythm for this area would be around 5'12' '/ km.

Do not be strict about the rhythms, since in addition to not being machines and being practically impossible not to vary our race pace during a prolonged period of time, a training interferes with numerous factors that will alter our speed, such as the variability of the terrain, the weather, the state of tiredness of the athlete in each day of training, etc. Therefore, it will be advisable to move in a margin of one 10% (5% above and below) As for the exact time of each zone, in this case it will be between the 25 and the 35%. Being the right rhythm between 5'00 '' - 5'24 '' / km.

This rhythm is a very light rhythm that can be maintained for many km and in which you can start a conversation. Through this rhythm there will be a soft aerobic work, which will help us to do basic work in pre-season or in regenerative sessions or active rest between more intense sessions. It is what we call extensive continuous training or soft or regenerative filming.

2 Zone: (Medium Aerobics)

20% slower than our MMP in 10 km. In our case it would be 4'48 '' / km.

As we have already said that we would have to accommodate a variability of the 10%, this zone will be established between a slower 15-25% of our brand in 10km, being the right rhythm between 4'36 '' - 5'00 '' / km.

In this area we will face the medium shoots and that will constitute our base of aerobic work during all the season. It is an easy pace to maintain for a few km, but it starts to be demanding for long filming.

3 Zone: (Intense Aerobics)

10% slower than our MMP in 10 km. In this case 4'24 '' / km.

Applying the variability of the upper and lower 5% would vary between 4'12 '' - 4'36 '' / km.

This rhythm is quite close to the anaerobic threshold, but we will still be below. It is a quite demanding rhythm but it can be maintained well for several km. We will use this rhythm in quality trainings through fast shootings, In the very long series (5km or more) in the preparation of large background tests like a marathon.

Zone 4: (Anaerobic threshold)

 Similar and even superior to the pace of competition in 10 km. In this case would be between the rhythm of competition and a faster 5% of the pace of competition, can reach up to a faster 10%. In this case between 3'48 '' - 4'00 '' / km.

Giving a slightly wider margin would be around 3'36 '' - 4'12 ''.

In this area we will already be working above our anaerobic threshold, and we will use it in quality training, such as variable or continuous training. fartleck and in interval training or series, being these long series of from 1km. In series around 1km we should be around the lower margin, and in longer series of up to 3km we should be closer to the top margin.

5 Zone: (Maximum Intensity)

 15% fastest pace in 10 km. Reaching even up to a faster 20%. Giving a margin of 5% above and below in this case would be between 3'12 '' - 3'36 '' / km.

These rhythms will be used in quality training aimed at achieving leg speed and power through short series, trainings slopes, etc. They are extremely fast rhythms that can only be maintained in 2-3 'efforts at most.

Although this formula is usually quite reliable, it should always be used as an indicative indicator, and there may be variations depending on the multitude of factors that can influence the day to day of the athlete.

Further information: http://www.personalrunning.com/

Photo: ascis