After thinking about the topic of HIIT, I come to this approach of doing medium-length and long slow runs slowly with a block of lower volume and higher pace at the final 3-4 weeks before an event (no idea what to call it, or if it has a name).
It seems that this train slow and race fast program/idea(l) is widely accepted. Does it work for long course racing?
IMO, if 90% of your volume is performed at a slow pace (below threshold), and you try to do the speed work before a race that your body will not be adequately prepared to perform at a much higher pace because of the different requirements, demands, and stress placed on the skeletal muscular system.
It seems that this train slow and race fast program/idea(l) is widely accepted. Does it work for long course racing?
IMO, if 90% of your volume is performed at a slow pace (below threshold), and you try to do the speed work before a race that your body will not be adequately prepared to perform at a much higher pace because of the different requirements, demands, and stress placed on the skeletal muscular system.