Slowcoach Endurance

 With 2021 disappearing over the horizon and 2022 rising in the east what should we be thinking about when planning the year ahead? Looking back on 2021 how did it go compared to what you had planned this time last year? Did you achieve your goals? Well done if you did but if things didn’t quite work out for you, what went wrong? Several studies have shown that there is a thin line between training hard enough (consistent and progressive) and training too hard leading to injury and poor health. The main factors which trip people up are: Completing your planned training Being able to complete more than 80% of your planned training weeks leads to a 7 times greater chance of achieving your goal. So you don’t need to be perfect but good is best. Staying injury free Most likely closely linked to the above is the ability to avoid injuries and therefore be able to meet that 80% target. But how best to ensure you do sufficient and effective training while avoiding getting injured? Monitori...

 Oxygen Kinetics (and the Warm up) What do we mean by "Oxygen Kinetics" ? When we start exercising from rest say in a race or a workout our muscles require energy to perform the work. The three main energy supply systems we draw upon can't all turn on to full capacity immediately as we saw in Energy Systems - Part 2 . In particular the aerobic system can take over 2 minutes to reach maximum capacity.  The following chart shows how aerobic system reacts to this initial demand for energy. from Mark Burnley and Andrew Jones 02 August 2007 Note in particular the three Intensity Domains - Moderate, Heavy and Severe. The Moderate domain is when you are exercising at an intensity or effort lower than LT1 ie up to 65-70% of your VO2max or 1500m pace; the Heavy Domain somewhere between the LT1 and LT2 (or Critical Power/Speed (about 87-90% of 10km pace); and Severe which is above LT2 and Critical Power and extends to beyond VO2 max.  It shows three different Heavy Domain intensity...

 Endurance Performance variables The main factors that determine level of performance in Endurance exercise are: VO2 max - your maximum ability to use oxygen when exercising. Or  perhaps more useful, your speed at VO2max. (v-Vo2max or sometimes called VDOT)    Lactate Threshold - the first lactate "threshold" LT1 or VT1 (first Ventilatory threshold)  Exercise Economy - Metabolic and mechanical Oxygen uptake kinetics - How reactive your aerobic system is start of exercise and efficiency during continuous exercise   Critical Power or Critical Speed - (Similar intensity to the second Lactate Threshold  LT2 or Ventilatory Threshold VT2  It is very unlikely that anyone can maximise all these factors at the same time. To improve one factor can cause one or more of the others to deteriorate. The aim of training is to try and optimise the factors to produce the best combination for the specific requirements and timing of the target event.   Why...