How To Run Faster Than 98% Of People

Summary

This video script focuses on improving endurance for running events like 5Ks, half marathons, and marathons. It emphasizes that speed is not the key to success; instead, building a solid foundation through consistent mileage and aerobic conditioning is crucial. The script introduces the concept of eccentric loading and its impact on injury risk, suggesting cross-training activities like cycling and swimming to enhance aerobic base without increasing injury risk. The video uses a red balloon analogy to illustrate the importance of adequate endurance to avoid hitting the 'wall' during races.

Takeaways

• 🏃‍♂️ To improve endurance for races, focus on building a solid foundation rather than just speed.
• 🛤️ 'Mileage' is key in endurance training; increase long run distances gradually to avoid injury.
• 🔄 Consistency in training is crucial for endurance; regular, moderate runs build a strong base over time.
• 🏋️‍♂️ For larger or less experienced runners, cross-training like cycling or swimming can help build aerobic base without excessive strain.
• 🌬️ Aerobic conditioning is about the body's ability to supply oxygen to muscles, which is improved through low-intensity, long-duration exercises.
• 🎈 The red balloon serves as a metaphor for the body's minimum energy supply during endurance activities.
• 💨 Eccentric loading, the impact absorption when running, can lead to injury, especially for larger individuals or those new to running.
• 📈 Improving oxygen delivery to muscles is fundamental for enhancing endurance and performance in long-distance running.
• 📊 Having a baseline measurement, like V2 Max, helps track improvements in endurance training effectively.
• 🕒 The video suggests that speed is not the primary limiting factor for endurance; instead, it's the body's ability to sustain energy supply.

Q & A

What is the main focus for improving performance in long-distance running according to the video?

The main focus for improving performance in long-distance running is not on speed, but on improving endurance.

What are the three ways to improve endurance as mentioned in the video?

The three ways to improve endurance are: 1) Building a solid foundation with mileage, 2) Consistency in training, and 3) Improving aerobic conditioning.

Why is mileage important for building endurance?

Mileage is important because it lays down the foundation for endurance. The more mileage one can do without injury, the greater their endurance will be, up to a certain point.

How should long runs be increased to minimize the risk of injury?

Long runs should be increased slowly over a long period of time to minimize the risk of injury.

What is the recommended long run distance for a half marathon?

For a half marathon, the recommended long run distance is about one and a half times the maximum length of the race.

What role does consistency play in building endurance?

Consistency is crucial as it lays the foundation for endurance. It involves doing small amounts of training fairly often and building up over time.

Why is aerobic conditioning important for endurance in running?

Aerobic conditioning is important because it refers to the body's ability to supply oxygen to the working muscles, which is essential for maintaining endurance over long distances.

What type of exercises can stimulate aerobic conditioning besides running?

Exercises like cycling, swimming, and brisk walking can stimulate aerobic conditioning as long as they provide a minimum physiological response at the appropriate intensity.

What is Eccentric loading, and why is it significant for runners?

Eccentric loading is when the body absorbs the impact of hitting the ground during running, causing the muscles to lengthen and act as shock absorbers, which can lead to damage. It's significant for runners as it contributes to the risk of injury from overtraining.

Why is cross-training beneficial for runners, especially larger or older ones?

Cross-training is beneficial as it allows runners to grow their aerobic base without the inherent injury risk associated with overtraining or excessive running, which can be particularly helpful for larger or older runners.

What does the helium balloon demonstration illustrate about endurance in running?

The helium balloon demonstration illustrates that without enough endurance, the body will eventually slow down to its lowest common denominator, or the point at which it can supply the minimum amount of energy, which is similar to hitting the wall in a race.

Outlines

00:00

🏃‍♂️ Building Endurance for Better Race Performance

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of endurance over speed for running longer distances like 5Ks, half marathons, and marathons. It introduces the concept of a 'red balloon' as a metaphor for understanding endurance. The speaker explains that building endurance is akin to building a house, where the foundation is crucial. The foundation for running is laid through mileage and consistency in training. The speaker suggests gradually increasing long run distances to avoid injuries and highlights the importance of consistency in training to build a solid endurance base. The video also features Brad, who is used as an example to demonstrate the principles discussed.

05:01

🚴‍♂️ Enhancing Aerobic Conditioning Through Cross-Training

The second paragraph delves into the concept of aerobic conditioning, which is the body's ability to supply oxygen to working muscles. It explains that low-intensity, longer-duration exercises are essential for improving aerobic metabolism. The speaker suggests that for larger individuals or beginners, running may not be the most practical way to build aerobic endurance due to the risk of injury from eccentric loading. Instead, cross-training activities like cycling and swimming are recommended to grow the aerobic base without the injury risks associated with excessive running. Brad's attempt to run 1K in under 5 minutes illustrates the point that speed is not the limiting factor for endurance; rather, it's the body's ability to supply oxygen continuously at a higher relative intensity.

