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Home > Forum > Triathlon Forum > Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts

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Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts
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simbad82
Jul 19, 20 13:21
Post #1 of 9 (1987 views)
I’m pretty much restricted to 3 runs a week (and 3 gairly hard cycle rides a week with 1 rest day, my schedule doesn’t really allow 2 workouts a day. I don't swim and focus on duathalon).
I need to improve my run (current 5k PB of 18:54 at a weight of 162lb) and currently do 2 ‘quality workouts’ a week and one longer run - following Jack Daniels running plan (5/10k plan).

Made good progress but think need to add more volume (plan has these 3 workouts a week plus 3 more ‘easy runs’). …

What do people think about adding on am extra (say) 15 mins of easy pace onto the end of the 2 quality sessions. These quality workouts usually last around 55-60 mins with warm up and cool down included…so adding 15 mins of extra volume in theory would add an extra 25% time to these workouts and doing this could add an extra 15-20% volume and mileage to the week.

What do people think of this plan?
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Re: Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts [simbad82] [ In reply to ]
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desert dude
Jul 19, 20 14:09
Post #2 of 9 (1949 views)
For the life of me I just don't get why people run 1 mile after their track workouts and call it good.

Those extra 15-20 min easy will be fine and you won't be less fit because you did it
Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

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Re: Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts [simbad82] [ In reply to ]
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twcronin
Jul 19, 20 14:17
Post #3 of 9 (1934 views)
Speedwork sessions, extended to include long warmups and cooldowns, are frequently second only to long runs as my highest-volume days running (e.g., 5 miles warmup / 6 miles of a tempo + interval combo track workout / 4 miles cooldown is a big day!). You can break up any of this too -- e.g., cooldown 1 mile at the track, stretch again, and then run home. For an experienced runner, I see no harm in tacking on a bunch of extra distance to the warmup and cooldown of a speed session. The cooldown, if you've pushed yourself in the workout, will be slow and you are far more likely to just notice a niggle that you triggered while running fast than to create a new injury. A long warmup will make sure your legs and body are ready to run fast.

But given your volume and run frequency, you would probably be better off adding one or two 15-20 minute runs after your bike rides.
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Re: Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts [simbad82] [ In reply to ]
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SBRinSD
Jul 19, 20 14:27
Post #4 of 9 (1916 views)
I would add on a 2 to 3 mile brick run. If you do that twice a week that gets you more frequency, which should help more than extended volume on its own.
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Re: Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts [desert dude] [ In reply to ]
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lightheir
Jul 19, 20 15:57
Post #5 of 9 (1838 views)
desert dude wrote:
For the life of me I just don't get why people run 1 mile after their track workouts and call it good.

Those extra 15-20 min easy will be fine and you won't be less fit because you did it


Actually, if you run 20 mins extra 6 days a week easy after some other workout, that's adding 2 whole hours to run training per week. For even good AG triathletes, that can be 2 hrs extra on top of 4-6 hours of run training, which seems quite significant.

However, I've tried this 'easy sounding' approach before, and it was anything but easy. Those extra minutes got to be real slogs at points when training volume was overall up, and I def wouldn't say I was enjoying mostr of them. They definitely worked though - I clearly ran my fastest triathlon races with my highest tri-training run volume (and I'm not a high volume AGer - I max out at 14hrs/wk), which should surprise exactly no one.
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Re: Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts [simbad82] [ In reply to ]
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djmsbr
Jul 19, 20 17:13
Post #6 of 9 (1590 views)
Simbad:

The extended easy runs will not impair your performance. May build minimal additional endurance. May help your muscles flush out all the bad stuff that lingered after your hard run workouts. Probably a bit of both.

If you goal is to boost your PB, then convert one of the gairly hard rides to a long/tempo recovery ride and go every other day hard/quality workouts followed by the recover/rest days. Taper for the PB (race?) target days. Drop in a few build/accelerations before warm downs on the hard days to boost your top end leg speed. Do this three weeks before taper and race days. Also works for 10K if you later decide to move in distance. Good luck!

https://www.palmtreesahead.com/
https://www.palmtreesahead.com/tactics2faster-new
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Re: Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts [djmsbr] [ In reply to ]
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jaretj
Jul 19, 20 18:08
Post #7 of 9 (1528 views)
djmsbr wrote:
Simbad:

The extended easy runs will not impair your performance. May build minimal additional endurance. May help your muscles flush out all the bad stuff that lingered after your hard run workouts. Probably a bit of both.

If you goal is to boost your PB, then convert one of the gairly hard rides to a long/tempo recovery ride and go every other day hard/quality workouts followed by the recover/rest days. Taper for the PB (race?) target days. Drop in a few build/accelerations before warm downs on the hard days to boost your top end leg speed. Do this three weeks before taper and race days. Also works for 10K if you later decide to move in distance. Good luck!

https://www.palmtreesahead.com/
https://www.palmtreesahead.com/tactics2faster-new

What is the bad stuff?

What is a long/tempo recovery ride?
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Re: Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts [simbad82] [ In reply to ]
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RobInOz
Jul 19, 20 20:21
Post #8 of 9 (1480 views)
I've had my athletes ask this question, and I've always answered "No".

If you know you are going to run further after the session, it is human nature to hold back a little to keep something in reserve for that extra distance.

I much prefer all the energy (and focus) go into the quality part of the session. Better to do an extra repeat, or try doing the 400m efforts 1 or 2 seconds faster.

If you really need to get the extra distance in, as a coach I would prefer it to do be done before the session.
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Re: Adding volume to end of 'quality' workouts [RobInOz] [ In reply to ]
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simbad82
Jul 20, 20 10:09
Post #9 of 9 (1278 views)
Yep, this is obviously a good point, you don't want the extra time impacting on the quality of the workout aims - either for that day's workout or following days.

However always focus on hitting the correct paces/targets/intensity for main workout (and more concerned that extra miles beforehand would impact this) so don't see 'holding something in reserve' as an issue.
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