Supplemental training produces few direct benefits but can mean the difference

between success and failure. Such training includes flexibility, muscle strengthening,
and mental and psychological approaches to performance enhancement (see chapter
1 0) . Runners benefit to differing degrees from the different types of support-system
training. Ifyou're considering supplemental training, be sure that what you choose to
do helps satisfy your needs and doesn't merely add unproductive activity to your training program.
Keep your goals foremost in mind. For example, are you doing stretching
exercises to improve your running, orjust to become more flexible? Often, the only
way to see if something works for you is through trial and error. When you're trying a
new approach to training, give the approach a fair trial-more thanjust a few days.
When choosing from among the many different training methods, apply the same
considerations as you would in evaluating support training. Ask yourself, "Am I doing
this type of training because I like it and I'm good at it? Or am I doing it because it
will produce the results I want in races?" Ifyou're clear and realistic about your goals
and expectations, you'll almost always be happy with your performance.
You might need to regularly review the information in this chapter so that you can
keep in touch with what you're trying to accomplish and the types of training that
work best in helping you reach your goals. Attend to matters often taken for granted,
such as proper nutrition, rest, and total body conditioning. I t's sometimes easy to get
so involved in one aspect of your training that you overlook other important areas.
In the next chapter, I discuss how to use these training intensities to establish
benchmarks in your training so that you know how to perform each intensity in the
right amount.
Brad Hauser
Brad H auser was born in Danville,
Pennsylvania, and initially participated
in soccer as a youngster. When an older
brother experienced some success as a
high school runner, Brad took up running at the age of 1 1 , developing an
immediate interest in distance events.
As he continued running, he became
more and more successful. especially as
a high school athlete at Kingwood High
School in Texas. He set his sights on
a collegiate running career with goals
of winning an NCAA national title and
making an Olympic Team.
His high school success led to a college
career at Stanford University, where
he continued to improve and to achieve
his early goals. It was during his sophomore year at Stanford that Brad realized
he was truly capable of performing at
the national and i nternational level.
In 1 99 8 and 1 999, Brad won NCAA
5,000 meter titles at the indoor nationals. He took outdoor NCAA titles in the
1 0,000 meters in 1 99 8 and 2000, and
won the NCAA 5,000 meter outdoor
title in 2000. In addition to his collegiate
accomplishments, Brad competed for
the U.S. in the 1 0,000 meters at the
1 999 World Championships and in the
5,000 m at the 2000 Sydney Olympic
Games. His cross country achievements
include running in the World Championships in both 2000 and in 2 00 1 . As has
Physiology of Training Intensities 43
often been the case for me and the runners I know and work with, I became acquainted
with Brad because he was willing to participate in some lab testing I was doing-this time
during my year with the Farm Team in Palo Alto, California