Sayeth Jeff

Trent

posted: 2/7/2009 at 4:37 PM

Keep it Simple, Yo! Distance training, from 5k to 50k Kara Goucher just won the Millrose Mile, running a strong 4:35, only a second or two off of her lifetime PR on an 11-lap to the mile board track. She also happens to be in marathon training, pounding out 90-100 mile weeks so that she can be in her best marathon shape by the end of April. I'm no Kara Goucher (in more ways than one), but I had a very similar experience this winter, running 3:51 for a hilly trail 50k a couple weeks before running 16:18 for 5k on a windy and hilly course. At first glance, this might seem strange. How is it that Goucher can be very near her peak shape in the mile while also shooting to be at her peak shape in the marathon? How is it that being in good shape for 50k means also being in good shape for 5k? The answer is simple: proper training for shorter events like the mile and the 5k is almost exactly the same (I'll talk about the minor differences, too) as proper training for longer events like the marathon and a trail 50k. Understanding why this is the case will help you understand how to train intelligently—for every distance. The Problem The reason why training for shorter events like the mile or 5k does not differ substantially from training for the longer events is because the problem that training is meant to solve is basically the same for all of these events. Many athletes make the mistake of thinking that what training is supposed to do is make them faster. It's no wonder: we're always talking about how we want our next race to be faster. How we want to run 5k faster, or 50k faster. Yes, of course, we do. But what limits your pace in endurance running is almost never your speed. What limits your pace is your ability to maintain your speed for the length of the event. Whoever runs a 5k faster will be able to sustain a speed closer to their top-end for longer. Watch the start of your local 5k. There will always be one or two young kids shooting off the front, but fading quickly. They've got plenty of speed, but no endurance. So, the problem of the mile: I can run 400 meters in 75 seconds. How can I train my body to hold that pace for 3 more laps? The problem of the marathon: I can run 10 miles at 7:00 per mile. How can I teach my body to hold that pace for 16 more miles. It is, essentially, the same problem. The problem of training is how to build endurance. The Solution Want to build endurance as a runner? Well, there's only one way, and it is simple: run a lot. The technical term for this is "build a base". That's what Goucher was doing at the time of the Millrose Mile, and that's what I was doing when I ran my 5k and 50k. Though the answer is simple, running a lot is hard, for a couple reasons. First, it takes time. But secondly, many runners cannot build the sort of base that will allow them to take their running to the next level because of injuries. So, the key to building a base is staying injury-free. Here's how I do it. See the forest, not the trees. Running a lot means running a lot. It means thinking about your running in terms of weekly, monthly, and yearly mileage totals instead of any single run. The purpose of running a lot is to build the system of capillaries, to awaken the mitochondria, to strengthen the heart, to lose weight, to transform the body into a running machine. This transformation happens over the long haul. These changes are not the result of any single run, but the accumulated effect of months and years of running. Run easy most of the time. If what matters most is the forest, then don't stress too much about any single "tree." Running hard too often wears you out, both physically and mentally. 80% of your running (at least) should be comfortable, easy, and fun. If you're feeling really good, then you might once or twice a week turn an easy run into a spontaneous tempo run. Do your workouts by feel, not by pace. Do not concentrate on making yourself hurt. Concentrate on making fast easy. I plan one workout a week during the base period, usually on Wednesdays. This workout is run at a tempo effort: running as fast as I can while staying relaxed. Sometimes I'll do 4-6 miles around half marathon pace. Sometimes a 10 miler at around marathon pace. Sometimes 3 x 2 miles at 10k pace. Run some strides every now and then. 6-10 60m accelerations a couple times a week will keep you in touch with your basic speed and keep the neuromuscular system ready to roll. For Example A sample base building week, taken from my recent training (week of Dec. 15th) M: Easy 14 (7:15 pace) T: Easy 8 (7:05 pace) W: AM 5 miles continuous tempo @ 5:40 pace. 10 miles total with w/u and c/d (avg 6:29 pace) PM 6 miles easy (7:35 pace) Th: AM 5.5 miles easy (7:17 pace) PM: 9 miles very easy (8:27 pace) F: AM: 4 miles easy (7:30 pace) PM: 6 miles very easy (10:00 pace) Sa: AM: 8 miles moderate (6:03 pace) PM: swim 1600 yards Su: 14 miles easy (7:15 pace) Tot: 83.2 miles Specificity The base work will prepare you for any distance. It will take you 90% of the way there. No long runs required. No gut-wrenching 400's. Just run a lot. Teach your body to endure. Make the long term changes that separate the bodies of the elites from the bodies of everyone else. The last 10% takes specificity. This is where the difference in training for the mile and for the marathon comes into play. Once the foundation has been laid, you can spend 4-6 weeks (no more!) honing your body for the particular event. For the 5k, this means gut-wrenching 400's at 5k pace. For the marathon and the 50k, this means adding some long runs. Spending a month or so doing race-specific work will put the icing on the cake. But it's the cake that matters. If you don't believe me, I'll let you in on a little secret: I did no single training run longer than 14 miles before my most recent 50k. But I had my share of 80-90 mile weeks. Plenty of cake. And I can put on the icing whenever I like. Keep it simple! Keep it fun! Run a lot! Build that base!

