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Tip: Summer Training Should Be Aerobic - NikeRunning.comPublished by
Summer is a time where many runners have more time to train...or at least more daylight to train. Theoretically that means it would be a good time for track workouts or other race pace specific workouts because you have more daylight to work with. But if you're in high school and preparing for cross-country, or you're preparing for a fall marathon you'll be better served by keeping the training aerobic. Why? Because you can develop your aerobic metabolism, your aerobic engine, indefinitely; conversely, the anaerobic metabolism, the metabolism you stress when you do a set of 400m repeats on the track, has a point of diminishing returns. Not to say there isn't a place for 400m repeats in virtually all training, 5k through marathon, but in the summer, a weekly long run and threshold running should the focus of the training as those workouts develop your aerobic metabolism. You'll have plenty of time in the months of September and October to do challenging repeats...and you'll run those workouts fast if you spend the time in the summer building your aerobic fitness. So if you want to run fast in the fall, keep the majority of your summer training focused on aerobic workouts.
Interested in Coach Jay's General Strength Videos and other training tips? Check out the NikeRunning.com Training blog. And don't forget, if you have a training question for Coach Jay, email him here:[email protected]. |