Peter Ventre

Middle Distance Running

Introduction

There are as many different styles of running as there are runners. How to run is not important except for the rare person who retains an inefficient style in spite of covering many training miles. The focus of attention needs to be on such things as stamina, speed, variations in pace and pace judgement. These are the techniques in which the middle distance runner must be skilled. They have to be learnt if you are to improve performance in terms of more ground covered faster.

Developing the techniques

Stamina

The essential preparation for any runner is a high mileage log. How fast you run is relatively unimportant in this kind of training. It is far more important to increase the weekly mileage target as the body becomes accustomed to the work load. Clearly this kind of preparation must be seen in relation to your whole competitive athletic life it is not a short term chore. The more you do the more you will be able to develop the other qualities necessary.

Speed

Just as a 440 meters runner regards himself as a sprinter, the middle distance runner must assume the same psychological position. It is no longer enough to be a plodder. Lapping continuously in training at speeds below competitive pace is like the high jumper who continues to use the same approach speed even though he is skilful enough to use a faster approach.
You must think in terms of running your training repetitions faster. At the highest level of performance, distances up to 5,000 metres are speed events. Condition yourself to think as a speed runner.

Variations in pace

If you develop a rhythm of constant speed running, you condition the body to operate efficiently at that level. When you increase pace you become inefficient quite quickly because your body is not trained to accept the greater work load. In a fast, tactical race, you must expect to increase pace to gain a good position, to close a gap or to open up a lead. Often runners who train in constant speed conditions become unsettled in competitions because the situation demands variations in pace. It is unwise to think of running an even paced race. Most milers run faster in the first and last laps. Get used to fast bursts raise your psychological and physiological fitness levels to cope with the real race situation.

Pace judgement

All the great runners have a built in clock which enables them to assess accurately the speed of a race. Run with a stop watch and refer to it as you are running to cheek your assessment of pace.
Do not depend on it to tell you how fast you are running but use it to correct your own 'internal clock' to learn what it feels like to run at a given speed.
Ultimately, you will become very accurate in your assessment of pace.

Training

Whilst most other athletes should do a short, hard training session of about 40 minutes, the middle distance runner must expect to do more. To achieve the high mileage log mentioned earlier you need a daily training session, preferably an early morning run. You can soon accustom your body to accepting a schedule of five miles a day. In addition and in order to develop the techniques the following training pattern is recommended.
Seasonal variations in training are fashionable but not very sensible. Of course the weather will affect the training pattern in some measure but your intention should be to train in the same way throughout the whole year, continually adjusting the targets you set yourself.

Speed with minimum rest training

The key factors are distance, pace, number of repetitions and recovery time. Set each of these to suit your ability and level of stamina. Resolve to change each factor to make the training progressively more demanding. It is not possible to fix a precise schedule here and any example might be quite unsuitable for you. However, set your pace several seconds faster than your planned competitive pace and, to begin with, keep the distances and repetitions small and the recovery period short; e.g., 6 x220 meters in 30 seconds with a recovery of 30 seconds.

There is no limit to the changes you can make. This kind of training should be done often daily if possible. It should be a hard session of about 40 minute’s duration. The key to middle distance success is speed. Aim to run a large number of repetitions fast with minimum rest and set targets, progressively more demanding, for real success. Do not think in terms of records and standards. These have a habit of changing. Rather, relate your training to your own ability, setting personal targets.

It is a tendency of middle distance runners to focus attention on stamina training in the winter and to neglect the training of the other 'techniques'. Without doubt cross country running can form the basis of your winter training programme. Remember, though, that the technique of speed, variations in pace, and pace judgement involve mental conditioning. By working only on stamina training in the winter you may lose not only the special physiological fitness for middle distance running but also the psychological fitness which is of equal importance.
Condition yourself to accept a pattern of training which you can adjust progressively throughout your athletic life.