Running

Coach, Im in the Military, I'm getting old and my speed is dropping fast, mabey you can help.

Here is my workout

I have been running for years but a few months ago I change diet and workout to get faster.

I run every other day, It usually consist of a three to five mile run. I just moved to a new area that is filled with rolling hills, so the runs are pretty intense.

If I run for 30 minutes, I then get on an elipical machine, Norditrack or some other machine that is low impact for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Once a week I go to a track and sprint 6-8 laps of 440's, or I do interval training on a run if I cant get to the track.

On the off days I do a low impact cardio workout for at least 30 minutes.

One day a week I rest and recover.

I get up in the morning and have a bowl of cereal, a meal replacement, a few hours later I have a Banana, an energy bar (many brands) lunch is light, mabey a sandwich, another energy bar a few hours later, a meal replacement or light high protien dinner. And of course some protien drinks in there.

I have dropped my weight training down so I can lose weight, I was lifting heavy and carried alot of muscle.

In the last 6 weeks I have dropped 13 pounds and my speed is improving. But I need to knock another minute off my 2 mile run time.

Any suggestions?

Suggestions? Not until you meet diminish returns on your current attack. "Don't fix what ain't broke."

However, here are a few regardless:

Change your gait, not your circumstances in order to lower the impact. Forget the gerbil wheels. Stay outside and continue your run. You'll find that you'll be able to go faster than in the "iron coffin."

Quit the meal replacement and protien stuff, and eat whole organic foods. Drink water with lemon (homebrew) rather than water.

Finally, if your highest priority is to gain speed, then run faster (at the speed you want and faster), less often. If your highest priority is to lose weight then run father more often with bursts of speed (that you want or faster).

Stop the "I'm getting old" shtick. You're becoming more efficient if you choose to, though you can RESIST becoming more efficient by adopting the "I'm too old" mentality.

Coach Sonnon

I'm looking at a weighted vest for running to increase my stanima, what do you think of them?

Are you training for explosion, speed, endurance or weight loss? You need to define before you can decide on your protocol?

If it doesn't matter (if you're just experimenting), then you can virtually do anything (and determine the veracity of a protocol without coaching guidance).

The main goal is to drop one minute off the 2 mile run, I work on my gait as I have suffered in the past from a short one. I found when I do the sprints on the track my speed goes up. But its maintaining the speed that is the problem.

The first half of my run seems fine, the second half I need to maintain the speed.

I work distance to help build endurance, and the hills help. When I come down them I am extending my gait to train myself to keep it wide. The hills are long and not so steep that I am fighting for control of my speed.

The reason I work the machines after a run is to help build the endurance. AS soon as I end a run I am walking into a building to get on a machine for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Weight loss helps because its less I have to drag around.

But Speed is the big concern. I need to make a good time and sustain it through the entire run.

DK,

Reverse your protocol. Take it easy on the first half and push the second half. You'll see what happens as a result when you do this.

If you need speed on the track, run on the track. Hill running and sprints change the dynamic. Keep focused.

Running with a weight vest does not make you run faster without one. It only tortures your lower back, hips, knees and ankles... Did you find you walked faster after you rucked 30 klicks for 16 weeks?

Focus on increasing the efficiency of your gait. Focus on synergizing your exhalation with foot strike. Focus on maximizing your stride by ROLLING the entire surface of your foot rather than hitting heel pad then ball of foot pad.

Graduate your speed so that you cross the line going your fastest when you complete the 2m. Running is a skill and specific to your goal.

Forget about all the ancillary distractions like weight loss, weight bearing, sprints, hills, machines, etc.

Coach Sonnon

Thanks, Ill give it a shot.

ttt