Acceleration within a Continuous Effort

Session aim/goal

This session will focus on your acceleration technique, and your upper body during acceleration. What changes in your running help you to accelerate? Try pumping your arms faster and leaning forwards as you accelerate - though you should aim to be upright again once you have reached your top speed.        

Target energy system

You will be training your lactic energy system.

Session warm up

Complete your own warm up to get ready for the session.  Include some exercises to slowly raise your heart rate, appropriate for your level of fitness and the session you're about to follow.  Include some dynamic movement to gently increase the range of body movement. Use this time to think about the session, to prepare your mind for exercise and set your intention.

The main body of this session is a little shorter, so you can go for an extended warm up if you want. As you’ll be accelerating quickly, make sure you are properly warmed up.      

Main session

Mark yourself a distance which takes around 1 minute to jog/run. If you can, try to make a mental note of the quarter way markers.  

1. Jog for the first quarter;
2. Use the second quarter to accelerate and increase your speed;
3. In the third quarter you should be going fast; then
4. Use the last quarter for a controlled deceleration.  

Pause, catch your breath, then walk back to the start for your rest.

Use your quarter marker points as reference guides only, not as exact transition points; move through the speeds gradually and in a controlled manner.
 
Aim for between 6 and 8 reps.

Session cool down

Gently bring your heart rate back down.  If you wish, include some gentle stretching.

Reflection

During the cool down, take a few moments to think about how the session went.

• Did you enjoy it?
• Did you learn anything interesting about your running?
• Think about times when acceleration technique would be useful such as in a sprint finish or getting ahead of the pack before a pinch point (gate/tight corner)?