Keywords

💡Endurance

Endurance refers to the ability to withstand prolonged physical or mental exertion. In the context of the video, endurance is the key to running longer distances without getting tired. The video emphasizes that improving endurance is more crucial than focusing on speed for better performance in races like 5K, half marathon, and marathon.

💡Mileage

Mileage in running refers to the total distance covered during training. The video suggests that increasing mileage is fundamental to building endurance. It's likened to laying a solid foundation for a house, where the more mileage one can handle without injury, the greater their endurance will be.

💡Consistency

Consistency is the regularity and uniformity of training. The video stresses that consistent training, rather than sporadic high-intensity workouts, is essential for building a strong endurance base. It's about doing small amounts of training regularly over time to maintain a solid foundation.

💡Aerobic Conditioning

Aerobic conditioning is the body's ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles during prolonged exercise. The video explains that improving aerobic conditioning is vital for enhancing endurance. It involves engaging in low-intensity, longer-duration exercises to stimulate the body's aerobic metabolism.

💡Eccentric Loading

Eccentric loading occurs when the muscles lengthen to absorb impact, such as when the foot hits the ground while running. The video points out that eccentric loading can cause significant muscle damage, which is why it's important for runners, especially larger individuals or those new to running, to incorporate cross-training to reduce injury risk.

💡Cross-Training

Cross-training involves participating in different forms of exercise to improve overall fitness and reduce the risk of injury. The video recommends cross-training activities like cycling and swimming for runners to build their aerobic base without the high injury risk associated with excessive running.

💡V2 Max

V2 Max, or ventilatory threshold, is the point at which the body's ability to take in and use oxygen becomes limited. The video hints at comparing one's V2 Max to that of other runners as a way to measure and improve endurance. It's an indicator of how efficiently a runner's body can supply oxygen during exercise.

💡Race Execution

Race execution is the act of performing in a race based on the training and preparation done prior. The video uses the analogy of a renovation reveal to illustrate that race day is about executing the hard work done during training, where endurance is crucial for maintaining performance.

💡Injury Risk

Injury risk refers to the likelihood of getting injured during physical activity. The video discusses the importance of building up mileage and aerobic conditioning in a way that minimizes injury risk, especially for larger runners or those new to the sport.

💡Oxygen Delivery

Oxygen delivery is the process of transporting oxygen from the lungs to the muscles during exercise. The video emphasizes that improving oxygen delivery is crucial for enhancing endurance, as it allows the body to supply the necessary energy for sustained physical activity.

💡Running Foundation

A running foundation in the video refers to the basic training and physical conditioning necessary for a runner to build endurance. It includes aspects like mileage, consistency, and aerobic conditioning, which together form the basis for a runner's ability to perform in longer races.

Highlights

Improving endurance is key to running a faster 5K, half marathon, or marathon, not just focusing on speed.

There are three main ways to improve endurance, which will be explained in the video.

The red balloon is used as a metaphor to understand endurance in running.

Building a solid foundation through mileage is crucial for endurance.

Long runs should be gradually increased to avoid injury and build endurance.

For a 5K, a long run should be about double the distance; for a half marathon, 1.5 times the race length.

Marathon runners should aim to run about 75-80% of the race distance during long runs.

Consistency in training is essential for building a strong endurance base.

Aerobic conditioning is the body's ability to supply oxygen to working muscles.

Low-intensity, longer-duration exercises are necessary to improve aerobic conditioning.

Cross-training like cycling and swimming can help build aerobic base without the injury risk of running.

Eccentric loading, a unique aspect of running, can cause damage and is a reason to cross-train.

The third secret of endurance relates to the helium balloon demonstration and the body's energy supply.

Improving oxygen delivery is crucial for enhancing endurance and performance in long-distance running.

Having a baseline measurement, like V2 Max, is important to track improvements in endurance.

