Reading Daniels' Running Formula - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Training Principles and Tips

Notes & Quotes

While the previous chapter was general "laws" of running and training, Daniels gets a little closer to defining the rules of training, and a little more specific about the "whys" in this chapter.

Before giving specific tips/principles, he notes that extreme approaches to training should generally be avoided. Better to have a general training approach that's flexible for most/all runners than it is to train for the extremely talented, which may only lead to one or two runners performing well, leaving the rest behind.

Principles of Training

"Every time you impose a specific stress, there will be immediate reactions in different parts of your body.... over time there is a different reaciong to a particular repeated stress, and that is the body strengthening itself." (17)

"The tissues being stressed are the ones that react to that stress" (18) (i.e., train for what you're racing)

"If you overstress some body parts, they may not get tougher; in fact, they may get weaker or break down completely." (18)

"Whenever you are not sure which of two training sessions to take on at any particular time, select the less stressful of the two." (18)

You should always be able to answer the question, "What is the purpose of this workout?" <-- this is a common, repeated maxim by Daniels.

The body responds to "new stress." Usually with a fitness increase. Fitness then plateaus, which requires new, increased stress. There are several ways to increase stress:

  • Increase workload (run farther)
  • Increase intensity (run faster)
  • Decrease recovery (rest less between "intervals")
  • Increase frequency (run more)

"It is not a good idea to change more than one of the training variables." (22)

Everyone has limits, whether that's personal maximum limits or seasonal limits due to other responsibilities / commitments.

Basically, it's harder to increase fitness the more fitness increases. (A 30 second mile-time decrease is much easier from 8:00 to 7:30 than it is from 5:30 to 5:00)

There is essentially an "ideal window" for overall training intensity. As training intensity increases, the possibility and chance of setback increases drastically.

"It is easier to maintain a level of fitness than it was to achieve that fitness" (26)

Other specific principles

In general, 180 steps / minute is the average ideal for runners, especially for racing. Running at 180 steps / minutes should also help normalize a runner's form without doing much else (e.g., they will find their natural most comfortable foot strike & breath rate when trying to run at 180).

Basically, it varies by athlete.

2-2 (breathe in for 2 steps, then out for 2 steps) is most common and probably most efficient for receiving oxygen at higher intensity levels. You can use this as a baseline to determine how hard an athlete is working

Tagged: Daniels Running Formula, reading, notes,

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