Speed vs Endurance
Improving one’s fitness level is always a worthwhile pursuit. Whether it is for personal enjoyment, or for more serious competition, gaining speed and endurance is essential for success. Within this article we will explore a variety of different training methods to help improve times for the 2.4km run, and 5km walk. This article will also discuss the connection between speed vs endurance, and how they can both be incorporated into your training.
Speed and endurance are essential components of physical fitness. Speed is the ability to move all or part of the body as quickly as possible, whilst endurance is the ability to sustain physical effort for an extended period of time. These two elements are essentially related, as they both contribute to improving one’s overall fitness level.
For example, improving your speed can help you increase the intensity and effectiveness of your running or walking. Being able to move at a faster pace requires your body to exert more effort and energy, which in turn can lead to improved cardiovascular fitness, increased muscular strength and enhance overall endurance. Now, looking at endurance training, this involves developing your cardiovascular and respiratory systems to improve your ability to maintain physical effort for longer periods of time. This can help you increase your performance during those longer, more sustained activities, specifically running or walking focussed.
Similar to running, our bodies can be trained to walk faster and more efficiently. Walking is also a low-impact activity that can offer many health benefits, including weight loss and improvement in cardiovascular and mental health. However, walking at a slow or moderate pace may not always provide the desired results, especially when your goal is to increase walking speed or performance. Fortunately, just like running, there are training techniques that can also improve your walking efficiency and speed. Some of which include, interval training, hill training, and tempo walking.
Whilst speed and endurance are different components, they both directly inherit one overarching goal: to enhance your body’s ability to sustain higher levels of intensity for extended periods of time, with improved strength, speed, and endurance. In turn, these adaptations will directly transfer and have positive effects over both the 2.4km run, and 5km walk.
With all of this in mind, consistency and perseverance is key to progression, as it establishes a routine, develops discipline, and creates habit. Without consistent training, the body won’t adapt and progress, and all of the effort put towards your goal will be ineffective. The more consistent you are, the more motivated you will feel, and the more accomplished you will feel when you see the results of your hard work.
In conclusion, incorporating a combination of speed and endurance training within a structured manner will help to improve overall fitness and performance. With the above in mind, to ensure optimal performance is achieved, it is vital that you incorporate rest and recovery into your training, allowing your muscles and body adequate time to repair and rebuild in order to enhance performance optimally.
Types of training – Below are ways to incorporate both speed and endurance into a training program. Whilst the following types of training are primarily geared towards running, they can also be adapted to improve your walking.
Easy Runs – This type of running should make up the majority of your weekly mileage. The purpose of easy running is to build a strong aerobic base. The cumulative volume of easy running improves endurance, increases capillary and mitochondria density, and in the case of running longer, will give you the confidence you need to complete the distance of a targeted event.
Interval Training – Also known as repetition training, interval training involves alternating periods of fast running/walking with periods of recovery. This style of training will improve the hearts ability to pump a higher blood volume with every contraction, therefor improving the muscles ability to absorb more oxygen.
Hill Training – You can perform hill training either by running up and down a gradient or over rolling terrain. It can be done at any effort and duration. You can perform intervals, fast tempo runs, and even long runs on hills. Hill training engages a high percentage of muscle fibres leading to increased muscular power. Running hills will also strengthen the knees, and work the calves, hamstrings, and glutes. Hill training is another great way to improve your running form.
Fartlek Training – Fartlek is Swedish for “speed play”, and that is exactly what this is. Fartlek alternates between easy running with fast surges, lasting between 30 seconds and 3minutes (dependent on your fitness level and effort). Your surges should not be an all-out sprint, but aimed to be a “comfortably hard” effort. This style of training will also improve both speed and endurance.
Mona Fartlek – The ‘Mona’ Fartlek is probably the most well-known training session in Australia. Named after legendary Australian distance runner, Steve Moneghetti, and devised by his well-known coach Chris Wardlaw, a dual Olympian.
The workout:
10-15 minutes easy warm up
2 x 90 seconds hard with 90 seconds easy running in between
4 x 60 seconds hard with 60 seconds easy running in between
4 x 30 seconds hard with 30 seconds easy running in between
4 x 15 seconds hard with 15 seconds easy running in between
10-15 minutes easy running / walking to cool down.
All hard efforts should be done at a hard and sustainable pace. Mistakes are going out to hard and not being able to sustain pace for each effort. As the repetitions get shorter try to increase the pace slightly.