Transcripts

if you're looking to run a faster 5K

half marathon or marathon it's not about

working on speed it's about improving

your endurance the good news is that

there are only three ways to improve

your endurance in this video we're going

to show you what they are how they work

and how you can use them to ensure that

you can run further without getting

tired but first you're probably

wondering what's with the red balloon

and no I'm not auditioning for the

remake of stepen King's

it the secret to understanding how your

endurance works is in this red

balloon I'm just going to put this here

for the

meantime let's look at why I say speed

is not the answer to you running a

faster 5K or marathon before I tell you

I've got Brad with me today to act as my

guinea pig before I explain it to you

Brad off you you go I need you to warm

up so while Brad's warming up let me

tell you the first thing that you need

to do to build your endurance there's a

simple way of thinking of it and it's

like this my wife Haley loves watching

renovation programs especially when

there's a big reveal she loves the way

that the whole place comes together and

how by putting a lamp in a specific

place it can really make all the

difference on a reveal day but imagine

it's like trying to do that when you

haven't bought the lamp or the desk or

haven't built the house when you want to

run a fast 5k or marathon race day is

just like reveal day all the hard work

and everything has been done in the

buildup and the race is just about the

execution the secret to building

endurance is having a solid foundation

and that boils down to two things the

first is mileage mileage is important

because that is literally laying down

the

foundation and the more mileage we can

do without breaking down with injury the

greater your endurance is going to be up

to a point so what we want to do is to

really build up the length of your long

runs really slowly over a long period of

time so we keep your risk of injury low

I can see you wondering how much mileage

is appropriate because obviously for a

five and a half and a marathon we're not

talking about the same number for the

five and the Half Marathon you're

probably looking at being able to run a

long run that's probably double your 5K

and for a half marathon maybe one and a

half times maximum the length of the

race but as we move into the marathon

you're probably looking at doing about

75 to 80% of the total distance of your

race and of course there are differences

when it it comes to running experience

and ability let's look at the second and

that is consistency consistency is what

we do day after day week after week and

month after month and that is what is

going to lay this Foundation or base

that is essential for us to be able to

build your endurance it's not about

doing huge amounts now it's about doing

small amounts fairly often and building

up over time so that we can maintain

that consistency over weeks and months

and even years because the more

consistent you can be the more solid

your base is going to be it's all well

and good having a solid base of training

and being consistent but Runners are

always coming up to me and saying but

Lindsay what about speed and that is

exactly why Brad is here Brad I want you

to go and run 1K in under 5 minutes off

you go you joking

No 5 minutes for a k may not seem that

fast to you but for Brad that's a

stretch and that's because he's 6'8 and

weighs over 300 lb he really wouldn't be

out of place on a rugby field or an NFL

field I'm not sure you can do it but

there's only one way to find out now

that you know the importance of building

the solid foundation running

consistently and doing the right amount

of mileage let's look at the second

factor that impacts endurance there are

actually two parts to this but before

you can implement the first you have to

fully understand the second and that is

your aerobic conditioning that's a fancy

word let me break it down for you

aerobic conditioning is simply the

ability of your body to supply oxygen to

the working muscles when they need it

and in order to stimulate that aerobic

metabolism or to improve your body's

ability to both take oxygen from the

lungs trans Port it in the blood and

deliver it to the working muscles we

need to be doing low

intensity longer duration exercise

regularly and that's not always

practical for big guys like Brad the

important thing for you to understand

from this video is that that aerobic

conditioning can be stimulated by

cycling by Swimming by running by bris

walking as long as you are getting a

minimum physi olcal response out of your

body and training at the appropriate

intensity your body is going to respond

positively and you will improve your

aerobic conditioning and so for a big

guy like Brad or someone who's just

starting out in running it's actually

not practical to do the appropriate

amount of mileage that you need to do in

order to build up that aerobic base

because of the physical damage that is

done from running why one of the unique

aspects of running is that we experience

something called Ecentric loading in a

nutshell Ecentric loading is when you

hit the ground and your body is

absorbing the impact of hitting the

ground instead of Contracting to protect

your body your muscles are lengthening

and when they are lengthening and

essentially acting as shock absorbers a

lot of damage is done and so for

somebody like Brad or a new Runner or a

runner that is starting to get older it

is really important to add in some cross

trining like cycling and swimming

because then you can continue to grow

your aerobic base but without the

inherent injury risk that's associated

with overtraining or doing too much

running oh look here comes Brad ah well

done Brad now I guess you're wondering

what the point of that all was Brad I I

want you to do that another 41 times

you're

joking if only it were that easy speed

is not the limiting factor Brad can run

pretty fast for his size but it turns

out that he doesn't have the endurance

and now we'll get to the Third Secret of

endurance which is exactly why I brought

this balloon we've all done this as kids

breathe in

helium yeah and then it makes our voices

nice and squeaky and as we talk our

voices slowly start to return to normal

and that really is the same as when we

are working on endurance and that is

that if we don't have enough endurance

or we don't train at the right place to

build our endurance what happens is that

your body eventually just comes down to

its lowest common denominator or the

point at which it can supply the minimum

amount of energy and that is why when

you hit the wall you essentially slow

down so much and by really improving our

aerobic base and improving our body's

ability to continually Supply oxygen for

us to run at a higher relative intensity

of our Max that's how you get faster for

five the half marathon and the marathon

as I mentioned earlier on in the video

improving your oxygen delivery is

crucial to being able to improve your

endurance but what does Improvement

actually mean if you don't have a

baseline to compare it to you might

actually be wasting your time watch this

video next to see how your V2 Max

compares to Runners of your

age