I AM sure you have read about the importance of speedwork as a distance runner many times over, but is one aspect of training more important than another? Speed or changes of speed are often what wins races and, in truth, there’s no such thing as too much speed. However, is it relative to the event you are targeting and the type of athlete you are?
In this instance, speed relative to your event is about looking at someone’s under-distance race capabilities and how much of this they can convert for the longer event. Someone wanting to run under 35 minutes for 10km first needs to be able to run 17:30 for 5km, of course – it is simple maths.