The pump and run competition requires the participant to bench press either the entire amount or a percentage of his body weight for as many reps as possible. The repetition requirement can be age or gender graded to determine just how much of your body weight you are required to bench press. This "pump" is followed by having to run a 5 kilometer or 3.1 mile race.
Upper and Lower Body Balance
Potential pump and run athletes must understand that it is hard to serve two masters well--strength training and aerobic fitness. If you develop a lot of muscle mass from consistent weight lifting, then this will inhibit your speed and running economy. Also, if you perform mainly strength training and de-emphasize your aerobic running workouts, you won't have the stamina to run well for 5 kilometers. The reverse is true also in that if you focus on your running but don't strength train, your bench press ability will suffer. Finding a happy medium in pump and run training is all about balance.
Circuit Training
One training strategy to prepare for a pump and run competition is circuit training. An article on circuit training from Sports Fitness Advisor notes that this type of training will focus either on strength or endurance training, sometimes combining both aspects. Performing a variety of resistance exercises and hard-effort cardiovascular exercises in quick succession can greatly enhance your training. Because you are going to do a pump and run, the bench press and running should be your main exercises during your circuit training.
5K Training
Because the run is a key part of the competition, you need to focus on the speed of your running. An article on 5K training from Running Planet states that five elements are key to running well in a 5K race--speed, speed endurance, strength, running economy, and mental toughness. All factors come into play during your training when following the recommended nine-week training schedule:
Weeks 1 to 3: 12 x 400 meters at race pace with a shorter recovery between repeats each week.
Week 4: 6 x 800 meters with 30-second recovery
Weeks 5 to 6: 3 x 1,600 meters with two- to one-minute recovery
Weeks 7 to 8: 2 x 2,400 meters with four- to two-minute recovery
Week 9: 5 kilometer race
Bench Press Training
Another article from Sports Fitness Advisor about weight training routines includes doing four sets of six repetitions with two to three minutes' recovery between sets, two to three sessions per week for six to eight weeks. As suggested in the article, it is wise to balance out your strength training with other upper body weight routines, but the bench press is your focus. Whatever the weight you need to press for the pump and run, focus on slowly achieving that amount over the training period, peaking just before the competition. During at least one session, you'll need to test just how many reps you can do to gauge your progress.
A Unique Competition
The bottom line is that the pump and run is a unique competition. Usually strength and speed just meet for short, explosive bursts on a playing field, but they both come together in a very focused, back-to-back format in the pump and run.
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