Hello! I would like to ask more questions about mathematical relationship among racewalking, running and swimming. In this video, you said that under same level, the speed of racewalking are 75% of that of running. 1. I tried to run and racewalking at pace around 07:15 per km. I found that the levels of both cases are closer. Which conditions will the mathematical relationship not be broken under? 2. Furthermore, under same VO2 max level, these three cases are equivalent. Swimming freestyle with pace around 1:30 per 100 meters. Running 1:30 per 400 meters. Racewalking 1:30 per 300 meters. Do you agree with this assertion? 3. What is the mathematical relationship between VO2 max and heart rate?
The relative energy costs or running, racewalking and casual walking cross over as speeds decrease. Slow running has a higher energy cost than racewalking and racewalking has a higher energy cost than casual walking--at slow enough speeds. The 21 minute to 28 minute translation for 5Km times only works for a fit and mechanically sound runner who also racewalks and is operating around 70 to 90% of max. Some elite racewalkers can only run slightly faster (as little as 10% in some cases) than they can racewalk. We also know some runners who cannot racewalk more than 100 meters without stopping, although they can run good times for 5Km. Thus the translation of energy costs cannot be used for every individual. There is no one rule on energy cost translation between events but your general rule for swim:run:racewalk is a good starting point to compare the approximate velocity differences at similar oxygen uptakes. In well-trained athletes in sub-maximal work, the heart rate and VO2 are related in a linear manner.
Furthermore, I would like to ask more questions about racewalking and running. 1. I would like to adopt this racewalking training programme for maintaining health. Every Wednesday and Sunday, I would like to do ten sets of economic training once respectively. Furthermore, I do base pace training 1-2 times. 3-4km each time. May this program improve my VO2 max? 2. I run 1,600 meters within 6:09 (3:50 per km). How much is my VO2 max level? 3. Do you recommend any calculator express equivalent VO2 max level in various running/racewalking level?
Improving VO2 Max is more difficult if you are already well trained. If you are just starting out on a rigorous training program, you can increase VO2 Max. I have found the Daniels' Running Formula tables work well for racewalk coaching. If you only use figures from 5Km upwards to set Vdot (racewalkers don't have a sprint gear and their pace versus fitness is distorted at shorter distances), his charts of optimal training paces for easy workouts, VO2 Max, threshold and speed work are excellent.
For a male elite walkers, he may walk 20km within 1:30:00 (4:30 per km). In this case, suppose his VO2 max is 3:45 per km. Is this program reasonable? Economics training: 0:40 per 200 meters. VO2 max: 3:45 per km threshold walk: 4:10 per km Base/recovery walk: 6:15-5:00 per km. However, suppose this program is reasonable. Why are there some elites adopting 07:30 per km as their base pace (LSD training). Will it not be that the training level (07:30 per km) being too low for them?
90 minutes for 20Km is only slightly slower per Km than threshold velocity, which is likely about 4:24-25 per Km. Economy pace for this athlete would be 44-45s per 200, 4:03-4:06 per Km for VO2 max, and base/recovery 5:28-5:24 per km. How slow is too slow to be useful for base work? That is an excellent question and probably varies a lot between individuals. If they are hitting an exercise heart rate above 60% of their max heart rate, there probably is benefit. If they are going this slowly because of tiredness or resdiual soreness from training, they might be better served by a day of cross-training (bike, swim for example) or a day of rest.
When we train on a treadmill, we use a 1/2% grade. This compensates for the lack of any headwind but does not affect the mechanics of race walking. The risk with higher grades is that they may alter the athlete's mechanics and teach them poor form. Most races are on generally flat courses or on tracks.
Ok, running or walking for 1 hr. at the same heart rate has the same training load but I can't understand how to adapt a training schedule based on distance to have the same effect. For example, 4X2000 is a classic training for a 10K race, but how to adapt it? The time to cover the same distance is different so may be the physiologic mechanism I'm going to stress will be different. Should I reduce the distance and increase the repetitions number? I guess the total distance should be the same because at the end, walking or running, I race in both cases 10K.
Running and racewalking a 10Km are physiologically different: the racewalk will take you about 30% longer. The idea is to do the same amount of time at the same effort to make schedules equivalent. Using your example of 4 X 2000M running. Let's say a runner takes 7:30 per 2Km rep and has 3 minutes rest. They are working at just below VO2 max velocity. The perceived exertion is "Hard." and the HR is 90-95 of Max. To get the same training effect, a racewalker of similar ability would do 7:30 minutes of work at a "Hard" effort or 90-95 of max HR with 4 minutes rest repeated 4 times. As you correctly say, this will not be 2000M of racewalking. You can use time to set the work load, or can estimate about how far this particular racewalker will cover. We hit a problem when the racewalker is in their first few years in the event. They can make technique changes that will alter their velocity at VO2 max or threshold in a very short time period. If we have an experienced racewalker who is also mechanically efficient as a runner (We do sometimes see runners who are much better suited to racewalking, and some who have terrible problems trying to master the form), their 7:30 for 4 X 2000M reps might be 4 X 7:30 for reps of 1500M. Look at what training effect you are trying to generate (improved VO2 max or velocity at Lactate Threshold, for example) and apply the same training stress but with the different mechanics of each event. You can even apply what you know of coaching swimmers or cyclists in the same fashion. Each training session has a n effort (heart % of max, perceived exertion, % of Vo2 max and so on) multiplied by time, or time blocks and recovery blocks.
This essential information for creating workouts for speedwalking, thanks Ian! Your videos are a godsend.
Very good points Ian!
