80/20 Running

1. 80/20 Rule: The Secret to Faster Running

Do 80 percent of your training at low intensity and 20 percent at moderate and high intensities.

The 80/20 Rule is the cornerstone of effective running training. It dictates that runners should spend approximately 80% of their total training time at low intensity (below the ventilatory threshold) and the remaining 20% at moderate to high intensities. This approach has been proven to yield superior results compared to more intense training regimens.

Key benefits of the 80/20 approach:

• Allows for higher overall training volume
• Reduces injury risk
• Enhances aerobic capacity more effectively
• Improves fatigue resistance
• Develops running skill through relaxed smooth ease

The 80/20 Rule applies to runners of all levels, from beginners to elite athletes. It provides a framework for balancing the stress of training with adequate recovery, allowing for consistent improvement over time.

2. The Evolution of Optimal Training Intensity

The transition from the standard training system of the Victorian age—which featured small amounts of slow and fast running—to the modern training system—which is characterized by large quantities of slow running and modest doses of fast running—did not occur suddenly. It happened inch by inch, the way animals evolve.

Historical progression of running training methods has led to the 80/20 approach. The evolution of training intensity distribution in running parallels the process of natural selection in biology. Over time, the most effective training methods have survived and been adopted widely.

Key milestones in training evolution:

• Victorian era: Small amounts of slow and fast running
• 1950s: High-intensity interval training popularized by Emil Zátopek
• 1960s: Arthur Lydiard's revolution of high-volume, low-intensity training
• 1970s-1980s: Widespread adoption of mostly slow training by elite runners
• Present day: Scientific validation of the 80/20 approach

This evolutionary process has been driven by the success of athletes who adopted these methods, leading to their widespread acceptance in the running community.

3. Scientific Evidence Supporting 80/20 Training

The biggest performance gains were seen in the polarized training group. Their time to exhaustion in the incremental run test (or bike test, for nonrunners) increased by a whopping 17.4 percent, compared to 8.8 percent in the high-intensity group, 8 percent in the high-volume group, and 6.2 percent in the threshold group.

Research validates the effectiveness of the 80/20 approach. Multiple studies have demonstrated that runners who follow an 80/20 intensity distribution improve more than those using other training methods.

Key findings from 80/20 research:

• Runners following 80/20 improved 5K times by 7%, compared to 5.3% in a 65/35 group
• 10K times improved by 5% in an 80/20-like group vs. 3.5% in a 50/50 group
• Polarized training (similar to 80/20) increased time to exhaustion by 17.4% vs. 8.8% or less in other groups

These studies provide strong evidence that the 80/20 approach is superior for improving running performance across various distances and fitness levels.

4. Enhancing Aerobic Capacity and Fatigue Resistance

Aerobic metabolism is more efficient and less fatiguing than other ways the muscles have of powering themselves. The more oxygen your muscles are able to use to fuel your running, therefore, the faster you can run over long distances and the farther you can run at race speeds.

Aerobic development is crucial for running performance. The 80/20 method enhances both aerobic capacity (VO2max) and fatigue resistance, leading to improved running performance.

Benefits of 80/20 training on aerobic fitness:

• Increases mitochondrial density in muscle cells
• Improves heart muscle contraction force
• Enhances IL-6 release, boosting endurance
• Develops the brain's capacity to resist fatigue

While high-intensity training can quickly boost VO2max, the 80/20 approach allows for greater overall training volume, leading to more substantial and sustained improvements in aerobic fitness and fatigue resistance.

5. Developing Running Skill Through Relaxed Smooth Ease

Becoming a more skillful and efficient runner is more like growing a beard than it is like chopping wood. In other words, you don't make it happen—you allow it to happen.

Relaxed smooth ease is the hallmark of skillful running. It develops naturally through consistent practice, particularly through low-intensity running, rather than through conscious technique adjustments.

Key aspects of developing running skill:

• Increased stride variability with experience
• Reduced brain activity during running (quieter brain)
• Enhanced adaptability to fatigue and changing conditions
• Improved running economy without conscious form changes

The 80/20 approach, with its emphasis on high-volume, low-intensity running, provides the ideal conditions for developing relaxed smooth ease and improving running economy over time.

6. Monitoring and Controlling Running Intensity

To practice 80/20 running effectively, you need to actively monitor and control your intensity throughout every run.

Intensity control is essential for implementing the 80/20 method. Runners should use a combination of perceived effort, heart rate, and pace to monitor and control their running intensity.

Methods for monitoring intensity:

• Perceived effort: Use a 1-10 scale
• Heart rate: Establish personal zones based on lactate threshold
• Pace: Use recent race times or heart rate data to set pace targets

Guidelines for using intensity metrics:

• Use perceived effort to establish initial intensity
• Rely on heart rate for low-intensity runs
• Use pace for high-intensity intervals
• Combine heart rate and pace for moderate-intensity efforts
• Allow perceived effort to have the final say in all runs

Proper intensity control ensures that runners maintain the correct 80/20 balance in their training.

7. Implementing 80/20 Training with Proven Workouts

There are several distinct types of runs that are practiced almost universally by elite runners. Like the 80/20 Rule, these workouts emerged as best practices through decades of collective trial and error.

Diverse workout types are crucial for effective 80/20 training. A well-structured training plan should incorporate various run types to develop different aspects of fitness while maintaining the overall 80/20 intensity balance.

Key workout types in 80/20 training:

• Low-intensity: Recovery runs, foundation runs, long runs
• Moderate-intensity: Fast finish runs, tempo runs, cruise intervals
• High-intensity: Speed play runs, hill repetitions, interval runs

Implementing these workouts in the correct proportions ensures that runners follow the 80/20 Rule while targeting specific fitness components needed for race performance.

8. Cross-Training to Supplement Running and Reduce Injury Risk

If you're like most recreational runners, there's only so much time you're willing to put into chasing PRs. But chances are it's not really a lack of willingness that is holding you back from training at least a bit more than you do now. It's more likely that you just don't feel able to do more.

Cross-training complements running training by allowing for increased overall training volume while reducing injury risk. Incorporating non-impact aerobic activities can help runners improve fitness without increasing the stress on their legs from running.

Effective cross-training options for runners:

• Antigravity treadmill running
• Bicycling (outdoor or indoor)
• Elliptical training (outdoor or indoor)
• Pool running
• Slideboarding
• Uphill treadmill walking

Benefits of cross-training:

• Increases overall training volume
• Reduces injury risk
• Maintains fitness during injury recovery
• Allows for high-volume training for injury-prone runners

Runners should aim to maintain the 80/20 intensity balance across all training activities, including cross-training sessions.

Last updated: October 11, 2024