Hey Gang,
This #WorkoutWednesday session is the final installment in my mixed threshold series of workouts (be sure check out my similar sessions for swim and bike).
Today’s run session is tough, but will make you stronger and help you dial in your pace so that you can dust the competition in the final miles on race day!
If you give this workout a try, let me know how it went. Get in touch with me on Facebook or Twitter.
Dave
Mixed Threshold Workout
Purpose: Varying the pace at threshold (and slightly below) during your run will increase the strength of your feet, lower leg muscles, gluteals, quads and core.
This workout will also benefit the following areas:
- Lactate Tolerance: Your ability to perform at a high level of endurance for longer periods will improve as a result of this workout.
- Lactate Clearance: Over several sessions you will adapt to more efficiently resynthesize the lactate back into energy. Simply put, your recovery at the prescribed workloads will improve without a decline in speed.
- Race Simulation: These sessions simulate the intensities of a race and prepare your mind for the output and maintenance of race day efforts.
- Increase in Fast Twitch Muscle Fibers: Mixed threshold workouts will increase the contribution of the faster twitch muscle (especially your type 2a muscle fibers) that are used extensively in all race distances –particularly as your fitness improves. Fast twitch muscle fibers have a high contractile force and recover quickly, but if these fibers are not trained, then they burn up energy at a ferocious rate.
Threshold pace workouts can vary based on your background and experience, but you’ll want to strive for the highest attainable pace at a steady-state effort. I recommend the following time intervals:
Beginners: 20’
Intermediates: 35’
Advanced 50’
If you need to scale back the workout according to your current fitness, then please do so.
Mixed Threshold 60 Minute Run
This workout combines a varying pace through your 3 ranges of Lactate Threshold (LT). If you haven’t had an LT Test I’d recommend getting one to help you learn your training zones. Knowledge is power! If it’s not convenient to get an LT test now, then base your LT on your best 10km running pace.
I’ll refer to your LT as Level 3 or L3.
Once you’ve determined your L3 pace, your L2 is approximately 10 – 25” slower, and L1 is 25 to 35” slower. For example if L3 is an 8:00/mile, then L2 is 8:10/mi to 8:25/mi, and L1 is 8:25 to 8’35/mi.
Warm Up:
15’
Include 6 x 20” pickups spaced out after the initial 8’
The pickup speed should reach your LT speed
Main Set:
3’ at L1 pace (25″ to 35″ slower than L3 pace)
2’ at L2 (10″ to 25″ slower than L3 pace)
1’ at L3
Cruise easy for 4’
Repeat 2 more times. During the second set add 30” to each LT segment, and again cruise for 4’
On the third set add another 30” to each LT segment and again cruise for 4’
Cool down
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