SPEED WITHOUT SACRIFICING ENDURANCE

By Coach Kamau Waweru

COACHES CORNER :SPEED WITHOUT SACRIFICING ENDURANCE:

For marathon runners, getting faster is not simply about running more intervals. The real objective is to develop the ability to run fast efficiently while maintaining endurance. A well-designed marathon programme should progressively develop:

• Aerobic capacity : the foundation of marathon performance.
• Threshold ; the ability to sustain a high percentage of your aerobic capacity.
• Running economy :producing more speed with less energy.
• Neuromuscular speed : strides, short repetitions and controlled fast running
• Fatigue resistance : maintaining mechanics and pace when the legs are tired
• Specific endurance : learning to hold marathon pace deep into a long run.

This is why short strides can be extremely valuable even for marathon specialists.

A few controlled 100–200 m repetitions with full concentration on relaxed mechanics, cadence and posture can stimulate speed without creating the metabolic stress of a hard interval session. But there is an important coaching principle:

FAST IS A TOOL — NOT THE OBJECTIVE: If speed sessions compromise your threshold work, long runs, recovery or weekly consistency, they are no longer helping your marathon. The best marathoners don't necessarily train the fastest. They train so that marathon pace becomes increasingly economical and sustainable. The goal is not just to run faster. The goal is to make your target marathon pace feel easier. STAY HARD!

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