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RuntoTrackShack.com10Whenwebeginrunningweexperiencedramaticphysicalimprovements.Withinarelativelyshortperiodoftimeweareabletorunfasterandlongerloseweightandfeelgreat.Successcomeseasily.Wefollowatrainingplanrunseveraldaysaweeksamepacesametimesameplace.Butthenonedayallofasuddenitdoesntseemtoworkanymore.Improvementsattenout.Wedontgetfasterwecantrunlongerafewpoundscreepbackonandourenthusiasmdwindles.WelcometothedreadedtrainingplateauThegoodnewsisthatyouhavehitatrainingplateauandthebadnewsisthatyouhavehitatrainingplateau.GoodnewsbecauseitmeansyourtrainingplanworkedWhentnessgainsleveloutitssimplyanindicationthattheexistingroutineisnolongerchallengingenoughtostimulatefurtherphysicalchanges.CongratulationsYourbodyhasmetthebarthatyouset.Badnewsbecauseifyouwishtocontinueimprovingitmeansyouneedtochangeyourroutineanduptheante.Oncethebodyhasadaptedtothetrainingloadwereachaplateau.Ifimprovementisstilldesiredatrainingplandesignedtostimulatethebodyatthisnewtnesslevelisrequiredandwebeginadaptingagaintoachieveanevenhigherleveloftness.Understandingthetrainingprocesshelpsoneappreciatetheplateau.Thephysicalexertionorphysicalstressofrunningtriggersacascadeofphysiologicalresponsesatthecellularlevelaffectingallofthebodyssystems.Oncestimulatedtheadaptationprocesstomeetthedemandsofthisnewstressbeginsandcontinuesuntilthedemandismet.Someoftheseadaptationstake4to6weekswhileothersmaytake4to6months.Asadaptationsoccurthebodyisbetterandbetterequippedtohandletrainingandrunningbecomeseasier.Trainingplansincorporatefrequencyintensityanddurationtoelicitspecicphysiologicalresponses.Fromtheeliterunnertothenoviceallplansincorporatethesesamethreetnesscomponents.Howwemanipulatethemisthekeytoasuccessfultrainingplan.Frequencyreferstohowoftenorhowmanydaysaweektorunintensityreferstothepaceoftherunorthelevelofdifcultyanddurationreferstothelengthoftherunwhethermeasuredbytimeormiles.TrainingincreasesareappliedingradualincrementsalsoknownasProgressiveOverload.ProgressiveOverloadmeansthephysicalloadoftraininggraduallyincreasesovertimeinacontrolledmanner.Astrainingphysicallystressesthebodyitrespondsbybecomingstronger.Theamountofappliedoverloadmustbejustrighttoomuchandwebreakdownnotenoughandnophysicalresponseiselicited.Itsabitlikeourfeetdevelopingcallusesorblisters.Toomuchoverloadandwedevelopblistersoraninjurytherightamountofoverloadandwedevelopcallusesorstrength.Thephysiologicalresponsesandsubsequentadaptationsthatoccurwithtrainingaremanyandarequiteimpressive.Thecardio-respiratorysystemrespondsquicklytoconsistenttrainingbyincreasingitsstrokevolume.Thismeanstheheartpumpsoutmorebloodwitheverybeatwhichallowsmoreoxygentoreachexercisingmuscles.HavingmoreoxygenavailableallowsustorunfasterandTrainingPlateauGoodNewsBadNewslongeratlowerheartrates.CoronarybloodsupplyisalsoincreasedwhichreducestheriskofheartattackandlowersRestingHeartRate.Bloodpressureisloweredwhichreducestheriskofstroke.Lungventilationimprovesrespiratorymusclesarestrengthenedandpulmonarybloodsupplyisincreasedmakingbreathingeasierandmoreproductive.Thecirculatorysystemincreasesthenumberandthesizeofbloodcapillarybedsperunitareaofmuscle.Capillarybedsfurnishmuchneededoxygentoexercisingmuscles.Bloodvolumeisincreasedthroughcomplexhormonalchangeswhichthenincreasesthenumberofredbloodcellsandredbloodcellsincreasethedeliveryofoxygen.Themuscularsystemincreasesmuscularendurancebyincreasingthenumberofmitochondriawithincells.Mitochondriaareknownasthepowerhouseofthecellbecausetheirfunctionistoconvertfuelorglycogentoenergyformusclecontraction.Themoremitochondriathemoreoxygenavailableandthelongerwecanrun.Theskeletalsystemisstrengthenedasbonesbecomestrongerfrombearingthebodysweightwhilerunning.Evenourmentalhealthisimpacted.Studiesshowthatrunningcanimprovementalalertnessstresstoleranceandtheabilitytorelaxandsleep.Itcanalsohelpreducedepressionandanxiety.AndyoujustthoughtyouweregoingoutforalittlerunWhoknewrunningcoulddosomuchIfyouhavereachedaplateaureviewthethreetnesscomponentsofyourtrainingplanandbeginbymanipulatingonevariableatatime.AreyoureadytoaddanotherdayortwoofrunningThenconsiderincreasingthefrequencycomponentbyaddinganotherrunday.Keepmileageincreasestowithin10-20ofyourweeklyvolumethoughtoavoidtoomuchoverloadtooquickly.Oryoumaydecideyouneedtoincreaseintensity.Thisisagreatoptionifyoudonthavemoretimetoinvestinyourtrainingifyouenjoyracingorifyoutendtotrainatthesamepacemostofthetime.Increaseintensitybyaddingaspeeddayorahillrunintoyourweeklyroutine.Hillsnaturallyincreasetheintensityofarun.Ifyoupreferlongerrunsincreasethedurationcomponentbyaddingsomemilestoyourweeklylongrunjusthowlongdependsuponyourrunninggoals.Forexamplewhentrainingfor5ks10ksgraduallybuildupto10milesforalongrun.IftrainingforaHalfMarathonbuildalongrunupto14or16milesthreetofourweeksbeforearace.Whenmarathontrainingitsusuallynotadvisabletogobeyond26.2milessoinsteadbuildto22or24milesasyourlongestrunandthenincludeseveral14to18milerunsduringthetrainingcycle.Keepalogtotrackyourtrainingandthechangesyoumakesoyoucancontinueadjustingandnetuningyourtrainingasneeded.Nexttimeyouhitaplateauremembertocongratulateyourselfratherthanberateyourrunning.Nexttakestockofyourtrainingplanandredeneyourgoals.Figureoutwhereyouwishtogofromhereandthatwillhelpyoudecidewhichcomponentstochange.FormoreinformationonTrackShackTrainingProgramsincludingspecictimesandlocationsortoregistervisitTrackShack.comFitnessItipsandtechniqueBySusanS.PaulMSTSFTrainingProgramDirector