WHAT TYPE OF RUNNER ARE YOU?
Knowing where you lie on the speed versus endurance scale can give you an idea of what you should concentrate your training on, writes international marathoner and coach LEE MERRIEN
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.
Lee Merrien: a 2:13 marathon man who also has 3:40 1500m speed
Mark Shearman
How much under-distance speed you need will also likely be influenced by the type of runner you are and potentially how much room for manoeuvre you need over the shorter distances. The type of runner you are can also give you a better insight into how the training focus might need to be applied. A runner with excellent endurance may work in small margins between short distance races and their target distance, whereas a more speed-based athlete may have a bigger tail-off and hence need to allow more leeway in that regard.