It has been a long time since I worked on speed consistently and I some big mistakes of the past are coming to light. One of my biggest was the over use of intensity too far from a goal race. I would crank up the intensity too early and peak too early - usually ending up over-trained by the goal race.
I am not sure why I get greedy. If I am making steady progress doing moderate (solid) workouts - Why do I want to put my body and systems through high stress and risk injury and over-training. I think it starts with the perception of needing to test fitness by running each workout of similar type better / faster than the previous. Last time I ran 23:40 for 4 miles @ T this time 23:28, next time shoot for faster. The other thing that happens is that since I can do it - I do. So last night I ran 2x3 miles @ T, I am pretty sure I could have run 3x3 miles @T ...
I recently have been moving into this area of running more and more workouts harder than I want to right now. Is it because it is fun? because I can, am I greedy? Why am I starting the peaking process now? Since my next 2 goal race are ultras - I really do not want to be peaking until the 2nd half of November. Time to reset and go back to moderate and consistent improvement.
http://a-big-horse.blogspot.com/
2013 Goals ~ Mar < 3:00, 5M < 29, 10k < 35
Marathon pace always feels like marathon pace, no matter your fitness.
Mikey speaks wise words.
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Alive & Running
It has been a long time since I worked on speed consistently and I some big mistakes of the past are coming to light. One of my biggest was the over use of intensity too far from a goal race. I would crank up the intensity too early and peak too early - usually ending up over-trained by the goal race. I am not sure why I get greedy. If I am making steady progress doing moderate (solid) workouts - Why do I want to put my body and systems through high stress and risk injury and over-training. I think it starts with the perception of needing to test fitness by running each workout of similar type better / faster than the previous. Last time I ran 23:40 for 4 miles @ T this time 23:28, next time shoot for faster. The other thing that happens is that since I can do it - I do. So last night I ran 2x3 miles @ T, I am pretty sure I could have run 3x3 miles @T ... I recently have been moving into this area of running more and more workouts harder than I want to right now. Is it because it is fun? because I can, am I greedy? Why am I starting the peaking process now? Since my next 2 goal race are ultras - I really do not want to be peaking until the 2nd half of November. Time to reset and go back to moderate and consistent improvement.
I'm the same way. Since I follow no specific plan I get greedy with workouts and compete with what I did the last time out. Usually builds into a nice training crescendo, but this year it hasn't translated to good races.
I probably peaked in early April this year, which allowed me to set a huge PR at Ron Daws 25K, but hardly my goal race. Tanked at Pine Line Marathon and imploded at FANS. Trying to stay easy since FANS leading to Whistlestop. I'd like to peak in late September just in time for taper (or my version of "taper") for Whistlestop. Considering running City of Lakes 25K at GMP instead of racing for a new PR (6:20 vs 6:00) just to make sure that I avoid the early peak.
Some pretty good stuff from Canova.
He just dropped another really nice post there that speaks to two different types of athletes. He is talking about the 800m, which of course is the event where aerobic ability and biomechanical power are most balanced, but his insights into how to train runners along a spectrum towards their strengths is really useful.
I am coaching a team right now in which the two top runners are completely different types of runner. The first is a classic aerobic animal. His biomechanical power is mediocre, but he responds excellently to mileage and improves steadily as his aerobic system develops. He thrives on tempo runs and seems to only get stronger as his volume increases. For him, we train to his strengths: a lot of easy running, and a fairly minimal amount of work on the biomechanical side -- mostly just strides and slower, longer hills.
The second runner is biomechanically adept (for a distance runner!) He is quick and athletic, good at a variety of sports. His quarter time is in the low 50s, and he excels in the 800m and mile. Aerobically he is much weaker than our other runner, and he struggles with extended tempo runs. When he gets upwards of 50 miles a week, he begins to break down and get stale. He prefers to run a steady pace on his easy days so he can utilize his biomechanical power as an aspect of his running efficiency. For him, we also train to his strengths. We try to keep him "fresher" and even early season include workouts that are sharper and faster, which allow him to continue to develop his power. His aerobic ability will always be weaker than our first runner, both in its overall quality and in the extent to which it responds to training. So, we have to be careful how hard to push him in this area.
For intermediate runners looking to "take the next step" in training, I think it is worth considering your relative aerobic strength vs. biomechanical power and adapting your training to that strength.
The Logic of Long Distance
I read your post Jeff and immediately thought you were talking me...
After a terrible summer of relatively low mileage and unsuccessful attempts at speedwork, I've learned just recently that more volume at slower paces seems to produce better results for me. My log supports this whole thought process. My best marathon was in 2010. It came from higher mileage with no speedwork (other than weekend races).
Heh.. still have no idea what "type" of runner I am. Is it possible to be a slow, non-athletic aerobic weakling?
Good / interesting comments. I didnt know those threads kept getting updated. There was the recent RT article that featured Canova. Perhaps that prompted the update.
Sounds like you are on the aerobic side... (or at least, when in doubt, consider the character of the race you are training for -- which is 95% + aerobic...)
I will add one more thing: we train all of the beginning and inexperienced runners very aerobically because even if they lie on the power side of the spectrum, their aerobic abilities are very underdeveloped and so they will still respond strongly to aerobic stimulus, even if relatively speaking their aerobic limits/response is lower than other runners... The second runner in the above scenario is still very strong aerobically -- he has to be to be able to put his power to use in an aerobic race.
Art of Voodoo coaching
What does this mean?
At the end, coaching is not a science : is an art. And artists need to know science, but scientists don't need to know art.Read more: http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=4763758&page=6#ixzz24ItTt7vJ Buy your shoes from LetsRun and save 20% everday http://www.letsrun.com/save
But the art is as individual as the voodoo doll is to the person -
It didn't mean anything, really just being silly
I like Canova because he always includes the voodoo in his explanation.
I can guess what "type" of runner you are DB!
I respond pretty decently to running 16-20x400 @ mile pace and intervals at 3k and 5k pace - But my body becomes riddled with naggy injuries.
So I must be bio-mechanically bad.
I have been pushing 5k pace a lot lately and have been doing OK ... so far. In offseason I was going to do a short phase of 400s - say 6 weeks and then keep the same pace and start extending the distance slowly until the reps are a mile. Or at least that is the plan currently. I need to see if I can't get a different level of speed by April 2013.
Even if not ideal to my "Type" - I am just looking for ways to keep training fresh and interesting before I end up put out to pasture.
I like Canova because he always includes the voodoo in his explanation. I can guess what "type" of runner you are DB!
I respond pretty decently to running 16-20x400 @ mile pace and intervals at 3k and 5k pace - But my body becomes riddled with naggy injuries. So I must be bio-mechanically bad. I have been pushing 5k pace a lot lately and have been doing OK ... so far. In offseason I was going to do a short phase of 400s - say 6 weeks and then keep the same pace and start extending the distance slowly until the reps are a mile. Or at least that is the plan currently. I need to see if I can't get a different level of speed by April 2013. Even if not ideal to my "Type" - I am just looking for ways to keep training fresh and interesting before I end up put out to pasture.
I think you don't have a "type." As they say around here: they broke the mold on Dopplebock.
Type A?
We always used to view one another as speed, endurance, or strength runners. I was never blindingly fast or incredibly durable, but I've always been strong on hills and still have most of my sprint speed left even after a hard (for me) pace. That sounds more like a biomechanical runner than aerobic runner, yes?
(Either way, it still leaves me clueless about how to use it in training.)
Not in Chicago
Also guilty. It's a sickness.
You suck. You should just quit. Jackass. Welcome back.
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