On Sunday I did a 70.3 race after training 13-15 hours a week consistently for the last 2 months or so. I felt well trained and strong for this. It was a “B” race, the “A” race is at the end of August. I trained for 15 hours the week before, and 4 hours the week of the race, for about 9.5 hours total last week (including the race, which I did in about 5 hours and 30 minutes).
This week, immediately after Sundays race, my coach has me back to 15 hours this week. No rest day Monday after the race. Instead, its lots of very low intensity stuff like an easy 30 mins swim & recovery strength training (mon), an easy 1 hour bike followed by easy 30 min run brick(today, which was basically a shuffle for 10 mins and I bailed), and a 3.5 hour easy ride on Thursday, with masters on Friday. You get the idea. Same hourly volume (15 hours) far less intensity.
So I am 50 years old, and am very fit and feel strong. Does this seem normal to you hard core guys/gals out there? It seems daunting to me, and I haven’t had a coach who pushes me this hard. I can pretty much take it, but the week after a 70.3 race?
I am curious as to what you guys/gals think about such volume (at low intensity) after a hard race. I am pretty sore (which is normal). Do you gain more strength with this approach, or by essentially taking the week off to recover. I was thinking Ice Cream and Beer would be better for me! Curious as to your thoughts! Thanks!
I believe your body would absorb more from the race if you took a day or two off, followed by an easy to moderate week. By Thursday / Friday you should be back to normal volume (or at least 70% of it) minus the intensity. Unless the coach has these few weeks as a hard training block (in which you will recover in the future), I don’t understand why this it is necessary to go back to original volume right away. Listening to your body is important - it is smarter than you and probably any coach ever. Don’t always do this cus your body will crave ice cream everyday, but once and a while it is necessary.
Wow … I did a half on Sunday and I cannot imagine running for a few more days yet. Give your body a rest. Swim a little, some light cycling, sleep as much as possible. 15 hours of training seems excessive IMHO.
If you raced it like a B race (not all out) it should have been more like a long training day. That may be what your coach is thinking.
FWIW, I’m 54 and did my last HIM in the same time. I was back out running right away and did 26 miles in the week following the race at a decent pace. For someone training as much as you, this race should not have taken a huge toll physically unless you raced it hard.
‘B’ race doesn’t mean you don’t race it hard. It means you aren’t going to be as well prepared for it as you would for an ‘A’ race. (You aren’t at your peak.) Seems straightforward enough.
What do you mean by this? Do you mean to say I raced it as if a A race?
In any event, I agree with you guys so far. Based on how running felt today for a scant 10 mins, I think its time for a couple of days off. Maybe get back at it on Thursday.
I did race it hard. I dont know how to race any other way!
That said, I did not train for this as my peak race. That will be in late August. I think that is why coach has me back at it so fast. Swimming feels fine, and cycling felt pretty good after an hour or so today. But running hurt big time today! I am pretty sore.
So looking at 2 bricks this week just seems over the top! I cant help but think a couple days off the feet can only help me recover at this point.
I appreciate the comments, just reality checking things to keep some semblance of balance!
I’m not sure I agree with some people’s assessment of the ‘B’ race. I’ve been of the mind that a ‘B’ race means you simply don’t taper for it, the program isn’t built to peak at that race. But intensity-wise, a race is a race is a race…you go 100% because to me, going 90% because it’s a B puts you in a bad mindset for future races. Alot of training plans and programs say something along the lines of ‘use your B and C races to help put you in a racing mindset for the goal races’…if you’re half-assing it I’m not sure that really helps any.
As far as the OP’s original question, I’d say listen to your body, only you know how you feel and if you’re slogging through bad workouts then you’re doing more harm than good. Program’s need to be adaptable, if he has you on a high-volume week but you feel like crap you’re better off telling the coach than pushing the volume and increasing your chances of injury, sickness or general overtraining.
I have an athlete, who raced a half this weekend as well. Her training schedule and “A” race are similar to yours. She raced well and is now very sore. Yesterday she swam an easy 1000 and today rode ez for an hour. Tomorrow and ez 1hour swim in the morning and an easy 20-30 minute run in the afternoon. She will resume her normal training schedule next week.
