Why broken tempo runs might just be your secret weapon
The hedonic run treadmill and is run or bike commuting best for you? Feb 2024
Welcome back, veterans, and a big hello to the rookies joining us. Let's plyo jump in.
TLDR about what’s coming up;
Future stuff | Broken tempo runs & not forgetting why you play the game
Present-day stuff | More is more & which is best; run or bike commuting?
Past things to learn from me | My training updates & other stuff
⏰ Future Stuff To Try | Mental & Physical
Broken Slow Tempo Run (Physical thing)
What Is It
My version of a broken tempo run is a twist on the traditional “tempo run”. It’s where you run what would be a steady slow-tempo run aka between your half marathon and marathon current fitness pace or low zone 3 or 80-85% of max heart rate.
Scientifically - It boosts your cardiovascular efficiency and increases your running speed by improving your body's ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles.
The goal is 20 minutes of total work at a slow tempo pace early in the season and 30-40 minutes of total work later on in the season.
Example Set - 3x7 minutes @ slow tempo pace with 1 minute super easy recovery jog (not walk!). Note - the recovery jog is crucial as we want to not let the heart rate drop too much but also don’t want to jog too fast and have too much lactate in the system for the next interval. This isn’t a high lactate tolerance run, just getting our body used to having lactate in our system and using it as fuel.
NOTE: Try to do this on a track or flat surface to keep efforts consistent and hr steady/low. It’s easy to run too fast and not get the intended benefits of this workout.
Who Is It Best For?
Ideal for intermediate runners who have a solid base of regular running. It's perfect if you're looking to improve your pace and endurance by challenging your heart and muscles in new ways.
I like this as I don’t deal well with tempo runs (my weakest pace and energy system) so this allows me to mentally and physically take a break.
Who Is It Not For?
Not suitable for beginners, people who haven’t run in a while and have no base or those with health concerns. The intensity of fluctuating between high-speed and recovery phases requires a foundational level of fitness and can be too demanding if you're just starting out.
When to do it?
You should be rested and fresh-ish (are we ever 100% fresh?!). The effort is about a 6-7 out of 10.
This version adds in a dash of “faster” efforts early in my training block for anything for almost any distance without zapping me which gets you ready for the faster and longer tempo work later in your training blocks.
It should feel quite easy and is perfect for after a long aerobic base block
How To Do the Workout?
Warm-Up: Start with 10 mins of easy to moderate running and some light plyometrics/form drills and windups for the last 5 mins
Start: First 5 minutes - Start at your high zone 2 heart rate aerobic system (or 10-20 secs per mi/km slower than your marathon pace)
Ease Into it: Next 7 minutes settle into your half marathon/marathon pacing (low zone 3/80-85% of max HR)
Recovery Jog: 1-minute recovery for advanced, 90-sec intermediate, 2 mins for beginners - Slow down into a very slow jog. Don’t walk but also don’t jog too fast
Repeat: 2 more times
Cool Down: Finish with 10 minutes of slow jogging and let your heart rate slowly come down like a ramp to end the last 1-2 minutes of walking.
Advanced Bonus - Do some 3-6 strides for 10-15 seconds uphill if you can.
Future Mental thing to try - Notable Quotable
"Don't get so good at playing a game that you forget why you play the game" - Peter Thiel, contrarian entrepreneur and investor
Ah, the journey of personal growth and self-improvement. We're often bombarded with the message to strive for progress, to become 1% better each day (wait… that’s what I say!) It's like the unofficial motto of the self-help club. But, in the pursuit of mastery, we shant (is that a word?!) lose sight of why we embarked on this adventure in the first place.
Imagine you’re running, sweat dripping, pumping those legs, determined to improve your speed and endurance. But here's the thing: if you forget why you fell in love with running you neglect the daily joy and fulfilment it brings and all your progress becomes an empty void that becomes the “what next” existential crisis I have had more times than I’d like to admit.
Just like going to a networking event for the free snacks and forgetting to mingle - We need to strike a balance between skill development and asking ourselves, “Have things inside or outside of me changed since I started doing this thing?”
As we try to better ourselves each day, don’t forget to occasionally pause and check in with a "Am I playing the right game?" question. Are our efforts aligned with our true passions and purpose? It's like referring to your inner GPS to make sure the blue blinking dot is going the right way.
The balance is gentle and the slope is slippery. Keep pushing yourself, keep honing those skills, but never lose sight of why you play the game.
Feeling this? Why not…
🫀Why Zone 2 is the best HR training zone for longevity and overall health (Present Stuff)
This could be one of the best explanations for the role of slow twitch fibers for sprinting, which as I type sounds like an oxymoron. This demonstrates how getting your lactate levels dialled in can help you use it as fuel during tempo runs.
