Maintenance level running

Triathlon Forum
1

The onset of allergy-related breathing problems has forced me to set aside racing duathlons for at least the first half of this year. My revised goals for the next six months include some mountain centuries and helping my IM buddies through this year’s long rides on their way to Lake Placid, Kona and Panama City. To do this, I’ll prioritize biking over running.

The question: how can I limit the loss of improvements in running that I gained in the last calendar year while restricting myself to maintenance-level mileage? 15-20/week, say. I realize endurance will decline, but is there a way to maintain the cadence, footstrike and other things that I picked up in a productive year? There seem to be three high return/low cost methods. 1) a weekly session of 100 to 200 meter quick repeats; 2) 20 minutes at LT weekly; 3) “Quick Bricks,” such as 15 minutes on the bike, followed by a 5 minute brisk run, done three times.

Suggestions?

2

Not everyone is the same, but I can easily maintain my speed and fitness with 15 miles a week as long as I’m spending decent time on the bike and in the pool. Of that 15, 8 is usually a near-race pace tempo run. I found I can run fast marathons (sub-3) on that level of training, but it hurts.

3

Do “strides” after any of your runs. Strides are sort of like doing 50 to 80 m sprints but not at all out speed. Concentrate on your fast-running form and accelerate throughout. Then jog back and do it again. Do 4 or 5 after each run and you’ll keep some of the leg speed without stressing out your body much at all. Find a local high-school track team and watch them warm up if you’re unsure what I mean.

4

You need to d osome fast running every week in order to maintain speed. Maybe one week d oa threshold run the next a track workout. You might want to see and Allergist if it is allergy related.