| To develop general cardiac efficiency, it is necessary to
use the powerful leg and thigh muscles that do not tire quickly and keep the blood
pressure, generated by the heart, up to high aerobic levels for periods of 15 minutes
or more. This should be undertaken daily or every other day at least. The more time
spent running aerobically, the better the beneficial reactions. By running regularly, efficiency is improved and previously low anaerobic exercise becomes high aerobic exercise. This means that for relative workloads the heart can perform its tasks more easily. The novice jogger therefore should exercise well within his or her fitness level and capacity to exercise -- not trying to strive too hard for at least six or more weeks. Then the benefits of the regular exercise become evident and result in a higher oxygen uptake, making it possible to run at. and maintain, a faster pace for longer periods of time. Building Up Running continuously for longish periods of time helps to develop the under-developed capillary beds and also to develop new ones. this results in more efficient utilization of oxygen and blood sugar and the elimination of waste products. Greater muscular endurance comes in turn. If a runner is accustomed to running for, say, 15 minutes daily, the best approach for developing stamina is to increase the time running every third day to about 30 minutes. On the days in between, revert to the 15 minutes for two days until the improvement in stamina is apparent. This approach to training should be continued progressively until it is possible to run for an hour or longer. That is, an increase of the usual daily run, with the weekly schedule including two or three longer runs. Say, 30 minutes for two days, then a longer run of 45 minutes to an hour on the third day. This way endurance improves quickly. When a runner can run freely for up to an hour or more, he or she should be able to run in Fun Runs and other competitions of an aerobic nature without fear of developing a problem. If racing is contemplated, anaerobic training is necessary to develop the ability to exercise to the anaerobic maximun and to withstand oxygen debt. The principle is to run fast so as to incur oxygen debt. Oxygen debts not only double but they square and cube as the effort increases and can be tolerated to about a 15 liter debt. If a runner has a Steady State of liters per minute and is required to exercise with a resulting workload of 4 liters per minute, he or she can only continue for about 15 minutes. If the workload is increased to 5 liters per minute, the the runner can only continue for about 71/2 minutes or so. It can be explained this way; If an individual sprinted as fast as possible, the distance covered before having to stop would not be very far. However, if the speed was slowed down, the distance covered before having to stop would be further. In other words, the slower the pace, the further it is possible to go. The anaerobic exercise is governed by the limited anaerobic capacity development. It is not possible to develop it to an unlimited capacity.
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