Spoiler - in high zone 2 you are building up low levels of lactate but lactate is not a bad thing.
What is Zone 2 Training?
It's a type of exercise that involves steady-state cardio at a moderate intensity.
It's often referred to as cardio training (or sometimes fat burning) that builds your aerobic foundation or aerobic base.
It's dreaded by some (because it’s slow in the beginning) but loved by others (who have stuck with it for more than a few months and started to go fast with little effort), and it's all about improving your overall health and fitness.
Why is Zone 2 Training Important?
It has incredible health and fitness benefits that almost everyone (runners, endurance athletes, random people on the street, your grandparents, etc.) should consider.
It strengthens the heart muscle, improving fitness and reducing the risk of cardiovascular conditions.
It promotes the development of new capillaries, increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the muscles.
It improves the efficiency of mitochondria (THE POWERHOUSE OF CELLS!) enhancing overall work capacity.
It helps in processing lactate and improving recovery between bouts of high-intensity exercise.
It’s hard to do/stick with in the beginning because you don’t see immediate effects. You need to have an expectation of delayed gratification with this, but it does work.
How To Do Zone 2 Training?
Find your Zone 2 intensity by using the talk test: you should be able to maintain a conversation while exercising.
Alternatively, you can use heart rate zones, aiming for 60-75% of your maximum heart rate.
Stay within Zone 2 throughout your exercise session, avoiding bouncing between different training intensities unless prescribed by a coach or a training plan for a specific reason (See broken tempo workout below)
Start with the talk test and gradually incorporate heart rate monitoring or lactate testing for better precision (pro-level advanced stuff)
Remember, Zone 2 training doesn't have to be complicated or expensive; find what works best for you and enjoy the benefits it brings to your fitness and health.
How to stop overtraining and instead find the sweet spot in your running
The hedonic treadmill in its most purest, ironic form.
If I told you that less is more, you would probably believe me, right? Unfortunately, most people’s brains think more is more. It just makes sense. The more you work the more returns you get out.
What Is It
Believing more effort equals better results is a trap. It's about working smarter, not harder. The 80/20 Pareto principle applied to your training and life.
Why It's Crucial
Understanding this might save you from burnout and set you up for real, lasting success.
How To Do It
Mix smart strategy with proper effort: focus on what moves the needle, then take a step back to recover.
Learn more here.
Three reasons why run commuting is better than bicycle commuting
Transform your boring, daily commute by embracing the fitness-forward approach of run commuting. If you’re a runner looking to get smarter, faster, and better, this method will revamp your routine, making every step a leap towards a healthier, doper version of yourself.
What Is It
"Imagine turning your snooze-worthy commute into an epic adventure, where every step or pedal propels you towards being a fitter, sharper version of yourself—that's run or bike commuting for you."
Why It's Important
"It's not just about dodging traffic or saving the planet one less car at a time; it's about reclaiming wasted hours, supercharging your fitness, and arriving at work already in beast mode."
How To Do It
Stop with the 'I can't because...' mindset, gear up with some basic prep (like a pack of wet wipes for runners or a backpack for cyclists), and transform your daily slog into a fitness sparkle bomb that leaves you energized, not exhausted.
Learn more here.
🏋🏽♀️Past Stuff: Training Updates & Stuff To Make You A Better Human
Present Day Training Updates
If you haven’t been following me on my Instagram stories (gasp, you don’t watch all of my IG stories… jokes) I’ve jumped into a whole new way of lifting and weight training. I’m focusing on lifting with power and speed. No, not powerlifting competitions (like one rep maxes for squats, bench, etc.)
It’s more like lifting weights as fast as possible with the most amount of force (in a controlled manner with good form) to mimic running and in particular sprinting up a steep hill - that kind of power.
Ironically, I’m running 50% less per week than what I normally do during ths part of the year (I’m taking this year off of racing) but I’m feeling just as fit as I usually do confirmed by tests and I love it. I’m supplementing the running with lifting in this way and cross-training. It’s been really fun and whenever I want to do an “easy 20 min” run around the neighbourhood, I just grab some weights and lift fast or do some stair sprints - loving it.
Lifting with power and speed has been a game changer and I’m improving this thing called anaerobic speed reserve which I’ll do a very fun/cool deep dive on in the very near future.
Last thing - 10 Things Beginner, Intermediate and even advanced runners need to stop doing (a reminder to myself)
And…
… for February 2024
PPS - If you thought one-minute-long planks felt like an eternity… watch this.