Long Runs – This is the longest run of the week. It is endurance focussed training that involves longer periods of steady to low-intensity exercise. Running long distances will develop muscular endurance and can improve the body’s ability to use oxygen more efficiently during exercise. The long run builds mental toughness, and teaches the mind and body how to push past mental barriers.
Progression Runs – These runs increase pace or effort incrementally over the course of the run. For example, a 30minute run can increase in pace every 6minutes. Progression runs teach you how to feel and run at a specific pace, even when you are tired. They require focus and are also great for practicing pacing. By the end of these runs you want to be pushing your body to simulate that final push you would feel at the back end of your 2.4km run or 5km walk.
Tempo Runs – A tempo run involves a sustained steady effort, at a pace that falls between your normal easy pace and your maximum effort pace. This is a “comfortably hard” pace that you can maintain for longer periods of time, often lasting anywhere from 20-60 minutes (or more), depending on your level of fitness. Tempo runs will improve both your aerobic capacity and your lactic threshold. By training at a tempo pace, you can teach your body to better tolerate and clear lactic acid from your muscles, allowing you to run faster and more efficiently, for longer periods of time.
The Programs
Attached is a 6 week 2.4km and 5km specific run/walk program that will assist you in improving your times. Both programs once finished can be restarted, and by this stage from all your hard work you should start again with a new level of fitness.
It is important to keep in mind that the attached training programs serve as a general guide, and they may not be tailored to meet the specific needs of every runner or walker. Therefore, it is essential to adapt the program according to your fitness background and abilities. Though it is recommended to complete all programmed sessions, you should monitor your body on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis and adjust the program accordingly, especially during stressful periods.
Rest and recovery is essential in making progression. Pushing too hard all the time can lead to exhaustion, burnout and injuries. When you notice any discomfort, it is critical to listen to your body and take appropriate action. Resting is always the better option, rather than trying to push through pain which can result in more severe injuries and delayed progress. If pain persists, it is advisable to present to the medical centre and consult a physiotherapist.
Remember, missing a few days of training is better than pushing yourself too much and experiencing setbacks in both physical and mental wellbeing.
Happy training, enjoy the journey!
6 week 2.4km run program
Week 1
Monday: Easy run – 20-30min
Tuesday: Fartlek
- 10min easy warm up / Fartlek 15min / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: 6 x 200m Hill Sprints
- 10min easy warm up / Hill Sprints / 10min easy cool down
- Hills: run hard, maintain a tall posture, use a high knee drive, and use arms to assist you up the hill. Walk or jog back to start and go again.
Friday: Optional easy run – 20-30min
Saturday: Long run – 45-60min at an easy conversational pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 2
Monday: Easy run – 20-30min
Tuesday: Fartlek
- 10min easy warm up / Fartlek 15min/ 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Intervals - 6 x 400m, with 2min standing recovery between efforts
- 10min easy warm up / 400’s / 10min easy cool down
- Run your efforts 10-15 seconds faster than your 2.4km pace
Friday: Optional easy run – 20-30min (rolling hills)
Saturday: Long run – 45-60min at an easy conversational pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 3
Monday: Easy run – 20-30min (rolling hills)
Tuesday: Fartlek
- 10min easy warm up / Fartlek 15min/ 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Progression run - 30min
- 6min very easy
- 6min easy
- 6min moderate
- 6min pushing it
- 6min easy cool down
Friday: Optional easy run – 20-30min
Saturday: Long run – 45-60min at an easy conversational pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 4 De-load – this week will drop a speed session for an easy session
Monday: Easy run - 20-30min
Tuesday: Fartlek (rolling hills)
- 10min easy warm up/ Fartlek 15min/ 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Easy run - 20-30min with 5 x 20 sec strides
Friday: Optional easy run – 20-30min
Saturday: Long run – 45-60min at an easy conversational pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 5
Monday: Easy run - 20-30min
Tuesday: Mona Fartlek
- 10min easy warm up / Mona Fartlek / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Intervals – 2 x 800m, 2 x 400m, 2 x 200m with 2min standing recovery between efforts
- 10min easy warm up/ 800’s, 400’s, 200’s/ 10min easy cool down
- Run your 800’s and 400m efforts 10-15 seconds faster than your 2.4km pace, and run your 200m efforts as fast as you can.