Hello! I would like to ask more questions about mathematical relationship among racewalking, running and swimming.
In this video, you said that under same level, the speed of racewalking are 75% of that of running.
1. I tried to run and racewalking at pace around 07:15 per km. I found that the levels of both cases are closer. Which conditions will the mathematical relationship not be broken under?
2. Furthermore, under same VO2 max level, these three cases are equivalent. Swimming freestyle with pace around 1:30 per 100 meters. Running 1:30 per 400 meters. Racewalking 1:30 per 300 meters. Do you agree with this assertion?
3. What is the mathematical relationship between VO2 max and heart rate?
The relative energy costs or running, racewalking and casual walking cross over as speeds decrease. Slow running has a higher energy cost than racewalking and racewalking has a higher energy cost than casual walking--at slow enough speeds. The 21 minute to 28 minute translation for 5Km times only works for a fit and mechanically sound runner who also racewalks and is operating around 70 to 90% of max.
Some elite racewalkers can only run slightly faster (as little as 10% in some cases) than they can racewalk. We also know some runners who cannot racewalk more than 100 meters without stopping, although they can run good times for 5Km. Thus the translation of energy costs cannot be used for every individual.
There is no one rule on energy cost translation between events but your general rule for swim:run:racewalk is a good starting point to compare the approximate velocity differences at similar oxygen uptakes.
In well-trained athletes in sub-maximal work, the heart rate and VO2 are related in a linear manner.
Furthermore, I would like to ask more questions about racewalking and running.
1. I would like to adopt this racewalking training programme for maintaining health. Every Wednesday and Sunday, I would like to do ten sets of economic training once respectively. Furthermore, I do base pace training 1-2 times. 3-4km each time. May this program improve my VO2 max?
2. I run 1,600 meters within 6:09 (3:50 per km). How much is my VO2 max level?
3. Do you recommend any calculator express equivalent VO2 max level in various running/racewalking level?
Improving VO2 Max is more difficult if you are already well trained. If you are just starting out on a rigorous training program, you can increase VO2 Max. I have found the Daniels' Running Formula tables work well for racewalk coaching. If you only use figures from 5Km upwards to set Vdot (racewalkers don't have a sprint gear and their pace versus fitness is distorted at shorter distances), his charts of optimal training paces for easy workouts, VO2 Max, threshold and speed work are excellent.
For a male elite walkers, he may walk 20km within 1:30:00 (4:30 per km). In this case, suppose his VO2 max is 3:45 per km. Is this program reasonable?
Economics training: 0:40 per 200 meters.
VO2 max: 3:45 per km
threshold walk: 4:10 per km
Base/recovery walk: 6:15-5:00 per km.
However, suppose this program is reasonable. Why are there some elites adopting 07:30 per km as their base pace (LSD training). Will it not be that the training level (07:30 per km) being too low for them?
90 minutes for 20Km is only slightly slower per Km than threshold velocity, which is likely about 4:24-25 per Km.
Economy pace for this athlete would be 44-45s per 200, 4:03-4:06 per Km for VO2 max, and base/recovery 5:28-5:24 per km.
How slow is too slow to be useful for base work?
That is an excellent question and probably varies a lot between individuals. If they are hitting an exercise heart rate above 60% of their max heart rate, there probably is benefit. If they are going this slowly because of tiredness or resdiual soreness from training, they might be better served by a day of cross-training (bike, swim for example) or a day of rest.
Thank you for the video. Can we train on 3% treadmill incline or we need to setup at 0%?
When we train on a treadmill, we use a 1/2% grade. This compensates for the lack of any headwind but does not affect the mechanics of race walking. The risk with higher grades is that they may alter the athlete's mechanics and teach them poor form. Most races are on generally flat courses or on tracks.
Ok, running or walking for 1 hr. at the same heart rate has the same training load but I can't understand how to adapt a training schedule based on distance to have the same effect. For example, 4X2000 is a classic training for a 10K race, but how to adapt it? The time to cover the same distance is different so may be the physiologic mechanism I'm going to stress will be different. Should I reduce the distance and increase the repetitions number? I guess the total distance should be the same because at the end, walking or running, I race in both cases 10K.
Running and racewalking a 10Km are physiologically different: the racewalk will take you about 30% longer.
The idea is to do the same amount of time at the same effort to make schedules equivalent. Using your example of 4 X 2000M running. Let's say a runner takes 7:30 per 2Km rep and has 3 minutes rest. They are working at just below VO2 max velocity. The perceived exertion is "Hard." and the HR is 90-95 of Max.
To get the same training effect, a racewalker of similar ability would do 7:30 minutes of work at a "Hard" effort or 90-95 of max HR with 4 minutes rest repeated 4 times. As you correctly say, this will not be 2000M of racewalking. You can use time to set the work load, or can estimate about how far this particular racewalker will cover.
We hit a problem when the racewalker is in their first few years in the event. They can make technique changes that will alter their velocity at VO2 max or threshold in a very short time period. If we have an experienced racewalker who is also mechanically efficient as a runner (We do sometimes see runners who are much better suited to racewalking, and some who have terrible problems trying to master the form), their 7:30 for 4 X 2000M reps might be 4 X 7:30 for reps of 1500M.
Look at what training effect you are trying to generate (improved VO2 max or velocity at Lactate Threshold, for example) and apply the same training stress but with the different mechanics of each event. You can even apply what you know of coaching swimmers or cyclists in the same fashion. Each training session has a n effort (heart % of max, perceived exertion, % of Vo2 max and so on) multiplied by time, or time blocks and recovery blocks.