One of the keys in there is LOW INTENSITY. The goal of training this week is to move around a little, but not move around fast.
The day after a HIM a swim or 20 minute ride is appropriate. The strength training??? well that’s a whole debate but DEFINITELY no lifting weights the day after a race! The only thing I can see appropriate as far as “strength training” there is to do shoulder exercises (the little rotator cuff swimmy ones).
You’re not ready to run 2 days post HIM… and 3.5 hrs, four days after, seems a lot quickly (though some of that depends on what your bike volume was before the race).
THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS TALK TO YOUR COACH AND ASK “WHY AM I DOING SO MUCH THIS WEEK?” and explain how you’re sore, tired, etc. Communication = good. Or maybe your coach will lurk on ST and see this
. I was thinking Ice Cream and Beer would be better for me! Curious as to your thoughts! Thanks!
As you are paying your coach to work out a program that fits your schedule then you should have told him that you wanted to have beer and ice-cream this week and that you wanted a break.It would then be up to your coach to work that into your program.
Your big race for the year is at the end of August so a few days off now wouldn’t hurt you and may even increase your overall enthusiasm.
Now I will wait for all the coaches to give me shit.
I kind of like the “active recovery” program myself. You aren’t trying to add fitness, just speed up the recovery. At least for me, I’ll be back to “normal” much more quickly following the sort of program your coach laid out as opposed to doing nothing. (I usually wait until Wednesday or Thursday to start running though) I kind of look forward to the week of just noodling around with no watch/speedo/pace clock. I did Moosey as well and my legs finally feel mostly back to normal today after a 45 mile RT bike commute yesterday.
I’ve tried waiting until my body feels ready to go again and I still felt heavy-legged 2 weeks after the race. You can still do the beer/ice cream…
What kdw said. After a HIM, I usually take a day off, just go thru the motions for another few days, and by the following weekend, I’m back to normal training.
YMMV.
I often set some training PB’s that following weekend, even though I don’t always feel like I’m back at 100%, but taking it easy there for a few days really lets me bounce back and often get stronger from it.
There’s never any wrong time for beer and ice cream.
your coach should know you, and he should have an expectation of how you react to the taper and how you recover fastest.
i would do things a bit different, i would rather train a bit more 7-2 days before the race. And then I would do a few short and super easy the days after. No way that i would do a 3,5 hrs day a few days after an half.
You should just do what your coach says, and if you have a good recovery/race results you can thank him for his help. If you think he just messes you up, you can look for a different coach. Do everything your coach asks from you, and hold him accountable for the results.
Hmm i did a half on Sunday too (Zurich 70.3 - where was yours?) which was part of my preparation for Roth in under 6 weeks. This week my training is as follows:
Monday + Tuesday complete rest
Wed - 90 min ride into 20 min run all easy
Thu - 1600m swim + 45 min ez run (plus bike to work 30 mins each way)
Fri - 2100 swim + 75min run all LT
Sat - 4 hour ride into 30 min run
Sun - 2 hour ride into 60 min run all LT + 2500 swim
So less training than usual and 2 complete rest days but still starting to build again. Sessions are to be done mostly easy until feeling properly recovered.
I tried to come back from a HIM too fast last year, felt great the first week - did a 14 mile run on the following Saturday and really started feeling the effects. I stuck with it and kept up the intensity, but by the third week I get sick and had to back off for at least a week.
For me, it takes a week for things to catch up unless I go easy the first week coming back. Kind of like injuries aren’t really noticed until 1-2 weeks after it has happened. I do agree with the one poster that it’s tough running immediately after a HIM, your legs are really sore typically. Swimming is supposedly the best recovery exercise, especially kicking.
Thanks for the replies gang. You all basically validated what my gut was telling me. Too much too soon and give it a rest for a bit and the hop back on the GAS next week.
So, I had a big long meeting today and just had no extra time for a real workout. So I grabbed by wife, kid, and dog and went an hour EASY family mountain bike ride in woods near my house. Oh so mentally refreshing and fun. My kind of recovery day!
but DEFINITELY no lifting weights the day after a race! The only thing I can see appropriate as far as “strength training” there is to do shoulder exercises (the little rotator cuff swimmy ones).