Learning to control effort so you don’t go out too fast in races (a common problem) is one of the keys to running success. Many athletes find this hard to do, but it’s a trick that you can practice in every workout so that it becomes natural to you.
I first did the following workout after joining the McMillan Elite training group. Like many training groups, ego can take over when you are running with athletes of a similar standard. The result was always the same though. The athletes who could relax and control the first reps were always the ones who were flying and running strongly at the end. I learned a lot from running this workout many times so I like to prescribe this workout to athletes as a great way to learn control.
Start with 15-20 minutes of easy running for your warm-up
6-8 x 1K at Cruise Interval pace (Use the McMillan Calculator to calculate your target pace)
End with 15-20 minutes of easy running to cool-down
Take 1 minute in between the repeats. If you go too fast in the early repeats, you’ll really suffer in the last few so keep it under control. Over time, you can increase this to 8-10 repeats and it will help you analyze how fit you are becoming. If you are recovering quickly then you can increase the pace. If the recovery seems about right then think about extending the amount of reps you do. Both of these options allow you to get the best out of your body and what it can handle.
“I have achieved my goals for 5K, 10K, and now a Half Marathon – thanks McMillan Running!”
-James W, Run Team member
Written By Greg McMillan
Called “one of the best and smartest distance running coaches in America” by Runner’s World’s Amby Burfoot, Greg McMillan is renowned for his ability to combine the science of endurance performance with the art of real-world coaching. While getting his graduate degree in Exercise Science he created the ever-popular McMillan Running Calculator – called “The Best Running Calculator” by Outside Magazine. A National Champion runner himself, Greg coaches runners from beginners to Boston Qualifiers (15,000+ and counting!) to Olympians.
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