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Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:16 am

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Journeyman Masters Athlete
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2007 8:15 am
Posts: 30
Location: Harvard University

I've heard this repeated so many times on message boards that I'm really curious where this comes from. I've heard the explanations in terms of fast/slow twitch muscles, etc, but I've never seen real proof - i.e. studies that have indicated that distance running slows down your top speed. And, by this I don't mean that you lose speed because you aren't doing speed training, but that the addition of distance running reduces speed overall.

I'm a 400/800 person, and will do a 4 mile run as part of my weekly mix, and I see the endurance part of the 4 mile run as being important. I'll also have a bunch of shorter intervals - 600's, 300's, 200's, and weights on off days. Also, I'm not above running a 5k once in a while.

The data I've seen that seems the most backed up is how lactate threshold workouts do increase the muscles ability to work at higher lactic acid levels.

I also find interesting quandaries - if I'm not supposed to jog, how can I warm up? If I'm not supposed to stretch until I'm warm, how can I get warm without jogging?

Without a lot of data to back it up - my own view is that I'm going to mix in distance and intervals, and weights and stretching and not worry too much about whether distance running robs me of my speed. If I pull a hamstring, and I need to rehab it, distance running is a good way-station for me, and helps keep the weight off.

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