RunTraining1 - Training for the time limited triathlete
I've been putting a lot of thought into this topic over the last year. A couple of discussions, a little bit of research, a little more experience, and one kick ass training session with a world class athlete who trains on the low volume (relatively) aproach has brought me to a few conclusions (or rather I should say *early* conclusions). I don't pretend to be an expert on this, but I do like to throw it out there and hope to open a discussion on the issue.
To begin with, I want to once again discuss the high volume approach with regard to the "runner" who is not limited by time. Much research has been done to show that virtually all of the adapatations that come from slower training (conversational pace....but not lollygagging) also occur at higher paced training. The higher paced training also comes with the added benefits of creating the high end "speed" (it's not really speed....but will use the term for now) that will be needed during a race. Anyone who has ever hit the track for some very intense sessions has probably noticed amazing results within just a few weeks.
American coaches in the 80s shifted the emphasis from the high mileage routines that were popular in the 70s to the "less is more and faster is FASTER" approach. The results were, unfortunately, a decade of considerably slower runners. In the late 90s and on into the new century the pendulum swung back toward a big volume apporach and, though we can't say for certain what causes the correlation, runners got faster again.
What I think it comes down to, really, is efficiency in training. It's all about tradeoffs. 35 miles a week of high intensity (or...say...4 hours/wk) might get you more improvement per mile, and it will certainly get you more improvement versus 35 slow miles a week, but your other option might be 70 miles a week of lower intensity training. The person who does that year round with *some* high intensity training included before their race will often beat the 35 mile a week guy (assuming similar talent), especially given many years of this approach.
Now what TRIATHLETE runs 70 miles a week!?
Well, there are many of the better runners who will throw in a 70 mpw block here and there during the cold months or to train for a marathon, but I don't think you'll find too many that can fit that into a well balanced tri program.
**So this means to keep the mileage short and ramp up the intensity, right?**
Well.......yes.....but no.
First of all, keep in mind that successful runners typically hit three phases of run training: Base, transition, race. Typically when you are furthest out from your race, in your earliest phases of your training, you want to push the limits of how much running volume you can get in. This should be your first goal and should only be limited by one of two factors: 1) How much you can handle and 2) how much time you are willing to spend running. Given the choice between 4 miles hard, 6 miles sorta hard, or 8 miles easy (steady), you should opt for the 8 miles given the available time.
Now you don't want to do this forever. At some point you are going to sweet spot in your training where added volume isn't going to give you the benefits that more intensity will. Where is that sweet spot? Steve Scott ran 80 mpw to train for the mile. Dena Kastor ran over 120 mpw to medal in the olympic marathon. That's a lot of running, but I wouldn't expect most people to be able to handle 80 - 120 mpw WITH speed sessions. When I coached high school I had guys running around 45 mpw and girls at 30 - 35 mpw (~ 6 hours/wk each).
The other thing you need to keep in mind is that, though volume is very important, you don't want to run 100% zone 2 for 12 months a year.....not unless you only run IMs and haven't been able to finish one without walking yet. At some point your races are going to get closer and closer and you will need to add in some intensity to be ready to run at the high end. I've found that even experienced athletes can drop 2-3 minutes off of their 10K in a matter of months once they hit the intensity.
Anyway, I've been through this before....blah blah...lots of miles, add in tempo runs, finish off with 4-8 weeks of V02max intervals before the A race. But you aren't reading this thread for that "formula." You want to know what do do when you don't have the time to run lots of miles.
Before I said given the choice to run 4 or 8, you should pick 8 if its early in the season. Or, more realistically, given the choice bewtween 3 6 mile runs or 6 6 mile runs, you should pick 6. But not everyone is willing to do that.
OK, so now you've "budgeted" 3 runs a week into your life. The goals are still the same. Get as much mileage into those three runs as you can early in the season. Maybe one can be even as long as 15 or 20 miles. Maybe you can fit in a second 10-12 miler in. So lets say in two months you build up to 20 miles a week on 3 runs and simply don't have the time to do more.
