Running Training

[theBruiser500]

So this is a question about two parts of running, mainly how to have better ENDURANCE for many short/medium sprints, and then secondly how to be faster (this is all for playing soccer). In soccer when sprinting with the ball, sprinting to defend vs. an opponent, or when fighting for the ball vs. someone or dribbling vs. opponents it will leave me out of breath fast and my recovery time is bad.

Now I've been going to the track and running and pushing myself. But i've just been doing random work outs, like my friend told me one work out he did in track before was running a mile, 5 min. break, run mile, 5 min. break, run a mile. Today I invented my own workout of
run 1 mile (6 min. 20 seconds)
break
run 1 lap (1 min. 30 seconds)
break
run 1 lap (1 min. 15 seconds)
break
run 2 laps (3.05)
break
run 2 laps (3)

I'm a far ways away from one soccer guru online who says it's good to run 1 1/2 miles in 8.20 min (damn that's fast). Any ideas on what sort of running I should do, specific work outs? What sort of break time should I allow myself between running sets (is it important)? Should I start with the longer runs or shorter, etc. Thanks a bunch

[PokerBob]

sounds like you're basically just interested in getting in shape for soccer, and thus you need to be able to recover quickly from hard bursts.

i would suggest doing 6 x 200 meter repeats with 45 seconds rest in between. run 1.5 miles (easy) to warm up before, and 1.5 miles to cool down afterward.

the key is to keep the rest time short. it shouldnt be much longer than the actual time running. i am assuming you'll do the 200's in about 35 seconds.

[chilly]

If your trying to build endurance and speed, you want to have a workout that has as little to no stationary rest at all. A better version of your workout would be to, instead of the break that you put in between each "fast" run, you jog a lap. At the same time, you may want to cut out the mile parts from this workout and cap it at 2 laps.

That said, the obvious best way to simply build endurance is to run lots of miles. For example, maybe start off at 20-25 miles a week if your not in great shape and slowly build up to 40 miles a week (probably wouldn't need more than this for soccer)

[theBruiser500]

we'll see if i can do those 35 seconds! bob thanks i will try out your workout tomorrow. also how about rest days? sites on the internet seem to think they're necessary but beyond 1 day a week off maybe, i don't believe in them. seem like a lazy thing.

[Alobar]

rest days are uber important. Its not the actual running that improves your performance its the resting you do after the running. The amount of rest you need depends on you and the intensity of your workouts.

[theBruiser500]

i get a full 23 hours of rest inbetween running sessions, that seems lik ea lot of time to me

[SomethingClever]

[ QUOTE ]
we'll see if i can do those 35 seconds!

[/ QUOTE ]

Given your mile times, I'd expect more like 30.

[Alobar]

[ QUOTE ]
i get a full 23 hours of rest inbetween running sessions, that seems lik ea lot of time to me

[/ QUOTE ]

you lay in bed asleep 23 hours a day? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[theBruiser500]

har har

[theBruiser500]

okay i do have to admit that was funny