Fall brings many major running events: the start of high school and collegiate cross country, as well as the start of the major marathon season. Most running injuries happen within the first few weeks of the season, typically about 4 to 6 weeks after training error. While learning how to ramp up running training, consider the three Cs.
Consistency in How to Ramp Up Running Training
Consistency is two-fold. Showing up to train is step one. Showing up READY to train is step two. In a study by Raysmith, et al, researchers analyzed the training availability of international track and field athletes over a 5-year period and the connection to their performance goals. Training availability means the athlete’s readiness to train and ability to complete their workouts. The study found that athletes who “completed > 80% of their planned training weeks had a seven times increased likelihood of achieving their performance goals.” “Training availability also accounted for 86% of successful seasons” and the “majority of new injuries (30%) occurred within the first month of preparation season”. Combining consistency with availability to train is paramount towards success in completing your running goals. Most runners are diligent about their training plans but not always available to train. Mistakes in training load, recovery, nutrition and sleep can often lead to this decreased availability when athletes learn how to ramp up running training. So how to prevent this? Our next two Cs …
To accomplish correct loading, a runner should build fitness in three steps. First is frequency, then volume and finally speed. It is better to run 5x/week at shorter intervals than 3x/week at longer intervals. An adult athlete may benefit from spacing their running days out among a 7-day week. This can be harder to accomplish in a school setting where practice runs Monday to Friday. Once athlet
es have established their running frequency, they can begin to build their volume. This will look different for athletes with different levels of experience and training history. A typical recommendation is to increase weekly volume by 10% a week with a “deload” week every 4 weeks.
However this again is variable to the individual. The focus should be more on movement minutes rather than miles. The last step is for an athlete to incorporate speed into their training. This includes interval, tempo and threshold runs. Mastering correct loading requires patience and diligence. It is very tempting to increase these steps too quickly or skip steps while learning how to ramp up running training. This leads us to our final C.
Control
The most common mistake that runners of all levels make is running their “easy runs” too fast. Easy runs should account for more than 80% of an athlete’s volume and hard efforts should be incorporated less than 20% of the time. Injuries occur in running when an athlete performs too many “moderately hard” efforts. This is key in learning how to ramp up running training. Two ways to test if your run is truly easy is using the Talk Test or Nasal Breathing. With the Talk Test, an athlete should be able to talk in complete sentences with minimal effort. In Nasal Breathing, the athletes should be able to breathe only through their nose with their mouth closed. If you are unable to do one or either of these while running, your run is probably too hard and you should slow down. This can be hard on a runner’s ego and psyche about their current fitness. However, remember from the study above that athletes who were truly consistent and available to train were most likely to complete their performance goals. And yes, you can still title your Strava “Easy Run” or “Recovery Day” to let the greater running community know that you CAN run faster.
Closing Thoughts “The Bonus C” in How to Ramp Up Running Training
Mastering consistency, correct loading and control takes diligence and time. Learning to listen to your body’s cues is a skill that even elite runners can ignore. External factors such as sleep, nutrition, stress and your environment all factor into the equation. If you feel you need a little help, Agile Physical Therapy offers individual running assessments with our highly trained running physical therapists to help you learn how to ramp up running training. We also offer group assessments for teams looking for a quick screen. There is no better feeling than running healthy, so master your Cs to get an A on your goals.
