Daniels' Running Formula

by Jack Daniels

I have always tried to emphasize the importance of consistency in training and to produce the greatest benefit from the least amount of training stress,

These ingredients are, in their order of importance, inherent ability, intrinsic motivation, opportunity, and direction.

consistency in training is the single most important thing that leads to success.

eventually, if you just continue doing the same training week after week, your new fitness level will no longer improve,

when a new level of fitness is desired, the training stress has to increase.

at all times you should be able to answer the question “What is the purpose of this workout?”

Turnover was well over 200 per minute in the 800

imagine they are running over a field of raw eggs and their goal is to not break any of them; be light on your feet and comfortable in your landing.

The feeling of wanting to breathe harder is caused by an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in your lungs.

the increase in CO2 drives us to breathe before the lack of O2 results in our passing out.

When not running very hard, you may breathe in for three steps and breathe out for three steps,

Most accomplished runners breathe with a 2-2 rhythm,

I strongly recommend using a 2-2 rhythm during practice and in competition,

it is usually better to use that good 2-2 rhythm even in easy runs,

2-2

which is doing a better job of ventilating the lungs, reducing CO2 buildup, and increasing the O2 content of the air in your lungs.

2-1 or 1-2 rhythm)

usually not necessary until you are working very hard,

Of all the elite runners I have tested in the lab, about 86 percent of them automatically choose a 2-2 rhythm until working at maximum, at which time they go to 2-1 or 1-2.

I am not suggesting that you use a 3-3 breathing rhythm during all easy long runs (2-2 is still probably the way to go), but that giving 3-3 a try for a few minutes would tell you how hard you are working.

This is similar to knowing you are going too hard during threshold running (i.e., if you can’t use a 2-2 rhythm and have to go to 2-1 or 1-2).

Don’t compare yourself to other runners; focus on your own fitness and performance.

(O2max)

a race that lasts about 30 minutes is run at about 93 percent of a person’s O2max,

if intensity of effort is the most important thing being sought, then heart rate can be very useful.

about 65 to 78 percent of maximum heart rate.

developing the heart muscle,

I suggest that 30 minutes be the minimum duration of any E run

I also suggest that your longest steady run (unless preparing for some ultra events) be 150 minutes (2.5 hours), even if preparing for a marathon.

In addition to using E pace during L runs, E intensity is also used for a good part of warming up and cooling down and during recovery jogs between bouts of faster and harder running.

think of E days as opportunities to accumulate the mileage needed to reach your desired weekly mileage goals.

The important thing, especially if going extra slow on an E run, is to make every effort to maintain good running mechanics,

about 2 to 3 minutes per mile slower than you might be able to race for 1 mile,

I like to limit any single L run to 30 percent of weekly mileage for runners who are totaling fewer than 40 miles (64 km) per week.

Try to stay with the same weekly mileage for 4 weeks before making an increase,

For someone who is going to spend 6 or 7 hours completing a marathon,

2.5 hours is long enough, even if it gets a runner a total of only 15 miles

estimate M pace as being about 3 minutes per 10K slower than 10K race pace.

I also suggest limiting an M run to the lesser of 110 minutes or 18 miles

During some long, steady E runs, it is suggested that you do not take in any energy drinks so your body learns to conserve carbohydrate.

the pace is manageable for a fairly long time (certainly 20 or 30 minutes in practice).

Peaked and rested, you can race at T pace for about 60 minutes,

(88 to 90 percent of maximum heart rate)

the tempo run is a steady run lasting about 20 minutes in duration,

when you realize elite runners can just about race at T pace for 60 minutes (tapered and rested), it is hard to imagine a person going for a 1-hour tempo run just in training.

one 20-minute run in a single training session is usually enough for most runners.

intensity had to be at or very close to O2max (and maximum heart rate),

the duration a person can exercise at O2 max,

is about 11 minutes.

since it takes about 90 to 120 seconds to build up to O2max, from complete recovery, a good amount of time to spend running a...