#PreBlast – 12 weeks to BRR

#PreBlast – 12 weeks to BRR

Swift will launch at 0515 on Tuesday from the Vine American Kitchen parking lot in Ballantyne.

Here’s the plan:

• 0500 – launch for extra warm-up and 2nd F
• 0515 – launch from the lot for main warm-up and drills
• 0530 – remaining in the Ballantyne Corporate Park for VO2Max intervals of lengths from 4 minutes on down looking something like this for a 35minute workout:
  • 4min Interval, 3min rest
  • 4min Interval, 3min rest
  • 3min Interval, 2min rest
  • 3min Interval, 2min rest
  • 3min Interval, 2min rest
  • 2min Interval, 1min rest
  • 2min Interval, 1min rest
• 0605 – Head back to launch point

What are VO2Max intervals?  Here’s an overview from http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/interval-sessions-increasing-your-v02-max

• Every runner has heard the term VO2 max, but what is it exactly and why should you care? Your VO2 max (aka maximal aerobic capacity) is the highest rate at which your body can transport oxygen to your muscles, which your muscles can then use to produce energy aerobically. VO2 max is an excellent predictor of running performance for races of 1500 meters to 5K and a significant contributor (along with other factors such as lactate threshold pace) to performance for longer races.

  Using the strategy of maximizing time in the optimal intensity zone helps you to determine how long your intervals should be, how many to do, and how much recovery to take between efforts. When you start an interval, it takes a minute or so for your oxygen consumption to get up to the optimal range. Short intervals, therefore, have a higher proportion of “wasted” time than longer intervals. If your intervals are too long, however, you will not be able to maintain the optimal intensity range for the entire workout.

  Intervals of two to six minutes typically allow runners to accumulate the most time at 95 to 100 percent of VO2 max. For many runners, workouts consisting of a total distance of 6,000 to 8,000 meters of fast running provide an effective balance between providing a strong training stimulus but not requiring too many days to recover. My favorite workouts are six efforts of 1200 meters or six reps of four to five minutes uphill.