A detailed look at the Run for Athletes

A detailed look at the Run for Athletes

by Emma Carney (AUS) -
Number of replies: 0

Dear Athletes,

This week we are going to take a look at the run. Hopefully you have identified your own strengths and weaknesses and are able to put the last few weeks of emails to good use in planning your racing coming up.

You will recall from previous emails, it is possible to develop your race IQ so you can grab cheap time gains, just by racing better and smarter. Two weeks ago we looked at the swim, last week the bike and this week the run.

Just as a reminder, this series of emails is not around a specific race, instead around as many scenarios as I can cover that you will find in races.  If you think of others, please comment in the forum and we can discuss them.

In considering the run, we are looking at 3 types of athletes –

  1. Athlete A will be a strong athlete in that discipline.  
  2. Athlete B will be an athlete who has a weakness in that discipline
  3. Athlete C will be an athlete who is young or inexperienced in that discipline

As previously pointed out, it is important to note that when testing each discipline specifically, athlete A on the run may not be Athlete A in the swim or the bike. We are not considering the same athlete in each discipline, rather we are considering the same advantages/disadvantages athletes may possess in each discipline.

For the purpose of this email, we will assume athletes have been suitably tested (refer email 17 march).

As had been the case in both the swim and bike discipline, there is a KEY MESSAGE - In every discipline there are key skills EVERY athlete must develop and training sessions that must include certain skill developments. These are –

  • Practice Running Fast

When training for the run it is important to remember when speed is the key to running fast, an athlete should never stray too far from speed in training.

While the run leg may be the last discipline raced in triathlon, it is very beneficial to train run speed sessions while fresh in training, so you develop the skill, ability and technique to run fast. Running fast in races requires fast running in training, and against popular belief, continuous practice in training of tired running off the bike is not going to constructively develop fast running – in fact it will hinder it.

  • Train like a middle distance runner

The best run training program for an olympic distance triathlete is one designed off the similar program requirements of the key speed sessions for a middle distance runner (800m, 1500m events). While the run leg of triathlon is traditionally classified as a run ‘distance’ event, the training plan a triathlete is better off adopting is that of a middle distance runner. Triathlon run training does not require the volume of long distance run training, due to the carry over training volumes of the swim and bike. Run quality is key to consistently fast triathlon run racing.

There are two main reasons for this –

  1. Triathlon training Volume – given elite, world class triathletes are required to train 2-3 times a day, if a distance run program was followed, there would be too much emphasis on volume and endurance. Triathletes need to be capable of running fast 5 & 10km run times and shorter, faster run programming will develop this skill better. 
  2. Swim and Bike negatively impact run speed – to run fast you need to be ‘light’ on your feet, spend as little time on the ground as possible and have a fast, cadence. Both the swim and the bike negatively impact a triathletes ability to do this. If on top of the negative effect of the swim and bike, a triathlete was to also adopt more endurance this negative impact on running speed would be increased further.
  • Use training environments to improve your running skill

A triathlon run is traditionally on a road surface. This doesn’t mean all your training needs to be on a road surface to run well. Take the time to run in trails and uneven surfaces so you develop your running skill and learn to land lightly on your feet. Along with varying training surfaces and environments, it is also important to vary training environments so you develop the skills to race up and down inclines, run fast through tight turns and know how to run with both a strong headwind and tail wind.

As is also the case with the bike discipline, you will run a course more efficiently if you have a good understanding of the different courses you may be exposed to in racing.

The same environmental factors will make an impact on a run, as with the bike. Learning to run well on hills – both uphill and downhill, running through corners fast and running efficiently with and against the wind are vital to running fast. Understanding and coping with pace change are also vital.

  • Remain mentally focussed on the run

While the run is such an important part of the back end of a triathlon event, a run specialist must be able to focus throughout the run, and remain positive, especially if chasing non run specialists. It is a common tactic in triathlon to run out of T2 very fast, so as to demoralise anyone who is trying to chase or hang on to the running pace. Athletes should be coached to be diligent with the efficiency of their T2, but also remain aware that the hot pace run exiting T2 will usually slow as athletes settle into their natural race pace.

  • Know your own strengths and weaknesses.  

To run well off the bike you need to know – and have the confidence to use – your own strengths. You also need to know when you are most vulnerable. Hopefully your training will have removed (or minimised) a large portion of your vulnerability to your competition, but you must need to know when and where to turn the run to your advantage. In contrast to this, you also need to know your competitors strengths and weaknesses…to use as your advantage.

  • Know the Course.  

Every time you step onto a race course you must have a race plan, and know the areas of the course you can use to get advantages over your competitors. This is closely related to ‘knowing your own strengths and weaknesses’ above.

With all of the above, how do you also use a course to your advantage?

  • Use transition (T2) to set up your run. Don’t panic. Be well practiced in your transition bike to run procedure and have an expectation of the discomfort the run leg will bring. A run in triathlon is not easy so mentally prepare yourself for this. If you are an A athlete, you may find the swim specialists hit the run fast out of transition, because they will try to break you mentally with a gap off the bike. Strong runners should aim to negatively split the run so they build to a fast finish. Younger athletes will find the run tough, due to a younger racing age, a younger body and less experience and training volume that can be carried into the final leg of the triathlon. Younger athletes must remain focussed on where they are at in their development and do as much as they can to remain with the leaders.  
  • Know the pace required to win. Know what time splits are required for you to either run your competitors down or what is required to stay in front. Know what you are currently holding. Learn to calculate the numbers in your head when you are racing. This takes a lot of practice, but is very useful when mastered. If you are struggling through a section of the run, focus on what others are doing around you. If they are running past, increase your leg speed to match theirs and focus on maintaining that speed. During the tough stages of the run, your strength of mind is vital. Bad patches come and go, and only a strong mind will endure them well.
  • Learn to run turns well. Turns, particularly u-turns on out and back courses will break up your stride. Practicing pace changes in training will develop your efficiency at these types of turns. As is the case with cycling – know what type of line to take with these turns so you run them efficiently.
  • Learn how to run uphill. Running uphill better than your competitors is always an advantage. Generally, your stride length should drop, your lean forward is slightly greater and your arms should help your knee drive up the hill. Your training program should prepare you for this with regular undulating runs, specific plyometrics for glute strength and some tough cross country run racing.
  • Learn how to run downhill. Most consider running uphill hard. In reality, running downhill is very poorly executed. To run downhill well you must remain light on your feet, increase your leg speed and allow the downhill inertia to increase your speed. Downhill running requires running efficiency, and leg speed. Again, the run skills developed when training speed.
  • Know the key areas of the race. When looking over a run course, you must always look closely at the transition flows, areas the course becomes narrow – and areas of possible slowing down/speeding up – and the finish approach and chute. You must know which side of the road gives you the shortest line throughout the run and you must also remain running on the line than gives you the fastest lines into the finish approach. Simply running a course efficiently is vital.

Running is a tough sport. It is also a simple sport. It is you vs the world. You need to spend as little time as possible on the ground in order to move fast, so speed and technique are vital. If you can also race the course well you will gain advantages along the way. These will all add up to a faster run split, which is vital if you are to finish well in Triathlon.

Next week we will look at the importance of transitions to racing well.

Emma


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