Q: Sprints for Runners

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neverstray
neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How do you do sprints? I know this sounds stupid, but I've never done them. How far do you run and how many times. I would like to work on power and strength, and do my distance on other days. I'm just not sure if I go 50 yards, or 100 yards, or how do you do it, and what is the timing like? How long do you rest in-between. And also, do you run as fast as you can for that duration?

Sorry for all the questions, it's just something I want to get out there and try, but don't know exactly what to do.

Thanks.

Replies

  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
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    I've recently started sprints as well. My routine is stretch and 5 mins jog to warm up and then i sprint the distance of three lamp posts, then walk one, jog two, sprint three. If I get tired I stop at a park bench and do 8 - 12 bench dips. The whole workout lasts about 20 mins. The sprints should be 100% flat out, as fast as you can.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    I do strides about once a week. In the last two miles of a run, I will do 8 to 10 repeats of either 20 seconds or 100 meters at a pace that is somewhere around mile race pace or faster with 1:00 easy jog recovery between each one. Not exactly a sprint, but it's about as fast as I can possibly run after having run 6 or more miles prior to beginning them. The purpose? To get the legs used to the faster turnover, to recruit fast twitch fibers and to work on anaerobic conditioning without going into oxygen debt and creating lactate build up in the muscles.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I do sprints on the treadmill...I'll jog at a moderate pace for 1 minute (6.5mph) and sprint for 30 seconds (9.0mph). Rinse and repeat for 15-20 min. It is one heck of a workout.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    It just sounds like you're all doing HIIT. Not really sprints. Maybe it's the same thing.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    It just sounds like you're all doing HIIT. Not really sprints. Maybe it's the same thing.

    I am most definitely not doing HIIT.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    It just sounds like you're all doing HIIT. Not really sprints. Maybe it's the same thing.

    I am most definitely not doing HIIT.

    OK. Thanks. I'm new to this, so trying to understand. I like what you are doing. I kind of do that, just not in a strucutred way.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
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    It just sounds like you're all doing HIIT. Not really sprints. Maybe it's the same thing.

    I am most definitely not doing HIIT.

    OK. Thanks. I'm new to this, so trying to understand. I like what you are doing. I kind of do that, just not in a strucutred way.
    Strides are an integral part of most distance running programs and provide all the benefits I listed in my first post. HIIT is designed to give you a big calorie burn, not make you a better, faster runner. So, if your goal is to get faster, you need to train like a runner. If you just want to drop pounds, then use whatever works best for you for that purpose.
  • supersmiles11
    supersmiles11 Posts: 50 Member
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    Can I ask what HIIT is?
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Can I ask what HIIT is?

    High Intensity Interval Training.

    In running, it might be where you run at a slow easy pace for 2 minutes, then run liek a bat out of hell for 1 minute, and do this for 20 minutes straight. Its a huge fat burner.
  • BenderFitness
    BenderFitness Posts: 349
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    There are many different ways you can do strides and sprints. One easy way is to go to a track and sprint the straight parts, jog the curves for recovery. If you are doing this as your entire workout you can do 4-8 or so depending on how you feel. If you are doing this in addition to a workout you can do it about 3-5X during your warmup or cooldown. Always build up in addition to your current running program.

    The other thing I do with my runners is have them do 100 yard strides on the football field, jog back and repeat about 4X.

    Sometimes I add an 8-15 second hill sprint on to the end of my running workouts. That's just a few options! Hope that helps! Remember to always listen to your body!
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    Hi Mellisa, thanks. I'll probably try that. I like the football field 100 yard idea. Easy enough to follow.

    I have stairs, and on some of my shorter runs, I run up and down about 18 flights of stairs over the course of a 5k, for instance. I know that not the same as sprinting, but it's a killer workout.
  • supersmiles11
    supersmiles11 Posts: 50 Member
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    Can I ask what HIIT is?

    High Intensity Interval Training.

    In running, it might be where you run at a slow easy pace for 2 minutes, then run liek a bat out of hell for 1 minute, and do this for 20 minutes straight. Its a huge fat burner.

    Thanks for answering my question! :-)
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. For pure speed you would sprint for 100 to 200 meters all out and then take a full recovery then do it again. If you are trying to build VO2max then you want to run between 5k and mile pace for 2 to 5 minutes and then take a partial recovery then do it again. If you are trying to maintain leg speed and stride then the strides described above are good. For building stamina and getting used to running at a hard pace unstructured fartleks work well.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    I'm trying to add strength, and simply, variety, to my runs. Also, make long distance easier.
  • tcatcarson
    tcatcarson Posts: 227 Member
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    I have started doing hill sprints on a Friday - a jog to warm up then 30 secs uphill as fast as I can. Walk back down and repeat. By the 3rd time I am really feeling it, and only manage 5 runs before calling it a day! The whole thing can last as little as 10 minutes. As a comparison I run for 1hr 30mins each Sunday. The sprints are just SO different for my body!

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