The need for speed

Many coaches have made known the perils of long slow distance running when it comes to the development of top end speed. Alex Maroko, a specialist in developing ‘game speed’, has gone as far as to say that the one mainstay to avoid with speed based athletes is long distance running.

But what about the other way round? Do middle and long distance runners need to work on the development of maximum speed? If so, should the methods used to develop this quality be the same for endurance athletes and power athletes alike?

Yes and Yes. Even though an endurance athlete will not attain their top speed during their competitive event, all things being equal, the athlete who can run the fastest (over, say, 60 metres) will win.

Of course, all things never are equal! But it doesn’t change the fact that devoting some time to the development of maximum speed will be incredibly beneficial – regardless of your racing distance.

So why is maximum speed so important for the endurance athlete?

Well there are two main reasons.

1) Sprint finish.

How many championship races over 5,000m or 10,000m have you seen that have boiled down to a huge burn up over the final few hundred metres? I know, for me, the answer is A LOT! So what use is it being able to stay with the pace for the first 24 laps of a 10k track race if everyone is going to come tearing past you on the 25th lap? That must be pretty demoralising, huh?

Maximum speed training can directly translate into improved sprint finish ability, especially in tactical race situations.

2) Speed Reserve

Okay, okay. I know. You couldn’t care less about that sprint finish malarkey right? For you it’s all about your personal best. You against the clock. This requires even paced running, right?

Well, I’ve got news for you. Improving your maximum sprinting speed will directly translate to an improved ability to sustain fast (but submaximal) running speeds for prolonged periods of time.

Why?

It’s quite simple really. The concept of speed reserve is that the greater the difference between your maximum speed and any given submaximal speed, the greater the duration for which that submaximal speed can be maintained.

Increasing the duration for which a given speed can be maintained does not always directly translate to improved performance in time trial scenarios. But it will allow greater exposure to key training paces, which in turn will result in superior physiological adaptation, which in turn will result in an improved ability to race against the clock.

So whether you are racing for times or positions, be sure to include some maximum speed training in your programme.

Tim Egerton
sprintstrong.com

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CONSULTANCY - TIM EGERTON HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING SERVICES