We look at the difference between a performance runner and a recreational runner. What sort of runner are you and does it make a difference to the type of training you need to do?
In episode 11 we talked about what makes a performance runner. We suggested that the seven mile mark in a half marathon race was the boundary between recreational runners and performance runners. At this point performance runners are ready to push on with their race. Recreational runners are more concerned with just getting to the finish line. Generally the performance runner is an experienced runner and racer.
What training is best for a recreational runner?
For recreational runners training two or three times a week, Chatty Sparkly running is all that is needed. You will get the most benefit from this approach as it causes all the adaptions you need to become a faster runner.
What is the best training for a performance athlete?
If you are a performance athlete you will have been running for two years or more. You will also be including a long run of two and a half hours in your week. You will be training at least four times a week if not more. This means that you will be doing a substantial volume of easy Chatty running. This is essential, as it helps you recover from the harder training you will be doing when you are ready for it.
Effects of hard training on the runner
If you are going to be doing harder training sessions, your body needs to be strong enough to cope and recover from it in a couple of days. With a strong heart and plenty of mitochondria, a performance runner will be best placed to benefit from this type of training. A recreational runner will benefit less from harder training. This is because running two to three times a week will not cause the adaptions needed for quick recovery. It could take a recreational runner a whole week to recover from a hard session. This then has an impact on the amount of beneficial Chatty running they can do.
Choose the training that will help you make progress.
If you are a recreational runner then there is no need to add harder sessions to your week. As long as you are improving keep running Chatty. Increasing the amount of Chatty running you do will improve your Chatty pace and your race pace. The long run is crucial. Build it up to at least one and a half hours or even up to two hours to gain the maximum benefits.
Choosing harder sessions
A performance runner only needs to add harder sessions to their week when the time is right, leading up to a key race. Harder sessions, often called interval training are just the icing on the cake. We discuss this in detail here. There is no need to do these sessions every week and all year round. Knowing when to move on to the next phase of training is key for performance athletes. Only when you stop improving it is time to add another stimulus.
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