McMillan Running System: Training Zones

The foundation on the McMillan Running System, is the four training zones. Endurance, Stamina, Speed, and Sprint. If you've ever read a training article, or talked about training with anyone, you've likely heard of these zones before, but by other names: Aerobic Threshold (Endurance), Lactic Threshold (Stamina), Anaerobic Threshold (Speed), or VO2 Max (Sprint).

Plenty of other names out there, but when you step back, most of the coaching systems, whether it's Coach McMillian, Coach Brad Hudson, Coach Jack Hudson are all very similar, with different names. I've become a fan of the McMillan system for the simplistic names, and time based approach to the energy systems.

The zone names are based on the different physiological responses that begin to occur, these are labeled on the chart. The bottom axis will show race pace, which would correspond with prescribed running zones I do up for each athlete. Ie. If I say do a 30 minute Easy Run (Endurance Zone), the pacing of that run at the fast end, should be a pace you think you can hold for 3 1/2 hours at the fast end to around 7 hours at the slow end.

Endurance Zone

This is where most of our running is done. Look at the schedules I provide, most of your mileage will come from long/easy/recovery running kilometers. A common saying is that 80% of your weekly volume should be at an easy effort. This is because the bulk of energy required for running (and racing) comes from energy systems that are improved with endurance based training. It's the building block of running, train this Zone so you can get strong and run for longer, in turn it'll help prepare you body for shorter, faster runs.

These are typically continuous runs that can be from 15-20 minutes to many hours. Just with a goal of covering distance or being on your feet for a specific time. Casual runs are one way to look at them.

Workouts you'll see prescribed in this zone are:

• Easy Runs - Regular runs for time or distance, anywhere from a few minutes to typically 90 minutes.

• Long Runs - Typically those runs over 90 minutes, or just your longest run of the week. Longer runs cause the muscles to burn more fat and the mind to start experiencing fatigue. For experienced runners, typically you'd see a 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hour run every two weeks or so.

• Recovery Runs/Jogs - These are short and much slower runs. This is something you'd do to recover in-between fast/hard intervals or the day after a hard workout/long run when your tired and you need this short stimulus to recover.

Stamina Zone

Often referred to as the threshold training zone, most often associated with 'tempo training'. When you run faster your body produces more lactic acid. Eventually you hit the point where the lactic acid accumulates faster than your body can remove it, this is the lactate threshold. Stamina workouts are designed to push your lactate threshold to a faster pace. A runner's lactate threshold pace is an important predictor of race performance.

Workouts you'll see prescribed in this zone are:

• Steady State Runs - These are sub-threshold runs, because they are run at a pace just slower than the lactate threshold. Continuous running for 20 to 75 minutes (with a adequate warmup). These are harder than an easy run as your effort now rises to an easy-medium effort and increased breathing, but you remain in control. Despite not being widely discussed, this may be the most effective Stamina Zone workout. The pace isn't too taxing, but the duration of running makes it a tough effort. These will enhance your body's ability to use oxygen and remove lactic acid efficiently, making faster running easier. A recovery day subsequent to this workout is recommended to see maximum benefit.

• Tempo Runs - The more common Stamina Zone workout. You up the intensity a little from the Steady State Run and should be run right at the lactate threshold. Focus is on the rhythm of your running, and typically last from 15 to 30 minutes. It should be "comfortably hard", so don't force the pace too much.

• Tempo Intervals - These are faster tempo runs, broken into shorter repeats with a short recovery jog between. Typically they last 8 to 15 minutes with a 2 to 5 minute recovery between each repeat. If you struggle at holding pace for the longer Steady State or Tempo Runs or run then too fast, these workouts can help teach you how to maintain appropriate stamina effort.

• Cruise Intervals - These are shorter and slightly more intense tempo intervals. They last from 3 to 8 minutes and are followed by 30 seconds to 2 minutes of recovery interval. It's easy to run too fast on these intervals, but the key to improvement is keeping them under control and working on a smooth, fast rhythm.

Speed Zone

This where you push the maximum capacity of your aerobic system. This is where (obviously) we do our speed work using repetitions that push you maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 Max) with short recoveries. Typically a repetition will last from 1 to 5 minutes and the recovery will be either half the distance of the interval or equal to the time duration of the interval. These workouts help you sustain speed over a longer period of time. As your fitness improves your recovery times can decrease, careful as adding too many repetitions may cause the workout to drift into being a Stamina Zone activity.

Workouts you'll see prescribed in this zone are:

• Speed Intervals & Fartleks - Intervals could exist in the form of ie. 400m on a track or marked road, or you can base them on time and effort by doing fartlek runs. Fartlek is a Scandinavian word meaning "speed play". They are fantastic works out to do here in NL where the weather and route difficulty often prevent optimal repeats. A typical example would be after an adequate warmup do 10 repeats of 1 minute hard/on effort and 1 minute easy/off effort. During the "on" intervals you should be running fast enough that you cannot sustain the pace for more than a few minutes.

Sprint Zone

Workouts in this zone are designed to help improve your top-end speed and consolidate your stride and form. The goal is to run very fast, let the mind/body recover, and then do it again. These workouts improve your ability to tolerate and remove lactic acid, and improve your running form.

Workouts you'll see prescribed in this zone are:

• Sprint Intervals - Often called lactic acid tolerance workouts, these are similar to speed intervals but they last only a short period, 100M to 400M with a very long recovery period, two to five times the duration of the interval or at least one to two times the distance. The goal is to flood the muscles with lactic acid and then let them recover. Overtime your leg strength (and mental strength) and ability to buffer lactic acid will improve.

• Strides - Often called wind sprints, pickups, or striders, they improve your sprinting technique by teaching legs to turn over quickly. However, it's really the neuromuscular system being developed here, so they only last 10 to 20 seconds, as you want to avoid lactic acid building up the way it will during Sprint Intervals because lactic acid inhibits the nervous system and interferes with the neuromuscular adaptations. After each stride the recovery period should be 30 to 90 seconds to ensure muscles are ready for the next stride. The pace is very fast, but it is not all-out sprinting. The goal is to be fast but always under control and focused on good running form. You can incorporate these mid run or at the end. You'll see big improvements on your finishing kick in races.

I've included a couple charts for helping you figure out your efforts for workouts, and judging how it should "feel". I know I will prescribe pace ranges, but somedays you may be tired, weather could be garbage, just not feeling it, don't worry about pushing to a specific pace to make your watch happy, focus on the effort. If it doesn't feel like I have described, slow down or speed up.

Hopefully this guide gives you some insight into the workouts I prescribe and the intent of them.

If you have any questions reach out to me through Final Surge, e-mail: markdidham@gmail.com; or Facebook PM.