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

mikeymike

posted: 2/8/2009 at 9:32 AM

I feel like I've read that before. Wait. I have. I also feel like I wrote that before. But it's okay since Jeff and I share a brain anyway.

Runners run.

jules2

posted: 2/8/2009 at 9:51 AM

Quote from mikeymike on 2/8/2009 at 9:32 AM:

I feel like I've read that before. Wait. I have. I also feel like I wrote that before. But it's okay since Jeff and I share a brain anyway.

I'm just trying to work out which one of you has the use of the brain this year.

Old age is when you move from illegal to prescribed drugs.

EGH3

posted: 2/8/2009 at 11:33 AM
modified: 2/8/2009 at 11:34 AM

Quote from mikeymike on 2/8/2009 at 9:32 AM:

I feel like I've read that before. Wait. I have. I also feel like I wrote that before. But it's okay since Jeff and I share a brain anyway.

Yeah, but repetition serves knuckleheads like me very well. I'm likely blowing off my planned marathon in May due to a stupid injury (MTSS). I thought I could ramp from 25 mpw to 40 mpw and start a marathon plan. Stupid. I thought I could just add more miles to long runs and run bigger runs mid-week. Stupid. I now realize - from reading here and beating myself up on the pavement - that "running a marathon" is a crappy goal. A asked a former co-worker a couple months after running Boston how his running was going. He said he hadn't been running; he doesn't get motivated to run without a planned race like a marathon. He had to have a training plan. This is a mentality that I think a lot of novice runners fall into. Tanya's blog pretty much nails that with more humor and eloquence than I ever could. I was pretty pissed off this week. The shin pain is not letting me run at all. I might be able to run next week; it could be 2, maybe 3 weeks, maybe more. But I know that I'll just reinjure it if I rush and try to run Vermont. So, my first marathon is on hold. After a week off, I'm kinda relieved. There's no pressure to run now. When I get back on the road, I'm just going to enjoy it. The goal is still 2000 miles but I'm going to accomplish that without thinking of big goal races. My first marathon - whenever that is - will be the result of my running but not the reason for it. The plan now is simple. I want to be able to get up every morning and easily run 6-10 miles and do that every day. No pressure to run long or run fast. Sure, I'll do that when I feel good and I'll run some races because they're fun, but it won't be at the expense of being able to get up the next day and run those easy 6-10 miles. When I can do that every single day over a significant period of time (not 12, 14 or 16 weeks) and feel good doing it, that's when I'll know I've built the ~~base~~ cake. You may all now carry on with trolling and ridicule.

Candice S.

posted: 2/8/2009 at 11:38 AM

Hmm. Jeff talks too much.

How do you keep your feet on the ground, when you know you were born to fly?

break'n three

Jeff

posted: 2/8/2009 at 4:26 PM

George--I'm flying high now but most of my 2008 was a disaster. Sometimes you gotta let it come to you.

The Logic of Long Distance

EGH3

posted: 2/8/2009 at 9:25 PM

Quote from Jeff on 2/8/2009 at 4:26 PM:

George--I'm flying high now but most of my 2008 was a disaster. Sometimes you gotta let it come to you.

Thanks for the encouragement. I still hate you though.

Len

Damn Yankee

posted: 2/8/2009 at 9:59 PM

You'll get there George. I've ramped my mileage in a rather ignorant fashion, so far so good. It's always a crapshoot with injuries. I'm like your friend, I need a goal; it used to be a race. Not exactly sure what it is now, except run today and run tomorrow.

