These are done in back-to-back sets and might look like: twenty seconds fast, two minutes easy, twenty seconds fast, two minutes easy, and so on for four or more sets. Roche’s go-to speed workout involves strides, short bursts of fast running (usually 15 to 30 seconds) with easy running in between (one to two minutes) for close to a full recovery. Speed work doesn’t replace easy runs but should be mixed in one to three times per week, usually during the second half of a run. As you improve your speed, your easy runs will feel just as easy, but you’ll be going faster without realizing it. Introducing speed work will help improve your running economy and overall pace for the same level of perceived exertion. Taper off two weeks before the race by reducing your overall running volume by 10 to 30 percent while maintaining the same volume of intensity, such as speed work. If this is your first half marathon, try to reach at least ten miles on trail as a minimum for your longest training run, and make eight-mile runs routine. Ideally, you want to slightly increase your training volume every week-around one to four miles-with the occasional reduced week for recovery. “The body and brain don’t respond to numbers, they respond to stress.” Easy is as easy feels, not what the watch says. “I think removing metrics of evaluation from your running life is the best thing you can do for your long-term mental health and physical progress,” says Roche. “If you need to recover from the run,” says Roche, “it wasn’t an easy day.” If you’re on trails, at first that might mean running the flats and walking the hills. An easy pace means that you can hold a conversation. What’s important is that you get out regularly.Įasy running is defined by perceived exertion-how you feel in the moment-and not speed. ![]() For the time-crunched athlete, or those who are just starting out, your runs can be as short as ten minutes, or you can alternate between running and walking as needed. If you’re new to distance running, or fresh off the couch from a running hiatus, start with short runs, anywhere from one to three miles, and try to build up to four or five runs per week. With a solid aerobic base, you can begin to handle harder workouts. Easy runs strengthen the musculoskeletal system, stimulate growth in the circulatory system to better supply oxygen and fuel to muscles, and increase the ratio of slow-twitch-to-fast-twitch muscle fibers for endurance, among other adaptations. Professionals and recreationists alike should spend the bulk of their training at an easy pace to bolster their aerobic capacity. The ultimate paradox of running is that you can get faster over time by running slowly. In practice, this is simpler than it sounds. Whether you’re running on a trail or a road, the same basic training principles apply. To progress over the long term, reach your full potential, and stay injury-free, you must first build your aerobic base, then develop your ability to maintain a faster pace for a longer duration, and only then, if you wish to optimize your performance, do you dive into high-intensity training. Roche’s goal for his athletes isn’t just to finish the race-it’s to have fun throughout the entire process, from day one of training all the way through to the finish line. Below he shares his strategies and offers a sample training plan for runners hoping to put in their first 13-miler (give or take a bit) on trail. ![]() ![]() David Roche, a running coach, founder of the popular training program Some Work, All Play, and coauthor of The Happy Runner, has plenty of experience preparing rookie and elite athletes for race day. Completing a trail half marathon is an achievable goal for almost anyone, with a little bit of structured training.
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