Shoe Review: Saucony Pro2 vs Speed 2
Pro 2 or Speed 2? Which one would best fit your running style? And if you can't make a choice...
If you want to build speed into your long runs, interval sets are the way to go. They are honest, hard work, and a lot of fun if you do them together with a running buddy or with a track team.
During the interval repetitions of the set, you will be pushing past your threshold pace and run at a higher speed & cadence than you usually do in order to let the body get used to this ‘overspeed’. The leg strength, turn-over, and speed in the shorter interval sets will spill over into your long-distance runs. Add an interval set into your weekly running routine and you will soon find that your long runs will be faster because of it.
If you are going to take on the challenge and add a track session into your routine, here is one of my favorite interval sets for building speed into your long run. It combines the speed set with some speed endurance running so you get a real kick out of this one!
Interval Set #2: Mix It Up!
Follow this link for the video explanation of the Mix it up! interval set
The Mix It Up interval set is one of the best ways to see how you can actively recover from a surge or a temporary harder than race pace effort in your race. Your longer reps are at a pace that is sustainable for a 10k race and your short 400m bursts are nearer to your maximum speed for the 400. Stick with it, this is not easy but the benefits are huge!
Warm-up:
Jog or light run (HR below 130) for 1600m/1 mile. Include 4 strides in your warm-up. Strides are short bursts of faster running (typically 60 to 100m) in which you get progressively faster. You start slow and build throughout the stride, finishing each stride almost at your fastest speed.
Drill set:
After the warm-up, take 8 minutes to go through the following set of leg activation drills.
Main set:
You are now about to start your Mix It Up interval set. Choose your level of fitness and try to complete the whole set at the same pace. Having little to no drop between the first rep of the set and the last one means you have the endurance to handle this pace in a long-distance race.
Getting started
Whether you are an emerging runner, an aspiring marathon runner or shooting for a personal best as an experienced marathoner, the Effortless Running training plans are customized to the athletes' individual needs. If you want to make sure your running adventure becomes a success, start with the right guidance. Find out which package or plan fits you best with our survey in the training plan section.
Happy training!
Erik Böhm - Effortless Running - January 2022
Pro 2 or Speed 2? Which one would best fit your running style? And if you can't make a choice...
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