Have you ever heard of the term Interval Running? Some people, like myself, call it by other terms like Power Runs. So what's this all about?
Interval Running is a type of training to improve your overall speed. I did a lot of it when I was training for my IPPT. For non Singaporeans, IPPT or Individual Physical Proficiency Test is a test of the Singapore Armed Forces as a gauge on the fitness of its servicemen. Well, IPPT requires a 2.4km run. For the crazy people from Commando and Divers, the timing required is under 9 min 15 seconds. To pass, one has to run faster than 13 minutes.
Anyway, Interval Running helps in improving your time. It involves running for a short period of time or distance, followed by a short rest or slow jog. For instance, say you run for 600 metres then you rest for 1 minute. Then you repeat the process. The thing about this exercise is that you have to run quickly. When you do so, you pant more and you take deeper and bigger breaths. I believe this will in turn improve the amount of oxygen you and your muscles can take in. Also, Interval running helps in improving your muscle endurance. The more and harder you run, the better your muscle endurance will be.
Does it work? Well in my humble opinion (IMHO), I believe it really does. Much as I really hate doing it, I believe it is one of the few ways to get that elusive Gold. Getting Gold and you get rewarded by the Singapore Government. Your prize money is $400! Well, I haven't achieved it for quite some time now. Dang. Have to keep trying.
Monday I did one on the treadmill in school. I ran a moderate pace of about 10 on the treadmill. I'm guessing it's 10km per hour. I ran at that pace for about 4 km before I started on the dreaded training. So I started running at a pace of 12.8 for 2 minutes followed by 10.6 for 2 minutes "slower" jog. Damn. It's tiring. The pace was subsequently upped till about 13.3. Man am I tired. I did a total of about 6 sets of that and I completed Monday's run of about 8.8km. Today's a Thursday and I'm still tired. Haha.. I know.. Friend A and his friends will say I'm a bum. Haha..
So anyway, now you know about Interval Running. Hate it..
Interval Running is a type of training to improve your overall speed. I did a lot of it when I was training for my IPPT. For non Singaporeans, IPPT or Individual Physical Proficiency Test is a test of the Singapore Armed Forces as a gauge on the fitness of its servicemen. Well, IPPT requires a 2.4km run. For the crazy people from Commando and Divers, the timing required is under 9 min 15 seconds. To pass, one has to run faster than 13 minutes.
Anyway, Interval Running helps in improving your time. It involves running for a short period of time or distance, followed by a short rest or slow jog. For instance, say you run for 600 metres then you rest for 1 minute. Then you repeat the process. The thing about this exercise is that you have to run quickly. When you do so, you pant more and you take deeper and bigger breaths. I believe this will in turn improve the amount of oxygen you and your muscles can take in. Also, Interval running helps in improving your muscle endurance. The more and harder you run, the better your muscle endurance will be.
Does it work? Well in my humble opinion (IMHO), I believe it really does. Much as I really hate doing it, I believe it is one of the few ways to get that elusive Gold. Getting Gold and you get rewarded by the Singapore Government. Your prize money is $400! Well, I haven't achieved it for quite some time now. Dang. Have to keep trying.
Monday I did one on the treadmill in school. I ran a moderate pace of about 10 on the treadmill. I'm guessing it's 10km per hour. I ran at that pace for about 4 km before I started on the dreaded training. So I started running at a pace of 12.8 for 2 minutes followed by 10.6 for 2 minutes "slower" jog. Damn. It's tiring. The pace was subsequently upped till about 13.3. Man am I tired. I did a total of about 6 sets of that and I completed Monday's run of about 8.8km. Today's a Thursday and I'm still tired. Haha.. I know.. Friend A and his friends will say I'm a bum. Haha..
So anyway, now you know about Interval Running. Hate it..
1 comment:
Friend of Friend A - Join us for a real run next week lah.
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