As the name implies ‘alternations’ is a workout that consists of alternating between two or more paces or intensity levels as part of a continuous running session. Specifically, alternations consist of a faster segment followed by a slightly slower segment. Alternations differ from ‘intervals’ or ‘repetitions’ because there is no ‘recovery intervals’ in between ‘hard…
Tag Archives: Anaerobic
Middle-distance intervals
I feared for participation in tonight’s workout with so a dire weather forecast and the slight wane of enthusiasm that late Autumn seems to bring. The marathon is completed for many, the IMRA season had its last big hooray at Powerscourt and it is mainly cross-country fanatics that are keeping the running show on the…
Steady state – what it means
Steady state is a term coined by Arthur Lydiard to describe faster intensities of aerobic running, the point being that while running at this intensity your effort is “steady” rather than “easy” or “hard”. More importantly, running at your steady state pace allows you to decide whether you want to speed up or slow down.…
Time trial
Time trials are one of the most important, and one of the most misunderstood, components of your final preparations towards peak race day. They are not workouts to determine how fast you can run a given distance: their purpose is to combine and coordinate the speed and stamina you have attained in previous phases of…
Progress calibration run (threshold/tempo run)
During the hill (dynamic strength) and anaerobic phases onwards your fastest continuous run shifts from the “out and back” workout to “progress calibration runs”. These runs take you closer to your maximal steady state (and just beyond) and help you transition into faster test races and time trials in the later phases of training where your…
Windsprints (sharpeners)
Windsprints are shorter anaerobic interval sessions introduced when it is still necessary to do some anaerobic training but advisable to drop the volume and increase the intensity. They are used for sharpening and becoming accustomed to changes in pace in racing. “If you run 20×400 metres, you will be at it a long time and…
Intervals (repetitions)
Interval training is a distance workout of faster repetitions, usually run well above your maximal steady state and your lactate threshold, with a recovery interval between each. The aim is to do enough “tiring, exacting work” (as Lydiard referred to it) to lower your systemic (full-body) pH as much as possible without the workout being…
Myths: anaerobic training develops speed
“Interval training develops speed” and similar statements is one of the most common misconceptions you will find espoused on the internet. Eschewing any significant anaerobic training during the initial phases of training stands as one of the fundamental principles of the Lydiard systems and, therefore, our own training programmes here on the site. It is…
Why you don’t do anaerobic exercise during the aerobic phase
“No anaerobic training during certain parts of the year?” This may seem heretical to many but it is a firm principle of the Lydiard system which cannot be violated without giving away some of the benefits of the system. Since many will contest this point, I found it essential that this article be among the…
Anaerobic phase
To be written.
