I’m training for IM #3, and am considering substituting a long run with a moderately long ride every other week, so I would be running “long” only every other week. My thought on benefits would be better recovery on the weeks without a long run, and capitalizing on daylight/available hours for more riding time on the weekends I don’t run long.
Has anyone done this? Did it work well?
Especially as athletes get older and recovery become more difficult this can be a very valid strategy.
Another option might be to run really long one week then the next week only run say 75-80min for the long run
Also something else to consider if you’re an older athlete that maybe only running 5x per week or 5x one week then 6 the next could be something to consider.
I’m training for IM #3, and am considering substituting a long run with a moderately long ride every other week, so I would be running “long” only every other week. My thought on benefits would be better recovery on the weeks without a long run, and capitalizing on daylight/available hours for more riding time on the weekends I don’t run long.
Has anyone done this? Did it work well?
A couple of folks here have used that very approach for ultra marathon training with success. Basically they more or less level load the runs one week, then the next week they get a similar amount of mileage with a large chunk done as a long run.
There are a lot of people who don’t go by 7 day weeks, but rather 9 or 10 day weeks. By opening up their weeks they are essentially doing what you propose. Keep an open mind on your schedule, don’t make it a grind either.
I think alternating between a: 2+ hour / 15+ mile run 1 week & a 80+ / 10 mi run the next is great for many athletes. Some marathon plans even call for this (like Hansens)
Another alternative to the long run is a 60’ run right onto a 60’+ bike (reverse brick).
Especially as athletes get older and recovery become more difficult this can be a very valid strategy.
Another option might be to run really long one week then the next week only run say 75-80min for the long run
Also something else to consider if you’re an older athlete that maybe only running 5x per week or 5x one week then 6 the next could be something to consider.
I’m an “older athlete” (60, will be 61 in May).
Right now I’m running four days/week, with a long run every other week, usually on Saturday mornings. I don’t worry as much about distance as time. As long as I don’t go more than 2 to 2-1/2 hours on my long run I find I can recover well enough not to impact my other training. My long run is usually followed by a swim in the afternoon.
On “short weeks” I’ll do about an hour or so early Saturday morning, followed by either a ride or swim later in the day.
FWIW, I use the McMillan calculators to determine my training pace for my long runs.
Mark
Thanks for the responses - very helpful!
I remember a Triathlete article with a training plan from PNF near the end of her career where she had that in the plan. I’ve used a similar approach, making the short(er) week steady and ended the long week getting faster for the last 30 minutes in increments of 10 minutes.
Also food for thought, just watched my wife being coached by QT2 for her first marathon. They used startegy of having one week a long run say 90-120min, to have the next week 2 runs in one day of 1hr AM plus 1HR PM. So she ran long only every other week. It was her first marathon and she went BQ-6min, she is 44. In conversation with her, she never felt beat down, week after week, they had her run 7 days a week.
I’ve been wondering about this a lot lately. Do you have any links to research on this? Given that everyone recovers at different rates, I’ve wondered if there’s been research to determine your optimal training “week.” I’m on the younger side, so after a tough/long weekend, I’m usually feeling ready to go by Wednesday or Thursday.
Especially as athletes get older and recovery become more difficult this can be a very valid strategy.
Another option might be to run really long one week then the next week only run say 75-80min for the long run
Also something else to consider if you’re an older athlete that maybe only running 5x per week or 5x one week then 6 the next could be something to consider.
something else to consider is no long runs
Are you suggesting for an older athlete that is going to run 26.2, be it in an IM or stand alone, to never run more than 75-80 minutes? I hope not
it depends… on a lot of things, and what the goals are. The OP is considering adding another bike, so I assume he wants to improve his biking.
If I were to say nothing longer than 90 minutes, I’d have that person running 75min every day. For IM runs, not open marathons.
I’ve been wondering about this a lot lately. Do you have any links to research on this? Given that everyone recovers at different rates, I’ve wondered if there’s been research to determine your optimal training “week.” I’m on the younger side, so after a tough/long weekend, I’m usually feeling ready to go by Wednesday or Thursday.
Right now, all my books are packed away while we are building a new house. But, If I recall correctly from the Hansons’ book, one of them used a 9 day week as his training plan. Most people use the standard 7 day weeks simply because it fits into work schedules and the flow of social situations.
I see your point. Still as someone in the mid 50’s, even increasing the frequency and just for an IM, I would still want to get the long runs in. Unless due to IM i was going to a run/walk strategy. …but thats me.
Absolutely it can work. I’ve done my last 4 ironmans - fastest being 9:10, and 2kq’s on only one long run per month. I believe more in weekly overall mileage and consistency more. My n=1
Absolutely it can work. I’ve done my last 4 ironmans - fastest being 9:10, and 2kq’s on only one long run per month. I believe more in weekly overall mileage and consistency more. My n=1
This. Almost any training plan I would design would have a long run either every 10 or 14 days. More consistency. More biking. More multi-day blocks. Etc.
Check out the format of the Hanson marathon training plan here http://www.hansons-running.com/training-plans/advanced-training-plan/
Add biking and swimming to that and incorporate the speedwork or marathon paced runs into the long run and you’ve got a decent Ironman training plan.
I’ve experimented with this. I’d do a long run one week and the next week go shorter but do tempo miles during the peak phase of the program leading up to an IM. I’ve changed to just overall shorter long run but more of them so last time I did 6 weeks of 18 milers. I also changed to a Wednesday long run which allowed me to do a long bike on Saturday following by a hard shorter bike on Sunday. Since the long run was shorter, I wasn’t a wreck afterwards and it didn’t take as much time so it was possible on a weekday.
Good luck.
I only had two runs of about 13 miles leading up to LP this year. Had to because of an injury. I was consistent and ran every day using a Barry P approach. 44yo
another option is to change your long run into a double run day. it does help recovery faster and also kept the running quality higher. That said, i dont think there is a need for a long run every week anyway…