An Etymology of Coach's Terms
Term: Zip
Coach Who Made It Famous: Bill Squires, Greater Boston Track Club
Translation: A recovery jog between intervals or a fartlek, designed to be fairly steady—generally no more than 30 to 40 seconds per mile slower than the interval just completed.
Term: Float
Coach Who Made It Famous: Jumbo Elliot, Villanova University
Translation: A recovery jog between intervals or a fartlek, designed to be fairly steady—generally no more than 30 to 40 seconds per mile slower than the interval just completed.
Term: Downcycle
Coach Who Made it Famous: Gosta Holmer, Swedish National Team
Translation: An interval 45 seconds to four minutes in length, designed to start moderately, with pace increases every 15 to 60 seconds over the course of the piece.
Term: Slush
Coach Who Made It Famous: Frank Gagliano, NJNY Track Club
Translation: A very slow jog—think walking pace—for fully recovering between much faster intervals at a high intensity.
Term: Cruise Interval
Coach Who Made It Famous: Sam Bell, Indiana University
Translation: An interval between 700 to 1200 meters, run at the midway point between current 5K and 10K fitness.
Term: Green Light
Coach Who Made It Famous: Harry Wilson, British National Team
Translation: An interval at top speed, typically to close a workout or a set within a workout.
Term: Progression Run
Coach Who Made It Famous: Roldofo Gomez, Mexican National Team
Translation: A harder run of 3 to 15 miles, beginning at your normal rhythm and gradually accelerating until the final one-fifth, which should be run at 10K race pace or faster.
The above terms are just the tip of the iceberg, but they illustrate the need for all runners to understand the verbal nuances unique to his or her coach in order to maximize their progression and effectiveness.
At ZAP Fitness, when we discuss a tempo effort, we generally speak in terms of both effort and pace—the latter being the largely understood 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than current 10K fitness; the former being assertive but in control. Other groups and coaches I know utilize tempo efforts in a very different format, often much faster or even a bit slower depending on the coach. Knowing what is expected when a coach utilizes a term will enable all distance runners to implement training with little guess work.
Lovers of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First" skit would undoubtedly relish time in and around the running groups and coaches of America. At a recent distance running conference in Miami Beach, I heard two coaches use the term "power piece." But, after speaking to both, it became clear that they had very different beliefs regarding what a power piece was—and their athletes seemed equally confused.
As you move forward with your coach and related training partner, group or program, be sure to do so with a clear understanding of what's being said when your system calls for a "bump" or a "hill cycle gear change."
All parties are better served when communication and understanding are maximized.
READ THIS NEXT: The ABCs of Running: 26 Terms to Know
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