Hi everyone, this article is the 2nd half of a two part article covering the Jack Daniels “V Dot” method of run training. You can read the first part on triathlon run training here.
If you’ve read the first part of the article, you’ll understand a bit about the term “V Dot” and the method used to look up your running paces for different interval lengths and intensities.
Here is a link to a great website that will calculate your paces for you. The only drawback…(if your 5k time is more than 30:00, it won’t work) http://www.runbayou.com/jackd.htm
Here is a sample 8 Week Triathlon Run Training program based on a person (my sister in law) who’s V Dot is 54, based on a fastest recent 5K time of about 18:30 (wish I had her running genes!), and a decent endurance base of running 2-3 times per week. Her goal race involves a 4 mile run following a 20 mile bike.
Week 1 Solidify Endurance Base
Workout 1: E 3-5 miles
Workout 2: E 3-5 miles
Workout 3: E 5 miles
Week 2 Solidify Endurance Base
Workout 1: E 3-5 miles
Workout 2: E 3-5 miles
Workout 3: E 6 miles
Week 3 Solidify Endurance Base
Workout 1: E 3-5 miles
Workout 2: E 3-5 miles
Workout 3: E 6 mile
Week 4 Begin Tempo Training
Workout 1: 8 x 400m R Pace w/ 400jog recovery
Workout 2: 2 x 2miles@ T-pace 2 min recovery
Workout 3: 6 miles E pace
Week 5 Continue Tempo Training
Workout 1: 4 x 200m R pace/ 200jog recovery, 2 x 400m R pace w/ 400 jog recovery, 1 x 800 m R pace wih 800 jog recovery
Workout 2: 2 x 2 miles at T Pace with 2 min rest
Workout 3: Brick wokout 4 miles E pace following Bike
Week 6 Continue Working on Interval Training
Workout 1: 2 x 2 miles at T pace with 2 min rest
Workout 2: 2 x 1 mile at T pace, 1 min rest; 1 x 800 at I pace, 800 jog; 4 x 200 R pace, 200 jog
Workout 3: Brick workout 5 mile E pace run following bike
Week 7 Race Simulation Week
Workout 1: 20 min at T pace; 4 x 200 R pace, 200 m jog
Workout 2: 4 x 200 R pace, 200 jog; 2 x 800 I pace, 800 jog
Workout 3: Race Simulation Brick at venue if possible
Week 8 Race Week
Workout 1: 30 min T pace run (resist temptation to go faster)
Workout 2: Brick workout w/ 20 min Race Pace run (resist temptation to go longer)
Workout 3: Race
Breaking Down the Phases
This 8 week run plan is an intermediate level, but the basic ideas can be adapted to runners with more or less experience. The first three weeks are an Endurance Building phase. These are all done at her “E” pace which is slower than her 5K race time. During these runs, the body becomes more efficient at pumping blood to the muscles, utilizing oxygen for the energy to run, and teaching your body to be economical when running. In other words, you are teaching your body to not waste energy (you’ll need it to go faster!)
Tempo Training is a Staple of Triathlon training
During Week 4 we introduce the “T” pace or Tempo Pace. Tempo pace is somewhat faster than endurance, but still a pace that you can sustain for a prolonged period of time. You will feel like you’re working hard, but not quite at your 5K race pace. Tempo intervals are usually a minimum of 10 minutes long, and may be prescribed in terms of miles rather than minutes if you are running at a track. Tempo Intervals continue teaching your body how to adapt to aerobic energy demands and are even more efficient than endurance pace intervals for this process. The downside is that they make you more tired, and you may not be able to to back to back tempo days. Tempo sessions become a staple of training and are continued all the way through the last week of the program.
Intervals Increase the Intensity of Your Workouts
Interval and Repetition paces “I” pace and “R” pace are even faster than Tempo, with “R” pace (repetition) being the fastest. How fast? Not quite all out sprint fast…slower than that. But these are paces that you could not sustain for a prolonged period of time (more than a few minutes). These paces help your body increase it’s “VO2 Max”, or the maximal amount of oxygen that your body can use. Remember, triathlons are endurance events, and are fueled primarily by oxygen.
You Can’t build your Triathlon Foundation without Bricks!
Note that bricks are also in the plan…my free training guide discusses bricks if you’ve never done them before, or don’t know how to go about setting up a brick workout. (Download my free guide by signing up in the box up there to the right!)
While this type of training with well defined paces for Endurance, Tempo, Interval and Repetition may be new to you, it is based in years of information collected by Jack Daniels as he worked with runners. Dr. Daniels has coached many, many outstanding runners and knows how to get the best out of each of them, so give his method a try if you are looking for a way to increase your run speed.
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Rememeber, A Day without Sweat is a Day without Sunshine!
Coach Suzanne
