I’ve done a forum search and I still don’t CLEARLY see the difference between tempo runs, special endurance, and speed endurance. I mean how does speed endurance work differ to intensive tempo runs >80% (the ones that Charlie warns against)? How does special endurance differ to speed endurance?
I grasp the concept and reasons for tempo runs, i.e to aid recovery do runs at no more than 75% of your max at that distance. Does speed endurance work differ only in the percentage of maximum compared to tempo?
Our coach doesn’t tell us what we are doing,e.g by calling it ‘tempo’ or ‘speed endurance’, he just tells us to do it. If he has us doing 8 x 150 metres with 2 minutes recovery and sprinting hard (probably around 90%) on each rep- gradually getting slower towards the end, what label does this type of training warrant? Similarly, if he has us do 200, 180, 160, 140, 130, 120, 110 and 100, with the same 2 minutes recovery and running hard, what category does this fall under?
Any feedback that clarifies my misunderstanding will be greatly appreciated. 