Importance of Rest and Recovery (Read 1542 times)

After having read this thread, I went to this site, but I keep wondering...

 

On Running-Wizard.com I read about the 5K program: "Fitness level: All fitness levels, from the couch potato to the seasoned runner.",

Whereas Master Run Coach states: "If you’re a keen runner, can run comfortably for an hour or more"

 

I would like to sign up, because I would like to have a guide that helps me progressively build up my mileage again...

I'm not going to race... I'm 49, running (in)consistently for a few years now, and last year I was doing very well, until I considered running the half Marathon in Eindhoven in October.  However, I probably was doing to much to soon, because about July, I started feeling more and more tired, and eventually cut back my training and decided not to run that race.  However, It took me several months to regain ehough momentum to restart... And now I'm back, I enjoy my (short) runs again, but would like to find a 'guideline'.

 

Would the Running-Wizard 5K be something I could do, or is a starting level of 30 minutes of run/walk not enough to begin with (maybe I could run more than that, but I won't risk an injury by trying...)?  And will the program be enough of a challenge 'in the long run'?  I don't intend to run a 5K race, but I want a program that helps me increase my mileage for the next 5-6 months, so that I will be able to make 'long runs' in my neighborhood in summer?

 

(So I hope the running-wizard for a 5K will ask more than 5K training-runs at the end of the program...)

 

I like the general aspect of the site, but it just doesn't give me an adequate picture of what to expect from the programs...

Ann:

When you workout, you'll get stronger (assuming you didn't over-train and you recover adequately).  So the training would need to, or ideally preferably, increase the intensity and volume from one week to the next.  Again, may not have to if you don't want to.  But, even if you don't care about it, if trained correctly, you will get stronger and fitter.  So the basic concept of our program is that you will gradually get stronger and that will be reflected in slightly more volume and slightly higher intensity week by week.  The progress is very subtle and, again, if done correctly (meaning you check Recovery Indicators to make sure you're not over-training), you may not even notice this progress because it happens naturally.  

That said, one of the things about Lydiard training is correct timing for peaking.  In most cases, we train to race and race well.  This is why our training program got so complicated; unlike most of available training program out there where usually just duration/distance gets more and more then taper (for marathon).  Our program is very complicated because we try to follow Lydiard pattern as much as possible.  That wasn't easy.  So at this point, ALL our training program available are leading up to the target race.  We have a program called "Race-Week / Non-Race-Week" where we have a balanced mixture of workouts within a week.  The concept is that you can repeat this week in, week out and, theoretically, you can continue almost indefinitely.  This is already done and it's just a matter of plugging it in on the site.  We are entertaining another idea which is what we call "leg-building" plans.  Basically, you just increase the duration of your run gradually...  We just don't know how we should make this available; I mean, what's the point of just simply getting the duration longer and longer and longer...  I mean, how far do we go?  3 hours? 4 hours? 5 hours?  Where would that end?  It's easy for ME to say, okay, you do this until you get to this level..., etc.  But to make that automatic is completely a different story.  Frankly, I don't know how to plug it in.

We did however incorporated this concept to what we call Beginner's Plans now.  This is why, with the old Master Run Coach program, we only had the training plans for those who can manage 60-minutes of running minimum.  It's slightly different now.  If you can only run, say, 15-minutes; and if you plug in your "fitness level" as 15-minutes being the long run, you'll get a plan according to this information.  Our goal is; for those whose longest run is only 15-minutes to 25-minutes, we'll try to get you to an hour before you engage any "quality" training.  If you can run, say, 45-minutes, we'll get you to the point where you can run 1:30 and then do some quality workouts.  All this still is to peak you to THE target race.  At this point, it is very hard for us to gauge what you should do and how you do it without the destination.  I mean, can you imagine, you come to us and say, "How can we climb the mountain?" and we'll say, "Which one?" and you say, "I have no idea..."  Of course, we can just provide some sort of mixture of training and say, "Do this..." but then it doesn't have to be anything special.  That's most of on-line training programs.  

Now, we also provide, this time, a Beginner's Plans for those who can only run 15 minutes to eventually run a full marathon.  For that, of course, we require 32-39 weeks, most of which is build-up phase.  We have tried to accommodate a very wide range of ability; of course, it's not quite perfect for everybody; but we think it's pretty darn close.  At least closer than most of them out there.  But, hey, I'm prejudiced...! ;o)