3 Progression Runs to Reach Race-Day Success

By Matt Fitzgerald
For Active.com

Horseback riders are familiar with the phenomenon of the horse smelling the
barn. As the horse and rider return to within sniffing range of the stable after
a long ride, the horse spontaneously increases its pace to get the darn thing
over with. Many human runners do something similar. When I took up running at
age 12, I completed the same six-mile route every other day, and I always
instinctively ran the last part faster, to get the darn thing over with.

Instinctive though it may be, picking up the pace in the last part of a run is
not something that runners should do in every workout. That's because there
isn't anything that runners should do in every workout. Training must be varied
from day to day to develop well-rounded fitness. But there is a place in any
structured training regimen for progression workouts, which is what coaches call
runs in which the last part is run faster than the first.

There are three distinct types of progression run that I like to incorporate
into the training plans I design. Their benefits overlap to some degree, but to
a complementary degree, the benefits of each are unique to that specific format.
Let's take a look at all three.
Fast-Finish Run

A fast-finish progression run is a run in which the faster, second part of the
run is relatively short--usually between one and three miles. Fast-finish runs
may be either moderately challenging or very challenging. The factors that
influence the challenge level of a fast-finish run are the duration of the
slower first segment (the longer it is, the more fatigued you will be when you
start the faster second part and the more challenging the overall run will be),
the duration of the faster second segment and the pace of the second segment.

Easier fast-finish runs are a great way to give yourself a moderate training
stimulus at times when your body is ready for more than an easy run but you
don't want to leave yourself too tired to perform well in your next scheduled
hard run. An example of an easier fast-finish run is five miles at a comfortable
pace followed by one mile at 10K pace.

Harder fast-finish runs are great workouts for half-marathon and marathon
training, because they challenge you to run fast when you're already tired. An
example of a tough marathon-specific fast-finish run is 13 miles at a
comfortable pace followed by three miles at half-marathon pace.
Threshold Progression

A traditional threshold run consists of a short warm-up followed by a few miles
of running at "lactate threshold pace" (or the fastest pace you could sustain
for one hour in race circumstances) and concluding with a short cool-down. In a
threshold progression, the warm-up is greatly extended and the cool-down is
removed. The purpose of these changes is to create a workout that challenges you
to sustain your threshold speed when you're already tired. This makes it a great
workout to use in half-marathon and marathon training. An example of a threshold
progression run is five miles at a comfortable pace followed by four miles at
threshold pace.

At this point I would like to pause and answer a question that may have popped
into your head when reading the preceding paragraph, if not earlier: "Isn't it
bad to finish a workout without cooling down?" Actually, no. The notion that
concluding workouts with a short period of low-intensity activity promotes
faster recovery is mythical. Research has shown that cooling down has no effect
on recovery, so it's OK to skip it in certain workouts. (Warming-up before
high-intensity exercise does accelerate post-workout recovery, however.)
Marathon-Pace Progression

In marathon-pace progression runs, the faster second segment is typically longer
and slower than it is in fast-finish runs and threshold progression runs.
Marathon-pace progression runs are an effective means to increase the challenge
level and race-specificity of long endurance runs. Many runners make the mistake
of doing all of their Saturday or Sunday long runs at a moderate pace, but once
you have used these runs to develop sufficient raw endurance, they don't provide
any further benefit unless you pick up the pace.

You don't have to be training for a marathon to benefit from marathon-pace
progression runs. They provide excellent aerobic support for any race distance,
although you will want to use them differently depending on your specific race
distance. If you're training for a 5K or 10K, marathon-pace progression runs
should be emphasized relatively early in the training process and then phased
out in favor of long runs that include even faster running.

If you're training for a half-marathon or marathon, they should be emphasized
later in the training process, and they should be longer. A good peak-level
marathon-pace progression run, appropriate for three to four weeks before a
marathon, is two miles at a moderate pace followed by 14 miles at marathon pace.
Making Progress

I could write a whole separate article about how to incorporate the various
progression run formats into different types of training programs. As a broad
guideline, I recommend that all runners include at least one progression run per
week in their training at all times. Always choose the specific format that fits
best with your immediate training objectives.
Active Expert Matt Fitzgerald is the author of several books on triathlon and
running, including Runner's World Performance Nutrition for Runners (Rodale,
2005) and his newest, Brain Training for Runners.