7 marathons in 7 days is going to be a fundamentally aerobic activity, but we also should remember to pay some attention to our running economy.
Interval workouts, threshold running, and how those types of components fit into a training schedule are larger topics, but one simple, crucial ingredient to most successful distance runners' success will never go out of style: strides.
Just like a cake mix needs a tiny bit of leavening agent that can make all the difference, so does your training recipe. Strides can help those longer miles (the flour!) feel a bit more light and fluffy, and hopefully allow you to arrive in Cape Town without feeling quite as flat and dense.
What Do We Mean by "Strides"?
1-2 times per week, when warmed up or after your training run, travel roughly 100m or 15-30 seconds at a relaxed and smooth, but decidedly quicker pace than your aerobic running speed. Rest as needed, and go again. Many people do these by running the straight of a track, then walking the curve.
6-8 of these can provide a bit of growth for your range of motion, demand a bit more aligned posture, nurture your brain to expect a little quicker ground contact time when you land and push off, and help make your marathon pace feel like an easier loping pace.
When and Where to Add Them
- After regular training runs, once you're already warmed up
- Before harder workouts (after a warm-up jog) to transition to faster running
- On a hill — more on hills another time
Strides aren't typically done to achieve increased cardiovascular fitness or significantly add to your volume. Like baking powder, you just need a bit to go a long way, and they allow a brief moment to just focus on feeling light and quick. No strain!
Snapshots of Your Best Form
Adding a little dynamic running can give your body and brain a snapshot of what your idealized running form should look and feel like. While you may not be able to recreate that over hours and hours of long, slow distance, those snapshots can provide a roadmap for you to adjust to a more efficient posture when tiring, to shift gears if you did want to pick up the pace, and to make your aerobic pace feel more like 3rd gear than 5th.
Miles and minutes are the flour that provide the bulk of our recipe for success, but like baking powder, a few strides can help your training rise.
— Dena Evans