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. Carl Bard

jonsnape

posted: 2/9/2009 at 1:36 AM

Jeff, I mostly agree. Why do you say long runs aren't so important during the base phase though? I thought that long runs were pretty standard-just the pacing is debatable.

Scout7

CPT Curmudgeon

posted: 2/9/2009 at 7:56 AM

Quote from jonsnape on 2/9/2009 at 1:36 AM:

Jeff, I mostly agree. Why do you say long runs aren't so important during the base phase though? I thought that long runs were pretty standard-just the pacing is debatable.

Because no one run is any more important than the others. It's not about getting a long run in every week. it's about running a shitload of miles every week.

EGH3

posted: 2/9/2009 at 9:08 AM

Quote from Scout7 on 2/9/2009 at 7:56 AM:

Because no one run is any more important than the others. It's not about getting a long run in every week. it's about running a shitload of miles every week.

Exactly. I could likely get to 50-60 mpw if I forget about trying to run long right now. My longest is 14 and I did that comfortably but the 8 I did 48 hours later sucked. Was that 14 miles worth it? if I had only run 10 that day, the 8 I did would have been much easier. And my shin wouldn't have paid as high a price. (I'm sure constant running on lefthand side of the road didn't help). That long run was great when I did it but it sabotaged the early part of the following week. That's the trap I fell into and injured myself doing it. Learn and carry on. I haven't cancelled the Vermont hotel yet but it's not looking good. I can target a Fall marathon and there are a lot of great 5ks, 10ks and other races during the summer around here. I'll be better prepared in the Fall. Running a marathon this Spring will require more than a 10% finishing touch to my training. If by August I'm running 70 per week with a long run of 10 miles, the marathon training will be a tweak and not an abrupt change. And 3:45 would be very doable. You guys are wicked smaht.

Trent

posted: 2/9/2009 at 9:16 AM

One thing I have found is that by running every day, I can achieve higher weekly miles while distributing the miles across more and shorter runs. That means that no single run takes the brunt of the week's miles and I am generally fresher at the start of the next day's run. That said, running every day has made me very sleepy...

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

Jeff

posted: 2/9/2009 at 9:35 AM

Quote from jonsnape on 2/9/2009 at 1:36 AM:

Jeff, I mostly agree. Why do you say long runs aren't so important during the base phase though? I thought that long runs were pretty standard-just the pacing is debatable.

What counts as long? In college we would do a long run every Sunday: usually 14 or so miles. Once a week. This is typical. Perhaps you all did the same. But what was the function of that weekly long run? To understand that, you have to look at the fact that the long run became weekly once we were in season and training specifically. We're out of the base period and into the competitive season. Here the function of the long run is to maintain the base that was built over the summer. During the base period, we want not just to maintain our aerobic strength, we want to build it. So, therefore we do as many long runs as possible. I'm running at least one, and sometimes as many as three 14 milers a week during my non-specific training. Ideally, I would be doing one almost every day: the Lydiard idea of 100 mpw in singles + whatever other jogging you want to do. So, I think you've misunderstood me: long runs are more important in the base season than generally thought. Why limit yourself to a long run a week?

The Logic of Long Distance

mgerwn

Grasshopper

posted: 2/9/2009 at 9:44 AM
modified: 2/9/2009 at 9:46 AM

OK - basebuilding question. Better to do the same # of miles every day, or vary them some (assuming all are easy pace, and the routes themselves vary in terrain - some are flat, some have hills)? Example - 6 miles a day, 7 days a week for a 42 mile base, or better to go something like 4,6,8,4,7,4,9? Is there some extra physical benefit to the variation in daily routine, or does it not really matter as long as you get the miles in? MTA: Jeff & I cross-posted - he pretty much answered my question before I asked it.

Connecticut Runners Group on RA (newly revitalized!) // RA Running For Weight Loss

MM# 4597 / HF #941

Jeff

posted: 2/9/2009 at 9:51 AM

If I were to answer, I'd say this is a "listen to your body" / "works with your schedule" type thing. Another important point is that there are so many variables at work that much variation happens on its own. Distance is not the only variable. There is pace, adaptation, extra-curricular stress, terrain, diet, ...

The Logic of Long Distance

2000 miles sigh

Sayeth Jeff (Read 2749 times)