Forums >General Running>Cutback weeks
Suspect Zero
Why is it sideways?
My question is: If I find myself consistently hitting that third week and not needing a cutback week, do you think that's an indication that I may have been overly conservative in planning my training?
A Saucy Wench
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
I rarely schedule cut back weeks anymore. Cut back weeks happen on their own because 1) life interferes - with 2 kids this happens often enough to probably average every 3-4 weeks 2) I have a non-goal race I want to do and depending on which day it is on I often end up with less weekly mileage or 3) I wake up one morning my body says HELL no.
2009 Goals: PR's in 5k, 10k, HM, marathon
Timely thread for me. Thanks for sharing the information everybody as I was considering my 1st cutback week since starting my marathon training in early Jan. My biggest problem is a cutback week would likely mean skiing or some other strenuous activity for a day or 2. So would it be a cutback solely because I recorded less running MPW on the runningahead log?
On My Horse
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies with in us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
eh...call it Xtraining
I'm training for my third marathon and expect that this will be the first marathon that I will be able to race. I have a question regarding cutback weeks. I know the rule of thumb is to schedule a cutback week every third week. I also know that it's just that - a rule of thumb. If that third week rolls around and I'm feeling strong, I feel comfortable in adding a bit more distance or a little intensity that week. Similarly, if things are dragging more than expected, I would be fine in easing up a bit more than my schedule calls for. Schedules are just numbers on paper. Training is training. My question is: If I find myself consistently hitting that third week and not needing a cutback week, do you think that's an indication that I may have been overly conservative in planning my training?
The only way your body adapts to any hard work is by resting.