Now what? LSD training is good, right?
Well....no. The *advantage* of LSD training is that you can do MORE of it. However, YOU can't do more. So now your choice is to add intensity. This is ok, and there are many ways to do it. In this respect I think your best bet really is to vary the types of running you do in each workout. Focus on tempo runs, long intervals with short recoveries, and hill sessions. Speed sessions on the track are ok as long as they are short and the recoveries are long.....and don't kill yourself. You can also mix up your workouts and run a tempo run followed by some hills, or maybe a mile at 1 hour race pace followed by a hard 400, jog, repeat.
The "world class" athlete I spoke with recently did a lot of this type of training. He may only get in three sessions a week, one being a 30 minute tempo run followed by 4x4 minute hills, one would be a brisk 8 miler over very hilly cross country terain, and one might be a random fartlek run where he'd vary the pace during the run....a fast sprint here, 10 minutes hard there, etc. The real key is that he always kept it under control.
This type of training is perfectly ok as long as you remember give yourself about 4 - 8 weeks to ramp up the intensity (or iron specific workouts if doing a build for an IM), hit your goal race, and then RECOVER. Don't try to keep this intensity up over an entire summer. I think it was Dev who said, "Keep yourself in good shape year round, but build up to get ready for your goal race as it gets closer."
Where I see a lot of triathletes get themselves in trouble is that they see the great results they get from their speed sessions so they start hammering them week in and week out for 9 months straight. It's as if they plan their training around the speed sessions. They start by saying, "I'll hit the track on Tuesday and Friday and then see where else I can fit a run into the schedule." Instead they should say, "Let me focus on building my mileage and long run until I run out of time, THEN add in a variety of higher paced workouts (1st priority is 1 hour race paced LT workouts) to prepare me for my race season coming up, and THEN I'll add in the heavy track sessions...but for only a short time."
Anyway, hope this helps some. As always, feel free to discuss.
-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485
I've been putting a lot of thought into this topic over the last year. A couple of discussions, a little bit of research, a little more experience, and one kick ass training session with a world class athlete who trains on the low volume (relatively) aproach has brought me to a few conclusions (or rather I should say *early* conclusions). I don't pretend to be an expert on this, but I do like to throw it out there and hope to open a discussion on the issue.
To begin with, I want to once again discuss the high volume approach with regard to the "runner" who is not limited by time. Much research has been done to show that virtually all of the adapatations that come from slower training (conversational pace....but not lollygagging) also occur at higher paced training. The higher paced training also comes with the added benefits of creating the high end "speed" (it's not really speed....but will use the term for now) that will be needed during a race. Anyone who has ever hit the track for some very intense sessions has probably noticed amazing results within just a few weeks.
American coaches in the 80s shifted the emphasis from the high mileage routines that were popular in the 70s to the "less is more and faster is FASTER" approach. The results were, unfortunately, a decade of considerably slower runners. In the late 90s and on into the new century the pendulum swung back toward a big volume apporach and, though we can't say for certain what causes the correlation, runners got faster again.
What I think it comes down to, really, is efficiency in training. It's all about tradeoffs. 35 miles a week of high intensity (or...say...4 hours/wk) might get you more improvement per mile, and it will certainly get you more improvement versus 35 slow miles a week, but your other option might be 70 miles a week of lower intensity training. The person who does that year round with *some* high intensity training included before their race will often beat the 35 mile a week guy (assuming similar talent), especially given many years of this approach.
Now what TRIATHLETE runs 70 miles a week!?
Well, there are many of the better runners who will throw in a 70 mpw block here and there during the cold months or to train for a marathon, but I don't think you'll find too many that can fit that into a well balanced tri program.
**So this means to keep the mileage short and ramp up the intensity, right?**
Well.......yes.....but no.
