Sharla's Log

**Sharla** · 12-23-2008 09:50 AM

Thanks Scrap

So by middle distance you might mean say a 10 km runner?

I'll look into that.

I've been reading articles on the Ross Boxing site and one relating to patience hit a nerve.

I guess that's what part of this is about - having the patience to trust that a few quality workouts a week is better than a heap of shitty ones, not to mention the patience to stick with a training program for a decent amount of time rather than changing it more often than your underwear.

**Scrap** · 12-23-2008 10:46 AM

1500 metres is middle distance in my Book

. Look at a Training program for the event its a mixture of distance and intensity. Use to work at the same Time on the same track as Seb Coe, use to talk at length to Peter Coe, learned a lot. Sebs spent a lot of time in the gym to compliment the Track.

**Youngblood** · 12-23-2008 04:25 PM

That's good to know, Scrap. For track I like to do the 800 m and this year will maybe be moving up slightly in distance and do a couple of events.

Yea...I have a hard time buying into the irreversible slow twitch fiber. I can't see a person having done some longer distance running, to now be stuck in sloth muscle twitch mode without the ability to change and or compliment it. I think it would be beneficial to have both that sort of long term endurance for long rounds required in pros, as well as explosiveness needed.

This is something I too want to look into more, and try to understand better.

**Sharla** · 12-23-2008 09:22 PM

1500 hundred is long! Damn!

Thanks Scrap

I'm sure it is beneficial - I think I might take some time adjusting to it and learning to train for it so I get the same endorphin kick out of it as I do longer runs but I will give it a go over Christmas.

I concur Youngblood - I'll have to read up on it more too but it wouldn't suprise me if there is a lot of natural variation which makes it difficult to find conclusive statistically significant differences.

Check out the huge SD (standard deviations) in the table in the second paper I posted - HUGE - bigger than the differences found!

My supervisor would have me throw that away completely! Granted he's a wanker though.

I'd rep you both but i have to spread it apparently!

**Scrap** · 12-24-2008 12:17 PM

YB, interestingly I work with an 800 metre runner 17 now. When 16 in a year He improved his times by 16 secs in a year His pb for the event is 1 . 49 He is now in the Elite squad. All done by non impact work repairing not destroying, be kind to the muscle and joints they love the memory you give them. They repay you in kind.

**Sharla** · 12-29-2008 01:18 PM

Ok it's late here and I promised myself an early morning tomorrow so i'll try not to blab on too much!

1) Latest thoughts on slow and fast twitch muscle fibres is that slow twitch muscle fibres become better at using oxygen - they can actually do more biological processes I think but I'll have to double check those articles.

Plus they did say that fast twitch fibre area could increase even if they didn't think the concentration of fast twitch muscle fibres increased.

Makes me wonder if there is some local cell signalling involved whereby slow twitch muscle fibres can be recruited to function as fast twitch muscle fibres temporarily.

Perhaps this could be more likely in extreme situations - hence stories of people having super human strength and speed when they are most threatened. Perhaps adrenalin functions to make these slow twitch muscle fibres more receptive to local cell signalling? Just a thought!

2) I've written up a training program which will last me through to mid April. I based it on a training program i found on the net for 1500 m runners. Then i substituted some runs for swims and made a few more changes ..... and a few more but now i'm happy with it.

It is my goal for 2009 is to get over the serious case of training program ADD I have! I am actually going to stick to this one! It will be difficult because i love nothing more than to procrastinate with my various training books making up new programs but i think it becomes a problem when you almost as much time doing that as training while winging about being busy!

3) I have finally de-wossed myself enough to commit to turning up to a new gym on Friday. Got permission from the coach already. Fingers crossed!

I'm a bit nervous about maybe having ruffled too many feathers changing gyms etc. I think i have to give it a shot though! Feeling untrained in my last gym is a wossy reason to quit. if I quit permanently I want to know it's because it's just not for me rather than any external factors.

**Sharla** · 12-30-2008 01:47 AM

9 X 400 m repeats with 2 min walk recovery between each repeat.

It hurt! Looking at the pace etc from my heart rate monitor data I can see exactly why i need to train this!

My heart rate does drop enough with the 2 min recovery but the pace is not exactly explosive.

I think i'm ok with my recovery rate for this workout - although i'll aim to recover to the same extent within 30 seconds. Right now I desperately need to get the pace up though!