Checking performance - fitness tests for runners

As much as I am usually motivated and positive towards my running, there are days (or even weeks, sometimes!) when I just don't feel like I am getting anywhere - in fact, some days (like last Sunday's long run!) I almost feel like I'm going backwards! Each run will feel just as hard, my speed will feel slow.. and upping the distance just seems unnecessarily torturous! It's at times like these when I find the need to start checking - and recording - my fitness. Yes, the last run may have felt just as excruciatingly painful as the first time I ran the same route, but does that really mean that I am just as unfit as I was a month ago? Well, no. It doesn't. The last time I ran, its more than possible that the wind was behind me, pushing me along rather than battling against me as it did this week. Or I could have been running across dry, firm ground rather than a treacherous bog - there are many factors influencing each run, and without an accurate, repeatable measurement to use to track my progress,  it's impossible to truely see how far I have come.

Of course, if I was more organised (or just slightly more inclined to...), I would keep an accurate record of each run - time, distance, route, pace, weather and ground conditions - all very valid and useful factors which would allow me to compare the terrible run to the great. Now, I can truely see the benefit of this, and when I first started running I had every intention of doing just that - I even brought a brand new, smart notebook to record it all in (inner geek emerging again...!). Trouble is, when it comes to it... I can always think of better more interesting other things to do!! And if you don't record ALL of the runs, somehow it all seems a little pointless. And then I find that none of the training gets recorded.. and I have no comparisons to make!

Not feeling inclined to carry on with a 'training diary', despite its obvious benefits, I turned instead to fitness testing. Now, early on, this 'fitness test' was such a vague indication of how I was doing that I didn't really even acknowledge that that was what I was doing! The basis of this 'indicator' was a long hill which, when first attempted, I couldn't run up. At all! I would literally get about 3 strides in and just have to give up (Like I said in my previous post, hills were never my favourite...!!). So, each week as I re-attempted the hill, I would make a vague note of how much further I could run. Them, when I could run the whole way, how long it would take me (the first time was nearly 13 minutes...!!). Seeing the steady progress as I reached the top in less and less time was great motivation and a good feeling of satisfaction! All well and good, but these days I can get up the hill in my average running pace, without too much difficulty - great to compare to the early days, but look at the more recent weeks and they are all they same, simply as that is the pace I want to be going at!

So, having 'lost' my usual indicator of fitness, I needed to think of some others. The first, and easiest one to go for was my resting heart rate. Easy to take, and no need for any equipment - simply count your pulse for 30 seconds before you get up in the morning (lie resting for 5 - 10 mins first), multiply it by 2, and write it down. Quite simply, as your cardiovascular system gets fitter, your resting pulse will get slower, as your heart is more efficient at pumping blood around your body (and therefore needs to pump less often). Do this everyday, and as an added bonus you can detect early signs of overtraining - if your resting heart rate increases, it can be a sign you are over doing it, and you need to decrease the workload for a few days.

Still using heart rate, you can also measure your recovery rate - simply do a set amount of exercise, and then time how long it takes your heart rate to drop back to a pre-decided level (e.g reduce by 50%). Again, the fitter you are, the quicker the recovery time! 

The above 2 methods are quick and easy, and will show you an improvement in general fitness. I, however, wanted more detail! Specifically, I like to know that I am getting faster, stronger, and that I can go further... so, more tests needed! these are the ones I now use on a monthly basis:

1. Measuring speed - For this, I use the Coopers 12 minute test. Again, straight forward - warm up with a gentle jog, then run as far as you can in 12 minutes! You need to be able to accurately measure the distance, and you need a stop watch... and thats it! Obviously, as you run faster, you will go further :-)

This test has the added bonus of also allowing you to work out your VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen you can uptake and use - so important for runners!). The formula for this is:

VO2 max = (22.351 x km) - 11.288

or VO2 max = (35.97 x miles) - 11.29

You can compare both your distance covered and VO2 max score with published data on athletes... I don't, simply as I find I am better when just concentrating on improving myself - but simple to find on Google if you want!

2. Timed lap - Again, measuring speed. Simply mark out the distance you want to use (400m, 800m or 1 mile - anything is fine as long as you keep it the same each time!), warm up with a 10 minute jog again, then run the distance as fast as you can!

3. Core Strength - Good core strength is essential to keep running without injury. For this, use the 'dreaded' (I hate it!) plank. Just time how long you you can maintain it for - the longer the better!!

4. Distance - This is one that I use the treadmill for. I start with a 10 minute jog, the reset the treadmill and start the test by running at an easy pace (I start at 8.5km/hr). Increase gradient and speed every minute by a set amount (you choose but keep it the same for each time you repeat the test!) - until you can't keep up! (take care here and don't overdo it - don't go falling off the back!!!). I then note down distance covered, and use this as a guide to my fitness levels and endurance!

So, all tests which I can do easily and without any additional cost (if you don't have a stopwatch, you may find one on your phone!). Obviously, if you can do these on a treadmill, you eliminate weather and ground conditions which can influence results - but do them outside and it more closely resembles your race. So, choose either - but make sure if you do one test one month on the road outside, don't then compare to the treadmill the following month - consistency will make each test more accurate!