Race Day Ready: How a Long Run with a Fast Finish Can Improve Your Performance
Are you ready to take your running game to the next level? Look no further than the long run with a fast finish for your triathlon, marathon or half marathon training!
Not only will this workout give your legs a good burn, but it will also challenge you mentally and set you up to deal with the mental and physical challenges of the last few miles of your race.
The key to this workout is starting off at an aerobic easy pace for a long distance, and gradually increasing your effort as you near the end to harder than race effort. This will push you out of your comfort zone and help you build mental toughness so you can hit a personal record.
But why is a long run with a fast finish so beneficial for training? For starters, it helps improve your endurance and cardiovascular fitness. By running at a Z2 effort or steady pace for a longer distance, you are giving your body the opportunity to adapt and become more efficient at using oxygen, which can help increase your overall endurance when putting in the miles.
Additionally, the fast finish portion of the workout will help you build speed and power. This is because when you push yourself to run faster at the end of a long run, you are recruiting more muscle fibers and increasing the intensity of the workout. This can lead to improvements in your overall speed and power so you can hit your goal time.
One of the great benefits of a long run with a fast finish is that it simulates the feeling you experience at the end of a race. When you’re nearing the finish line, your muscles are likely fatigued and you may feel like you’ve hit a wall. But, in order to cross that finish line, you need to dig deep and push through the discomfort. The fast finish portion of this workout replicates that feeling of fatigue and the need to push through. By training your body to push through this feeling during your training runs, you will be better prepared to do so during a race. This can help you to improve your finish time and increase your confidence on race day. The extra effort may not increase your speed much but mentally and physically it is simulating what you will feel race day.
But don’t worry, this workout doesn’t have to be all about intensity and pushing yourself to the brink. Make sure to have fun with it! Pick a scenic route to run, or bring a friend along to chat with during the steady-paced portion of the run. And remember, the key to any workout is recovery, Incorporating a long run with a fast finish into your training routine once in a while with ample recovery afterwards will yield the best results.
Heres an example of this workout for a 70.3 or Half Marathon training Plan
Warm Up:
20 minutes Start easy and build up to a Z2 effort and hold it
Main Set
60 minutes in Z2
15 minutes in Z3
10 minutes Z4 (pace may not increase much due to fatigue and muscle breakdown)
Cool Down
Jog or walk for 5 minutes
So, lace up your running shoes, set a goal for your long run, and give the fast finish a try. Trust us, your mind and body will thank you! Happy running!