Autumn 2007 - British Milers Club

Strange bit of 5K researchSome new research conducted by the University of NewHampshire suggests that the accepted practice of running a5k conservatively i.e. at level pace, might not suit a lot ofathletes.The problem with the research is that the subjects asked toexecute the trials were from a school’s cross-country teamdoing 55km of training per week. Eleven females wereselected and this was the test format:-1. All were asked to run two 5k times trials a week apart toestablish a baseline pace.2. All were required to run three more 5ks at weeklyintervals but at differing speeds for the first mile: on thefirst 5k they ran level pace for the first mile. On thesecond they ran 6% faster than average on the third, 3%faster. We’ll stop here and estimate what these speedsare for a 15mins male and a 16:40 female. The first is72secs/400 and the second is 80secs/400. 6% fasterfor both is around 68secs/400 for the male and75secs/400 female. 3% faster will by 69secs/400 maleand 77secs/400 female.Having covered the first mile at the specified pace theathletes were asked to continue competitively. Eight of the11 runners did personal best 5ks when they hit the first mile6% faster and the other 3% also did personal bests. Theeven paced runners did not improve. They could not makeup time lost in a slower start. However, the fast starters didslow down more percentage wise towards the end.Is there an explanation? At the end of the first mile theslower runners were at only 78% of their VO2max, about84% maximum heart rate, almost sub marathon speed. Thefaster runners registered 82 and 83% of VO2max after thefirst mile, that’s about 90% of MHR.It’s also known that on average the 4th kilometre of a 5ktends to be the slowest. A good tactic is to train to makethat kilometre the fastest!All athletes should be able to run a 5k not slower than 4seconds per 400 off their best 3k time. Given a best of72/400 in the 3k, the 5k should be run in under76secs/400. A 3k in 10mins which is 80secs/400 is worth17mins 30secs.News from here and there...Mo Jennings, coach to Kelly Holmesand Maria Mutola, after giving herlecture to the UKA/BMC symposium atStratford on Avon in 2006, walked upto an old man sitting by the exit andshaking his hand said “It is an honourand privilege to meet you. I read allyour articles in America.” The old manwas Frank Horwill, BMC founder.---------------Some readers expressed surprise atthe mineral content of the bananapublished in the last BMC NEWSissue Winter – 2006. The figures werecorrect but a decimal point beforethem was omitted so that the ironcontent should read .80mg, niacin.80mg.An athlete recently expressedsurprise that on the Serpentine RCwebsite there are some fifty articleson running subjects taken fromvarious periodicals around the world,including the BMC NEWS, whichreceive 3,000 hits a month. If youwant to improve your runningknowledge or are taking a Level 1,2,3or 4 coaching exam, swot up byusing this website.---------------Past issues of the BMC NEWS are onsale at every Grand Prix for £1. Theysell like hot cakes we are informed.46 BMC News : Autumn 2007