Page 184 - Moonvalley Diaries

Interval training
S eptember inspires us to pursue our training
training
in in in in in in a a a a a a more structured way This is is when we might start training
training
with a a a a a a a a a club or or a a a a a a a a a a a group group of runners or or friends again Interval training
in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a group group is particularly fun and and makes it a a a a a a a a a a a a a lot more likely that the in- terval workouts will happen and and go well than if you run alone Interval training
is a a a a a a a a very effective way to improve your oxygen uptake capacity Keep in in in in in mind that it it is important to build a a a a a a a a foun- dation before introducing intervals other- wise you you you run the the the risk that the the the strain on on your body will be be too too great As a a a a a a beginner you you you shouldn’t make things too too complicated Stick to to the the the easy stuff: just lace up your shoes walk out the the the door and run run run as as as as as fast or or or as as as as as slow as as as as as the the the spirit moves you you Simply running running or or or or running running more often will make you you better Once running has become an an established routine and and you have built up good baseline fitness with strong joints bones and and mus- cles it’s time to to incorporate intervals into your your running regime If you you you you feel that that your your development has stalled and that that you you you you mostly run the the same same route at at at the the same same speed every time you you will quickly notice that intervals make you you better Different types of interval training
There are several different ways to run inter- vals: timed intervals a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a certain certain distance or at at a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a certain certain heart rate It’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a good idea to to switch between long and and short intervals and and to to vary intensity I also believe that different different types types of intervals suit different different personality types types If you find it it it it easy to to compete while work- ing
out and often run too hard it it can be a a a a a a a good idea to to to do longer intervals or or or thresh- old workouts where you you monitor your heart heart rate rate and try to to to stay inside certain heart heart rate rate ranges By the same token it’s ac- tually a a a a a a a a a a a a a a good idea for slightly lazier run- ners to to use their heart rate as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a yardstick as as as it’s easy to to to check if you have put in enough effort to to reach the target heart heart rate Remem- ber that if you you are feeling very worn out heart heart heart rate rate training
can be be be misleading as your your heart heart rate rate will be be low even though your your legs feel tired Running set distances such as 400 m m or 1 000 m m intervals is is a a a a a a a a a a a a good idea if you you really want to gauge and and check your status as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a run- ner because these intervals are exact and and you you you can clock your performance On the the other hand if you you you find it annoying to measure your performance and and get a a a a a a time september in moonvalley
“Interval training
is a a a a a a a very effective way to improve your oxygen uptake capacity 184