Endurance

Vladimír Hojka & Jan Feher

Department of Track and Field
UK FTVS
 Endurance
• Endurance refers to the ability to perform work of a given
intensity over a time period and is sometimes called ‘stamina’.
• The main factor which limits and at the same time afects
performance is fatigue.
• An athlete is considered to have good endurance when he does
not easily fatigue or can continue to perform in a state of fatigue.
• Endurance, of all the components of fitness, should be developed
first.
• Without endurance it is difficult to repeat other types of training
enough to develop the other components of fitness.
• There are two basic types of endurance: aerobic, anaerobic

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 Endurance

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 Energy systems
Energy-storage Kind of work Duration of work
oxydative

Lipolysis aerobic lipolytic hours

Aerobic glycolysis aerobic glycolytic 30 - 40 min

Anaerobic glycolyse anaerobic lactazid 1 min

anoxydative

CP anaerobic alactazid 3s

ATP 1s

ATP ADP Muscle

P

CO2 + H2O

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Energy-supply in human skeletal muscle
 Event specific endurance
•“Event (duration; intensity) specific share of energy supply mechanism”
•e.g. 400m

distance ATP / CRPH anaerobic-lac aerobic

% % %

100 m 25 70 5

400 m 12 43 45

800 m 10 30 60

marathon 0 5-2 95-98

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 Endurance - aerobic
Aerobic
– with oxygen
– aerobic endurance means muscular work and movement
done emphasising the use of oxygen to release energy
from the muscle fuels
– transport of the oxygen to the muscles is carried out by
the cardio-respiratory system
– aerobic endurance can be developed by continuous or
repetition running

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 Endurance - anaerobic
Anaerobic
– without oxygen
– anaerobic endurance refers to the energy systems which
are capable of operating without oxygen present

Two types:
• (Event) Specific endurance (200, 400)
• Speed endurance – needed to maintain maximal
velocity

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 Endurance - anaerobic
Speed endurance
• Involves principally the aerobic and lactate systems but
emphasises the lactate system
• Developing speed endurance helps an athlete to run at speed
despite the build up of acid

Endurance needed to maintain maximal velocity

• maintain maximal velocity speed in sprinting, hurdling,
throwing and jumping, where the ATP-CP system is
emphasised

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 General Endurance
Predominant aerobic energy supply mechanism
“Ability to perform physical work for extended periods of time;

Low to moderate-intensity physical activities

Aerobic Capacity – ability to supply muscles with energy and oxygem for
prolonged period

Adaptation
- increased oxygen delivery
- improved energy utilization
- enhanced cardiovascular and respiratory function
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 Speed endurance
• Predominant anaerobic lactic energy supply
mechanism (e.g. 100m)

• “The faculty for coordinating the speed of

contraction in the climate of endurance factors.”
Hollmann: The theory and practice of endurance training, p.5

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 Specific endurance
• Aerobic power – measured by VO2max; high intensity
aerobic exercise
• Lactic (anaerobic) threshold – intensity of exercise at
which the body starts to accumulate lactate (lactic acid)
in the blood more quickly than it can be removed
(~4mmol)
• Aerobic threshold - individual transitions from
predominantly aerobic metabolism to anaerobic
metabolism during exercise. This transition is marked by
an increase in the utilization of carbohydrates for energy
production, as opposed to fat (~2mmol)
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 Simple generalized model

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 However…

• https://www.fasttalklabs.com/training/training-intensity-zones-research-vs-practice/

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 Better general model - intensity zones

• https://www.fasttalklabs.com/training/training-intensity-zones-research-vs-practice/
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 Application to controlled training

• Casado, A., Foster, C., Bakken, M., & Tjelta, L. I. (2023). Does Lactate-Guided Threshold Interval Training within a High-Volume
Low-Intensity Approach Represent the “Next Step” in the Evolution of Distance Running Training?. International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 3782.

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 Development of Endurance
Continuous and repetition training loads are usually defined
by the following parameters:
• Repetitions
– The total number of repetitions in a session e.g. “sets”
• Duration
– Length of time or distance of one repetition
• Intensity
– Speed, pace or velocity of the repetitions
• Recovery
– Time of intervals between repetitions and sets
• Density
• “Relation of working and recovery phases of training expressed in time in
between” Bompa: Theory and methodology of training p.90
• Recovery activity
– Can vary from a walk to easy running (PR: 20/10”)
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 Endurance running training
Continuous training X Repetition training

Continuous training
• running without rest
• may be used to develop general endurance, specific endurance and
for recovery
• usually takes place away from the track and provides a variety of
pace, location and running surface
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 Endurance running training
• Slow Continuous Runs (Goal: recovery and regeneration)
Pace: Easy rhythm; Volume: up to 30 minutes; Rest: not applicable.
• Long Slow Distance Runs (Goal: general endurance)
Pace: Marathon rhythm and slower; Volume: 60-150 minutes;
Rest: not applicable.
• Medium Continuous Runs (Goal: general endurance)
Pace: Half-Marathon to Marathon rhythm; Volume: 30-60 minutes;
Rest: not applicable.
• Fast Continuous Runs (Goal: general endurance)
Pace: 10 Km to Half-Marathon rhythm; Volume: up to 10-45 minutes;
Rest: not applicable.
• Fartlek Runs (Goal: aerobic and lactate system endurance)
Pace: rhythmic ‘speed-play’; Volume: 10-45 minutes, increases with the
competition distance;
Rest: not applicable but the ‘easier’ sections should still be active running.
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 Endurance running training
Repetition training
• breaking a total distance into smaller units which are
repeated
• pace, distance and rest/recovery intervals and activity are
prescribed
• usually done on the track but may be done in a park on
grass or anywhere

• repetition training can be divided into two main types by

pace or running rhythm: extensive and intensive

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 Endurance running training
Repetition training – extensive
• When the training emphasis is on general endurance
Repetition training – intensive
• when the emphasis is on event specific endurance, particularly for the middle
distance events
Sample extensive repetition sessions:
a) 2 x 10 x 200 m (3000m pace)
[between reps = to running time, between sets: 5 min]
b) 15 x 400 m (5000m pace)
[between reps = to running time]
c) 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 2 min, 1 min (10,000m pace)
[between runs = to running time]

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 Comparison of repetition training to shift the
emphasis of endurance development from
the Lactate to the Aerobic system

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 Developing anaerobic endurance
emphasising the ATP-CP energy system

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