Why Speed Work is Necessary for Elite Endurance

By
Steven Low
Published: August 19, 2009Posted in: Advanced, Articles, TrainingTags: , , , ,
Why Speed Work is Necessary for Elite Endurance

I. Deconstructing the physiology of speed
II. The problem with LSD
III. The necessity of speed work
IV. The focus of an endurance program at different ability levels

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First, I am defining endurance to be anything at 800m all the way to marathons and beyond. Obviously, some are categorized as “middle distance” and “long distance” respectively, but they all bear some resemblence as you will see later.

Second, I am defining “LSD” as the accumulation of high mileage without a purpose ON the assumption it will make you faster. You will see clearly in section 4 when I use examples what I am talking about.

I. Deconstructing the physiology of speed

Let’s start out with an analogy that I am sure many of you are familiar with.

  • High strength translates to some increased endurance and a higher capacity for endurance.

For example, if I work my way up to a 100 lbs weighted pullup, I will also have the strength endurance to do 15+ pullups. This is because the unweighted pullups are only 60% (for a 150 lbs male) of my 1 rep max and therefore “easy” for my body to do.

In essence, the stronger we are the higher our active and latent potential is for endurance. We can also train to express the latent potential through specific endurance work like longer runs or high intensity exercise such as metabolic conditioning, intervals, etc. On the other hand, training for higher repetitions (or longer runs solely) do not confer the same benefits towards strength or power.

Now, speed development in running has a very important equation which works at all levels of ability.

  • Speed = Stride rate x Stride Length

This equation tells us that our stride rate (how much time each stride takes) multiplied times our stride length (how much distance each stride covers) gives us our speed (distance covered per amount of time).

This is very useful information, but there is one catch.

  • Speed improvements are governed by increasing stride length.

At the top levels, stride frequency is similar for all competitors; therefore, improvements are made only in stride length.

Novices should focus only on improving stride length (through strength and speed work) even though they do not have optimal stride rate either. This is because optimal stride rate is developed through sprinting technique, so as improvements are made by increasing speed the stride rate will developed optimally as a side effect.

Thus, the question becomes “how do you improve stride length.”

  • The way to increase stride length is exerting more force on the ground in every stride.

The force exerted on the ground must be specific to your bodyweight because that is what you are trying to move. This is called mass specific force (MSF). Here is some further reading with a more detailed explanation if you prefer. Another such article.

So going back our first example, our analogy comes full circle. We know that high amounts of strength translates to increased active and latent potential for endurance. And that strength improves stride length which improves speed.

After we have developed a high speed through strength and speed work, we need to develop the capacity to maintain it (which is developing the latent endurance potential from the side effect of high strength). This is where the specific interval and endurance work comes into play.

Thus, if we are running distances competitively, we can logically conclude that:

  • We need a high strength to increase our ability to run faster through increased stride length, and
  • We also need to work our endurance specifically to improve our ability to sustain the lengthened strides

For middle and long distance we can think of our ability to run faster like a car. Our increased strength (neuromuscularly) is a more powerful engine, and our increased muscular endurance (metabolically/energy pathways) translates to a bigger gas tank. We can also think of our cardiovascular system as the carburetor, fuel line, and exhaust system.

All of these systems must be “upgraded” and worked in concert to improve middle and long distance speed.

Did you like this article? Check out these related articles:

  1. Skill Guidelines for Building Strong, Useful, Adaptable Athletes
  2. The Relationship Between Diet and Exercise
  3. A Primer on Plyometrics
  4. Private: How To Construct Your Own Workout Routine

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About the Author

Steven Low, author of Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach to Gymnastics and Bodyweight Strength, is a former competitive gymnast who, in recent years, has been heavily involved in the gymnastics performance troupe, Gymkana. With his degree from the University of Maryland College Park in Biochemistry, Steven has spent thousands of hours independently researching the scientific foundations of health, fitness and nutrition. Currently Steven is pursuing a doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland Baltimore which provides him with insights into practical care for common injuries. His training is varied and intense with a focus on gymnastics, parkour, and sprinting. He currently resides in his home state of Maryland.