RABC Update: The "Subsonic" Experiment

Greetings,

It's been a long time since my last post.  Mainly, track season got in the way in a hurry and whatever free time I had, it was eaten up with other things. Its done now, but I'm also gearing up for area 5K's that I'm directing.

Workout postings have been sparse. Still not sure which direction to take it in the future. I'm kind of a hybrid and out-of-the-ordinary person when it comes to workouts.  I enjoy traditional stuff like RABC bench, squats, and deadlift stuff.  I am also an advocate of kettlebells and all they offer. Bodyweight exercise circuits are also a part of my 'thing' when it comes to training, and let's not forget running workouts. Big fan of the Track and what a good old track workout can offer you.

Here's a simple to do Track workout that I've been experimenting with this month.

I call it "Subsonic" because you are going at faster than race pace, like a 5K pace, with very minimal rests.

This workout is best if you can do a 400 in 1:30 or less, and also 200m in 45 seconds or less. 

For me, I can cover 400's in 80-85 seconds in repeat mode, and 200's in 38-40 seconds in repeat mode.

I got the idea for the workout after doing 20/10 Tabata's so much with the HWR workouts and also with KB workouts.  Everything cycles around 4 minutes of total time it seems. It also follows a 2:1 work/rest ratio.  So, I decided to try the following and see what kind of times I could produce on the track in this work/rest ratio format.

Since my 200's were basically in 40 seconds on average, I'd figure I'd rest 20 seconds and keep it simple by doing a 200 every minute.

4 rounds of this takes only 4 minutes, and you get in an 800 in distance volume, plus its done in about a 2:40 time of total time in intervals.

I started out with doing this for the first 4 minutes, then taking 2 minutes rest, and doing it again (on a running clock, I simply rested 2:20 after 3:40 of interval times, following that 40/20 work/rest pattern). This means when 6:00 came on my watch, I started it again with another 4x200 effort.

This mean little workout gives you a 5:20 mile, once intervals and times are added up, in about 10 minutes of time.

I also tested this out with doing 400's every 2 minutes.  I'd get 1:20-1:25 of time to run my 400 in, then rest until every 2 minute mark came about.  4 of these can be done in 8 minutes, and you have your mile done.

The workout I did with the track kids for a speed workout took about 16 minutes to do.

We mimicked a 'very fast moving' track meet this day.  Typically, a distance kid will do one leg of a 4x800m race, so we did 800m worth of a 200 every minute.  We then rested for 4 minutes, and then did 1600m worth of 400's, doing one every 2 minutes.  The 1600m race is typically next in line for the distance runner at a track meet.

Most of the kids were doing the 400's in the mid 70's to early 90's for time. 

A big benefit of this workout is you are learning to control and manage your speed while you are pretty zapped from the repeat, high speed efforts. 

It is not for the first-time runner on the track. A runner definitely needs to be used to speed workouts in order to try this really intense workout.

All in all, we did see some personal bests happen about 2 weeks after this workout.  I can't link it totally to this ONE workout, but it certainly helped some athletes in how they managed their speeds and got used to running a bit uncomfortably at race paces. Some kids told me it was the hardest speed session of the season.

I'm looking at making a more specific Kindle guide for this workout system, as its pretty unique and could be helpful for those looking to shave off some time on a 5K or even for tracksters on their 800, 1600 or 3200 times.

As for now, I'm still experimenting with this workout routine and developing a strategy on doing it as part of a main running plan for race improvement.

Today's workout?  Here you go:

200 every minute x 4, rest 1 more minute, do it again at the 5:00 mark.
200 every minute x 4, rest 1 minute.
200 every minute x 8 (1600 worth), rested for 4 minutes. (This hit the 22:00 mark in total time for me before I went again.)
Finisher:  400 in 82, rested until 3:00, then did another 400 in 77 seconds. 

All in all, this was 2.5 miles of some very fast speed intervals of 200's in the 38-42 range. One section I was able to glide with the wind to my back, getting 37's sometimes. Then the next one I had to go into the wind and barely get a 41-42 time.

Its a great mental edge builder because there isn't much time to whine, you just push yourself through it.

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Lift. Dominate. Repeat.
Rats Alley Barbell Club
Coach Rick Karboviak
http://tinyurl.com/rkofp