Friday: Optional easy run – 20-30min (rolling hills)
Saturday: Long run – 45-60min at an easy conversational pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 6
Monday: Easy run – 20-30min
Tuesday: Mona Fartlek
- 10min easy warm up / Mona Fartlek / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Tempo
- 10min easy warm up / 10min Tempo / 10min easy cool down
- Tempo pace is 10-15sec slower than 2.4km pace. Should be “comfortably uncomfortable”
Friday: Optional easy run – 20-30min
Saturday: Long run – 45-60min at an easy conversational pace (rolling hills)
Sunday: Rest
6 week 5km walk program
Week 1
Monday: Easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Tuesday: Fartlek
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / Fartlek 15min / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: 6 x 200m Hill efforts
- 10min easy to moderate warm up/ Hill efforts/ 10min easy cool down
- Hills: walk hard, lean into the hill, and use a fast arm swing to assist you up the hill. Walk back to start and go again.
Friday: Optional easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Saturday: Long walk – 45-60min at an easy to moderate pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 2
Monday: Easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Tuesday: Fartlek (rolling hills)
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / Fartlek 15min / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Intervals – 6 x 400m, with 2min standing recovery between efforts
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / 400’s / 10min easy to cool down
- Stride out and power walk your efforts 10-15 seconds faster than your 5km walk pace
Friday: Optional easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Saturday: Long walk – 45-60min at an easy to moderate pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 3
Monday: Easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Tuesday: Fartlek
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / Fartlek 15min / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Progression walk – 30min
- 6min very easy
- 6min easy
- 6min moderate
- 6min pushing it
- 6min easy cool down
Friday: Optional easy to moderate walk – 20-30min (rolling hills)
Saturday: Long walk – 45-60min at an easy to moderate pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 4 De-load – this week will drop a speed session for an easy session
Monday: Easy to moderate walk - 20-30min
Tuesday: Fartlek (rolling hills)
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / Fartlek 15min / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Easy to moderate walk – 20-30min with 5 x 20 sec surges in pace
Friday: Optional easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Saturday: Long walk– 45-60min at an easy to moderate pace
Sunday: Rest
Week 5
Monday: Easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Tuesday: Mona Fartlek
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / Mona Fartlek / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Intervals – 2 x 800m, 2 x 400m, 2 x 200m with 2min standing recovery between efforts
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / 800’s, 400’s, 200’s / 10min easy cool down
- Power walk your 800’s and 400m efforts 10-15 seconds faster than your 5km walk pace, and walk your 200m efforts as fast as you can
Friday: Optional easy to moderate walk v 20-30min
Saturday: Long walk– 45-60min at an easy to moderate pace (rolling hills)
Sunday: Rest
Week 6
Monday: Easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Tuesday: Mona Fartlek (rolling hills)
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / Fartlek 15min / 10min easy cool down
Wednesday: Rest or Cross train
Thursday: Tempo walk
- 10min easy to moderate warm up / 20min Tempo / 10min easy cool down
- Tempo pace is 10-15sec slower than 5km walk pace. Should be “comfortably uncomfortable”
Friday: Optional easy to moderate walk – 20-30min
Saturday: Goal Pace Long walk – 45-60min at goal pace
Sunday: Rest
I would like to offer a few perspectives also on how to improve our run times.
1. Reduction in body fat and improvement of body composition should really be the focus. Running with excess body fat increases the chances of lower limb injuries and stress on the body. Especially with older runners and members. The risk of Injury for those with excess body fat is significantly increased. Some may ask how to do that "just run more" Unfortunately that is the wrong answer. Body composition is primarily improved by reduction in consumption of sugar/Simple Carbohydrates/ fruit juice/fruit/cereals/grains /wheat and alcohol. I have been on a low carb diet for 10 years and have dropped from 80kgs 10 years ago to 64 kgs and have easily maintained that weight without being hungry and my run times have significantly improved. 3:26 marathon and 2.4 and 5km times as noted.
2, Consider using the MAF method for a different approach to Heart rate Training, Dr Phil Maffetone coached Mark Allen 6 x Hawaii Ironman winner using this method. If you want more information look up the MAF method. I have been using this for 10 years also.
3. Run less and get in the gym and do single leg work using heavy weights with low reps to build muscular power and strength. Running is a Single Leg Sport. Forget doing group fitness classes that are not specific if your trying to improve your running
I hope this is helpful, happy to respond to any questions cheers