to sprint or not to sprint?



R

Red_74

Guest
Hi!

I'm a beginning runner, and as I would like to increase both the frequency and total mileage per
week, I want to ask you what the benefits and risks of my training habits are. I run about twice
a week, 3-5 miles each time, and I do usually two 100-150m sprints - in the middle and at the
end of the session. This very exhausting, I usually need to walk after sprints to catch air and
ease my pulse.

I do this for fun, I enjoy running fast (and racing with buses ;) but also because I figure that
this way I can activate other parts of muscles, gain strength and overall speed. What I fear is that
I might get some micro- or other injuries, by accelerating hard without being well prepared.

What are your opinions? I could not find this information in FAQ, I run into some posts about
sprinting, however I still don't know whether this sprinting is ok.

take care, cheers!
--
Red_74
http://linx.by/red_74
 
"Red_74" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi!
>
> I'm a beginning runner, and as I would like to increase both the frequency and total mileage per
> week, I want to ask you what the benefits and risks of my training habits are. I run about twice
> a week, 3-5 miles each time, and I do usually two 100-150m sprints - in the middle and at the end
> of the session. This very exhausting, I usually need to walk after sprints to catch air and ease
> my pulse.
>
> I do this for fun, I enjoy running fast (and racing with buses ;) but also because I figure that
> this way I can activate other parts of muscles, gain strength and overall speed. What I fear is
> that I might get some micro- or other injuries, by accelerating hard without being well prepared.
>
> What are your opinions? I could not find this information in FAQ, I run into some posts about
> sprinting, however I still don't know whether this sprinting is ok.
>
> take care, cheers!

Why not?

A good warmup helps.

Faster running, if you preserve good form, has fitness benefits.

Noisy, footslapping, knee jarring, pounding on pavement could be a problem.

Can you run on grass, sand or dirt? Any log grades nearby? If so, then sprinting uphill (not down)
can be easier on the joints.

If you decide to train for a particular event, then it might pay to reconsider how you allocate
your energy.
 
"Red_74" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hi!
>
> I'm a beginning runner, and as I would like to increase both the frequency and total mileage per
> week, I want to ask you what the benefits and risks of my training habits are. I run about twice
> a week, 3-5 miles each time, and I do usually two 100-150m sprints - in the middle and at the end
> of the session. This very exhausting, I usually need to walk after sprints to catch air and ease
> my pulse.
>
> I do this for fun, I enjoy running fast (and racing with buses ;) but also because I figure that
> this way I can activate other parts of muscles, gain strength and overall speed. What I fear is
> that I might get some micro- or other injuries, by accelerating hard without being well prepared.
>
> What are your opinions? I could not find this information in FAQ, I run into some posts about
> sprinting, however I still don't know whether this sprinting is ok.
>
> take care, cheers!

Suggestions: increasing how often you run. Twice a week is not going to lead to any improvement. (It
is in the FAQ, the observation that for fitness three times a week is a minimum.) Now don't suddenly
change to running seven days a week. Increase gradually. try three days per week for several weeks.
Then consider increases such as another day per week or better increasing the length of one of the
runs. Make that longer run at an easier pace, without the sprints!

And BTW, the type of run you do now is similar to a FARTLEK. It's in the FAQ.

Enjoy your run! Ed
 
"Red_74" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi!
>
> I'm a beginning runner, and as I would like to increase both the frequency and total mileage per
> week, I want to ask you what the benefits and risks
of
> my training habits are. I run about twice a week, 3-5 miles each time, and
I
> do usually two 100-150m sprints - in the middle and at the end of the session. This very
> exhausting, I usually need to walk after sprints to
catch
> air and ease my pulse.

I'd suspect that a couple of 100 m sprints, a couple of times a week, would neither greatly increase
your risk of injury, nor do much to improve your running. If it makes it more fun for you, yeah
sure. I know a lot of people who like to throw in a 100 meter "kick" at the end of a workout. If you
want to improve your running in a more organized fashion, however, gradually increase the number of
days/miles you run (no more than 10% total milage a week). When you're doing 3-5 miles, 5-6 days a
week, you might add in one day a week of more consciencious speed work. www.runnersworld.com has
several good articles with programs for beginning runners, starting out with speed work, etc.

(Interestingly, I just went to the FAQ to see what it recommends in terms of "base milage" before
starting intervals, and it's surprisingly silent on the subject of speedwork in general, except a
brief and pretty general bit on intervals. The word "Fartlek" isn't even in there!" I guess there
are many differences of opinion?)
 
The biggest risk is being branded a jogger by the general population. Being accused of child sodomy
is easier to shake off than the stigma of being identified as a jogger. Just ask wobbot.
 
> And BTW, the type of run you do now is similar to a FARTLEK. It's in the FAQ.

I still couldn't find it in the FAQ, but thanks for the keyword. I read some more posts about
FARTLEK, and I think I know more about how to do it right. Just like you said - I should increase
the frequency and mileage first, before I'll move to increasing speed...

thanks!
--
Red_74
http://linx.by/red_74
 
> When you're doing 3-5 miles, 5-6 days a week, you might add in one day a week of more
> consciencious speed work.

Exactly. I'll try to get to that frequency, but all the runs I add will be regular - without sprint,
without stops - and longer.

> www.runnersworld.com

Thanks!

> (Interestingly, I just went to the FAQ to see what it recommends in terms
of
> "base milage" before starting intervals, and it's surprisingly silent on
the
> subject of speedwork in general, except a brief and pretty general bit on intervals. The word
> "Fartlek" isn't even in there!" I guess there are many differences of opinion?)

I found the word "Fartlek" in the FAQ from 1997 :)

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=fartlek+faq+group:rec.running&start=20&hl= en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=rec.running&safe=off&scoring=d&selm=running-
f aq/part1_852117821%40rtfm.mit.edu&rnum=29

Too unnecessary or too controversial for 2004?

have a nice run!
--
Red_74
http://linx.by/red_74
 
Red_74 wrote:
>
> I found the word "Fartlek" in the FAQ from 1997 :)
>
> http://groups.google.com/groups?q=fartlek+faq+group:rec.running&start=20&hl= en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=rec.running&safe=off&scoring=d&selm=running-
> f aq/part1_852117821%40rtfm.mit.edu&rnum=29
>
> Too unnecessary or too controversial for 2004?

nah, just not techie enough if the threads here and in other groups the last couple days are any
indication ;) doesn't have to involve hrm, speed/distance monitors, or anything else - just enjoy
alternating harder / easier efforts for whatever duration turns you on ;)

Dot

--
"Success is different things to different people" -Bernd Heinrich in Racing the Antelope