First of all, keep in mind that successful runners typically hit three phases of run training: Base, transition, race. Typically when you are furthest out from your race, in your earliest phases of your training, you want to push the limits of how much running volume you can get in. This should be your first goal and should only be limited by one of two factors: 1) How much you can handle and 2) how much time you are willing to spend running. Given the choice between 4 miles hard, 6 miles sorta hard, or 8 miles easy (steady), you should opt for the 8 miles given the available time.
Now you don't want to do this forever. At some point you are going to sweet spot in your training where added volume isn't going to give you the benefits that more intensity will. Where is that sweet spot? Steve Scott ran 80 mpw to train for the mile. Dena Kastor ran over 120 mpw to medal in the olympic marathon. That's a lot of running, but I wouldn't expect most people to be able to handle 80 - 120 mpw WITH speed sessions. When I coached high school I had guys running around 45 mpw and girls at 30 - 35 mpw (~ 6 hours/wk each).
The other thing you need to keep in mind is that, though volume is very important, you don't want to run 100% zone 2 for 12 months a year.....not unless you only run IMs and haven't been able to finish one without walking yet. At some point your races are going to get closer and closer and you will need to add in some intensity to be ready to run at the high end. I've found that even experienced athletes can drop 2-3 minutes off of their 10K in a matter of months once they hit the intensity.
Anyway, I've been through this before....blah blah...lots of miles, add in tempo runs, finish off with 4-8 weeks of V02max intervals before the A race. But you aren't reading this thread for that "formula." You want to know what do do when you don't have the time to run lots of miles.
Before I said given the choice to run 4 or 8, you should pick 8 if its early in the season. Or, more realistically, given the choice bewtween 3 6 mile runs or 6 6 mile runs, you should pick 6. But not everyone is willing to do that.
OK, so now you've "budgeted" 3 runs a week into your life. The goals are still the same. Get as much mileage into those three runs as you can early in the season. Maybe one can be even as long as 15 or 20 miles. Maybe you can fit in a second 10-12 miler in. So lets say in two months you build up to 20 miles a week on 3 runs and simply don't have the time to do more.
Now what? LSD training is good, right?
Well....no. The *advantage* of LSD training is that you can do MORE of it. However, YOU can't do more. So now your choice is to add intensity. This is ok, and there are many ways to do it. In this respect I think your best bet really is to vary the types of running you do in each workout. Focus on tempo runs, long intervals with short recoveries, and hill sessions. Speed sessions on the track are ok as long as they are short and the recoveries are long.....and don't kill yourself. You can also mix up your workouts and run a tempo run followed by some hills, or maybe a mile at 1 hour race pace followed by a hard 400, jog, repeat.
The "world class" athlete I spoke with recently did a lot of this type of training. He may only get in three sessions a week, one being a 30 minute tempo run followed by 4x4 minute hills, one would be a brisk 8 miler over very hilly cross country terain, and one might be a random fartlek run where he'd vary the pace during the run....a fast sprint here, 10 minutes hard there, etc. The real key is that he always kept it under control.
This type of training is perfectly ok as long as you remember give yourself about 4 - 8 weeks to ramp up the intensity (or iron specific workouts if doing a build for an IM), hit your goal race, and then RECOVER. Don't try to keep this intensity up over an entire summer. I think it was Dev who said, "Keep yourself in good shape year round, but build up to get ready for your goal race as it gets closer."
Where I see a lot of triathletes get themselves in trouble is that they see the great results they get from their speed sessions so they start hammering them week in and week out for 9 months straight. It's as if they plan their training around the speed sessions. They start by saying, "I'll hit the track on Tuesday and Friday and then see where else I can fit a run into the schedule." Instead they should say, "Let me focus on building my mileage and long run until I run out of time, THEN add in a variety of higher paced workouts (1st priority is 1 hour race paced LT workouts) to prepare me for my race season coming up, and THEN I'll add in the heavy track sessions...but for only a short time."
Anyway, hope this helps some. As always, feel free to discuss.
-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485