SPEED – PURE (MAXIMUM) SPRINT 3-05-2020 The term ‘s peed ’ in running can mean different things and that depends on the context. Building on my previous overview, here are my explanations and advice on for top speed work for middle distance runners. By why do we need speed?....Ans: 1. Outsprint others at the finish ! 2. The faster we are run over 100m/200m helps running faster over 400m/800m/1500m. To run 4mins23s (70s per lap) for 1500m requires an 800m pb around 2:10 (65s per lap), that requires a 400m sub 60sec, that requires a 200m pb sub 28s (100m in 14s). If the 200m pb was improved to 27sec, then 400m improves to 58sec, thus 800m to 2:08 and 1500m to 4:19. The difference between our speed for target race and our top speed is lately referred to as our speed reserve If we take someone trying to break 9mins for 3k, with 1500m pb of say 4:27, then this simply will not happen! They have virtually nil speed reserve . They can improve endurance, but they simply will not break 9mins until their 1500m is nearer 4:15. Get that 1500m even lower, and chances of breaking 9mins get better. More pure speed helps, but more so speed endurance helps too (that I’ll cover in the next speed snippet). I may be ‘splitting hairs’ on separating pure speed and average sprint speed as there are only subtle differences to the middle distance runner. 1. Pure speed relates to maximum speed we can run (i.e. SPRINT!), flat out when fresh, usually for no more that about 30-40m for mere mortals. This at (or very close to) our maximum speed once we’ve taken 30m or so to build up to that speed. To develop and practice this in a session would be something like: 3 to 4 flying 30s (30metres) where we accelerate for 30m, hold max speed sprinting for 30m (V FAST but RELAXED), then easy off by relaxing (and not putting breaks on). Never into a headwind or when achy/tired. For absolute top speed, we take 8- 10mins between each! (for near full recovery as per sprinters), but in middle distance, and needing to cover more training areas in a 7-10-14day cycle, we may compromise this recovery to less time. An alternative to provide an over-speed stimulus is to do the same flying 30s on a slightly downhill (good) surface. The effect is to potentially enable you to run even faster and train yourself to co-ordinate movements at this faster speed. Pure or maximum speed is VERY TAXING on the central nervous system (CNS). Even just a handful of short flat-out sprints will leave your CNS flat and a generally heavy feeling for 2-4 days. But that is not a reason for not doing it. Just allow for it the following days, which are best geared towards easy/steady runs and/or long aerobic reps. Endurance work can easily follow and complement speed work, but fast speed work after hard-ish endurance work is risky. Always be fresh and well warmed up (including dynamic drills) before any pure speed work. Weather should be favourable too. Cold and wet weather makes this risky. Better to leave it to a drier/warmer day ....... A micro-dose of pure speed work is fine just before a high quality track session, so long as you factor in the overall load. 2. Sprint race speed = average speed to run a flat out 100m – 200m when fresh. Just to point out that in say a 100m sprint, we go from zero speed at the start (from blocks) and take 30m+ to get to top speed. Nobody actually runs max speed for the whole 100m, and even the 2 nd 100m of a 200m is not at maximum speed (to attempt this will cause a big tie-up!). Our average speed across the race is less than our maximum sprint speed. In this range of training we are in the realms of ATP-CP and not in the anaerobic (glycolysis) system so long as recovery is near complete. The big stimulus is that we are working at maximum muscle/tendon force and limb speed in running terms . Force on the ground in max speed sprinting produces similar forces to intense plyometric sessions. I’ll delve more into speed endurance in the next speed snippet ... Francis Twitter: @fmarsh_marsh1