Key principles of any Running Workout
- The goal is not the quantity of miles run, but the quality of each training session. I mean, if you can only do five out of eight 100m races sufficiently well, there is no reason for you to run more than six of them.
- If at the end of a long run you have the energy to speed up, then you are doing everything right.
- Never train when you are tired. If you feel that fatigue is building up, I recommend that you reduce the load or take a break for a few days (no matter how awesome the mountain you are dreaming of).
- Never train if you are ill or have a fever.
- Never train if you have suffered a trauma, have inflamed joints (arthritis) or any other condition.
- Never exercise if your pulse is over 180 beats per minute.
- Don’t overexert yourself: you shouldn’t feel any discomfort after training, only sore muscles.
- Never run too hot.
- Avoid severe dehydration. Excessive sweating is not good for long distance running, so choose your clothes wisely.
- Avoid eating fatty foods three hours before training. Avoid drinking fizzy drinks and exercising when you are absolutely hungry – all these factors dramatically affect results.
- Be careful with outdoor spring training in cold weather.
- Take care of your knees and ankles: choose your shoes carefully, avoid falling or hitting hard surfaces.
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When running, always keep track of your time – down to the second – to compare results. In the stadium, for example, a good GPS will give an error of 500-600m per 10km. That adds up to at least two minutes in the end. And you can spend half a year trying to make up those two minutes. For a while I trained with people who thought they were running 17km (in the park) when it was only 10km. Before that, I was thinking about why trained climbers sometimes have such bad timing. So if you are not training in a stadium, try to check your results from time to time by running in areas where the distances are correctly measured.
Running Workout Tips for Mountain Climbing
- Interval running on a track is less successful than in a stadium because the pace is less dynamic and you have to rely on the speed developed on the track rather than on your own perceptions.
- Even long distances are more challenging and unnatural on a track, because when you run 10km “steady pace” means a steady heart rate, not a steady speed. And you adjust your pace to make you feel comfortable, whereas on an electric treadmill it works the other way round. Don’t be embarrassed to set different speeds for different times.
- Remember that there are different running techniques for sprinting and cross-country running. But we won’t go into this subject because it is vast and controversial.
- Don’t underestimate the sprint. On average, you get tired more quickly; “hills” are counted in the number of kilometres for orientation.
How to Train for Elbrus Climb and Other Non-Technical Ascents
First of all, try to determine your level of fitness. The following exercise programs are meant for a pretty high level of general physical preparedness, so if you can’t run 5 km in 30 minutes (or 35 for women), you’d better quit reading this article.
Here are three training program for Mount Elbrus for you to select from:
- Beginner level – if you run 5 km in 30 minutes or less
- Intermediate level – if you run 10 km in 50 minutes or less
- Advanced level – if you run 10 km in 45 minutes or less.
Have you made your choice? If so, switch it for a program one level lower and begin your training. In two months you can switch back to your originally selected program.
Please note that foot strength exercises are omitted on purpose – you can add them on any day you need. Some prefer to do them after long distances, some – after short ones. Here is just a couple of those strength exercises: 100 knee bending at a speed, with 2–3 intervals, without muscle relaxation, up to the position of the thigh being parallel to the floor (no deeper). You can do the exercises with jumps. Actually you can do both of them in turns, though personally I prefer knee bends.
For full-featured sprint you will have to exercise calf muscles. To do so you will need as little as a street curb or a stair 7–10 cm high.
Stairs/hills with weights on feet and/or belt can be added once a week on any of workouts.
Beginner Level Training Program for Mount Elbrus example
1st week
Monday or Tuesday: 5 to 10 km cross-country.
Wednesday or Thursday: 2 km jog + warm-up, “hill” 100-200-300-400 (70-80%, total 2 km), warm-up and 2 km jog.
Friday or Saturday: 5 to 10 km of cross-country.
2nd week
Monday or Tuesday: 2 km jog + warm up, 4 x 100 with 100m slow down intervals.
Wednesday or Thursday: 5 to 10 km cross-country with accurate timing.
Friday or Saturday: warm-up, 2 km jog, “hill” 100-200-300-400 (70-80%, total 2 km).
Intermediate Level Training Exercises for Mountain Climbing example
1st week
Monday: 2 km jog + warm-up, “hill” 100-200-300-400-400-300-200-100 (70-80%, total 4 km).
Tuesday or Wednesday: 10 km cross-country with accurate timing.
Thursday or Friday: 2 km jog + warm-up, “hill” 100-200-300-400-400-300-200-100 (70-80%, total of 4 km).
Saturday or Sunday: cross-country if you feel like it.
2nd week
Monday: 2km jog + warm up, 8 x 100 with 100m slow down intervals (16km total).
Tuesday or Wednesday: 10km of cross-country with accurate timing.
Thursday or Friday: 2 km jog+warm-up, “hill” 100-200-300-400-400-300-200-100 (70-80%, total 4 km).
Saturday or Sunday: cross-country if you feel like it.
Advanced Level Training Exercises for Mountain Climbing example
1st week
Monday: 2 km of jogging+warm-up, “hill” 100-200-300-400-500-600-600-400-300-200-100 (70-80%, total of 8,4 km).
Tuesday or Wednesday: 10 km of cross-country with accurate time measurement.
Thursday or Friday: 2 km of jogging+warm-up, sprint 8 x 100 with 100 m slow down intervals (total of 16 km).
Saturday: cross-country 20 km.
2nd week
Monday: 2km jog + warm-up, sprint 6 x 400 (70-80%, total 4.8km).
Tuesday or Wednesday: 10km cross-country with accurate timing.
Thursday or Friday: 2 km jog + warm-up, hill 100-200-300-400-500-600-600-400-300-200-100 (70-80%, total 8.4 km)
Saturday: cross country 20 km
Some Extra Tips and Notes
- Weekly programs can be interchanged or separated by a week of rest (with as little as a couple of simple cross-countries).
- When doing “hill” exercises, you shouldn’t stop or switch to walking. The 100-200-300-200-100 mean that you should run 100 m fast, then 100 m slowly (even as slow as 2 km/h, almost running in place – just don’t stop; your goal is to restore for the moment when you have to speeding-up). Then 200 m fast and 200 m slowly, 300 m fast and 300m slowly, 200 m fast and 200 m slowly, 100 m fast and 100 m slowly.
- The percentage in brackets is a subjective factor: while 100% is obvious, 70-80% means you’re running with some reserve – it’s pretty hard to get to the top of the hill with a pulse rate of up to 160 bpm.
- 4×100 with 100 m slow down intervals should be implemented without breaks or slowing down to walking. It means that 100-meter dashes at maximal speed are intermitted with 100-meter intervals of jogging between sprints.
- To climb Elbrus (Kazbek, Ararat, Demavend, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi and a few other peaks), an average climber only needs the beginner’s training plan above. To climb Aconcagua and Lenin Peak, you will need to choose the Intermediate program.
Sergey BaranovThe goal is not the quantity of miles run, but the quality of each training session. I mean, if you can only do five out of eight 100m races sufficiently well, there is no reason for you to run more than six of them.