Long and Slow vs. Short and Hard (Running That Is!)
Ever wonder if there’s a different way of running than just going at it long and slow – staying on the road or trail for miles and miles at a time at a slow, plodding pace?
Well, there is, and it could be an integral part of your running routine.
Running long and slow and running short and hard both have their places in a solid training program, and a well-rounded runner will take advantage of both. We’ll take a look at long, slow distance (LSD) and short, hard running, including high-intensity interval training and short tempo runs.
Going Long: When Longer Is Better
Most people think of long miles on the road when they picture running, and most of the time, that is exactly what happens.
Running is primarily an aerobic exercise for most people. It is used to effectively and efficiently develop a person’s cardiovascular strength and aerobic conditioning, resulting in what we call stamina, or endurance.
This is why most running programs feature long, slow distance as a prime component of the routine. To build up endurance, you need to go long at a relatively slow pace, consistently, over an extended period of time.
Want to run a faster 10K? You’ll first need a strong foundation, and that means miles under your belt.
Going Short: When Quick And Fast Does The Trick
On the other end of the spectrum is short and hard running. Note that just running shorter distances won’t cut it; you have to significantly crank up the intensity.
Short running takes care of the other half of the equation: anaerobic conditioning. Anaerobic capacity reflects your body’s ability to pump out top levels of effort as long as possible. Granted, you won’t be able to dead sprint a 5K, but you’ll be much faster overall if you can turn up the juice for stretches at a time.
Running intervals is the most common form of short, hard running. This notably includes high-intensity interval training, which burns calories at a faster rate than normal running and can beef up your body’s speed and explosiveness.
If you have ever run a race and needed an extra burst of speed, short, hard running takes care of that.
Finding the Balance
The ratio of each type to the other depends on your event. If you’re running a marathon, your training regimen will probably feature something akin to 90% of aerobic training versus a small percentage of anaerobic training.
If you’re running a 5K, by contrast, it could be something closer to 60-40 in favor of aerobic conditioning (i.e. long, slow distance).
Either way, it’s important to find the correct balance and go long – and short – when appropriate.
What balance is in your training regimen? Do you think you need to adjust your program after reading this?
