When was the last time you ever ran hard, full speed, for a relatively lengthy distance? Do you want to see how truly fit you are? Run a 400 meter sprint.
A friend of mine has been training with me for the past 3 months or so. He's a great training partner. Enthusiastic, willing to give everything his best effort. A few months ago when we first started to train together I told him we were going to do some sprints at the nearby high school track. I saw his eyes widen. He had a look of fear on his face. But he got out there and ran 400 m, 200 m, and 100 m sprints. Granted he was gassed at the end, but he did it. And his times have improved each time since.
The thing about sprinting is it's an anaerobic activity. Much like weight lifting. Ever notice sprinters bodies? They're usually lean and muscular. The type of bodies most people aspire to. But doing sprints will do more than just give you a sprinters physique. It will raise your anaerobic threshold. What is that you ask? Well to put it in automotive terms, it's like increasing the redline on your engine. At lower RPM's you're engine (your heart) will run more efficiently.
If you're a distance runner doing sprints will help you too. You will probably notice that you will be able to run at a quicker pace for a longer distance. If you lift weights, you'll notice your endurance in the gym will increase, allowing you to crank out more reps at higher weights. And if you participate in any organized sports, well, sprints are only going to improve your performance out there on the field/court.
So don't be afraid, go out to your local high school track, bring a stop watch, and do some sprints. It'll hurt at first, but I bet the competitor in you will want to go out there again, to see if you can beat your last time. Just be sure to stretch and do a warm up lap or two before you take off.
Here's to training hard.
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