Mix it up

A buddy asked the other day “I run 2-2.5 miles all the time. Why does it not get easier?” It’s all about the body’s ability to adapt.

When stressing the body repetitively in the same mode, the body can adapt but it adapts in more a survival mode by being able to handle that finite amount of stress. We subconsciously know that the run will be over in 2-2.5 miles so we plan for that and the run gets worse at the 1.5 miles mark as we see that on the treadmill or round that corner. After only a short time of this repetitive training, the body’s adaptation slows and fitness growth is limited.

If we mix things up a bit by varying the speed, intensity, incline, and/or duration, the body will adapt with more fitness and strength than survival methods. As simply as increasing one run a week to 20% more than what is “standard,” fitness will increase faster. If you need to, run/walk by time (run 8 minutes, walk 1 minute, etc) to get to the longer distance. Or vary the speed on one run and doing repeats of 2 minutes faster followed by 3 minutes slower. By mixing things up and varying the induced stress, the body responds by increasing true strength and fitness.

Hope this helps. Go train.

Brian