Cutback weeks (Read 965 times)

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?

Maybe it should be every 4th week,,, thats what I generally do. 3 UP, 1 Down. But as you say, just a rule of thumb. Also, the cutback week is probably most effective when you don't actually feel like you need it. Chances are if you feel the need to cutback, you should have cutback sooner. Similar to easy days during your training. You know you can do more, but in the long run are better off not pushing. Individual experience and results will tell you the most about what you need. Good Luck

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.

Last week was supposed to be my first peak mileage week of this cycle... my first 75ish mile week since last November. Then on Wednesday afternoon, I got really sick and haven't run at all since my lethargic 5 mile (was supposed to be 10) on Thursday. My 75 became a 55. Cut back week! Real life. Unfortunately, I may have two back-to-back cutback weeks, which is no longer really a 'take a breather' kind of thing and more of a depantsing of my training (I hate the word 'detraining').

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?

This is one of the advantages to not having any sort of plan to your running, you can just wake up and run what you feel like running, weather it be a 40 minute tempo, 3 miles jogging, or a 20 mile long run You don't need to expend any brainpower training!

eh...call it Xtraining

Having some difficulty with settings on the training log. Could you explain how to enter a new color bar for x-training? Also, when I attempt to enter a 'recovery run' I'm trying under interval section (probably not the right idea) and it doesn't enter. Is there a way to just create a color bar for 'recovery runs' as well? Thanks in advance from a eh...not so computer adept guy!!!

The only way your body adapts to any hard work is by resting.

So far so good here... Some elite athletes train at decent intensity in AM and PM; they have trained their body to actually recover adequately in 12 hours, instead of 24. Some stimulus takes 48 hours to recover so you'd mix them up and do, say, one day long and at easier effort and the next day shorter but faster. By balancing your program, it SHOULD be easy enough to train everyday, even twice a day for most of them. Bottom line; if you have to take it easy for a whole week every 3 or 4 weeks, the whole program is too hard for you at that level. I actually believe it's a hell of a lot more to do with mental than physical. Bottom line; far too many people actually don't want to run and they want to seek a break. Actually nothing wrong with that--you need that break too. But your body is hell a lot tougher than most of us realize. It's a lot more mental than physical. I'm doing much better this winter than last winter but I'm having a trouble running twice a day (everyday) right now. It's not because my old body is screaming for a break; but I'm really getting sick of changing into and undressing from 4 or 5 layers of clothes. Even running in the -30F weather wouldn't bother me--been there, done that. You won't freeze your lungs; never had frost bite anywhere on my body ever. It's all in my head. That said, once again, I'm not saying it's a bunch of BS to take an easy recovery week. You sometimes need that. But if your body constantly requires that, then I'd say the issue is that the whole program is not balanced and your body is not following it right. I've never heard of "cutback weeks" until, say, mid 1980s; I've only heard of it in the US (though, because of the trend, I'm sure we'll soon start to hear about it all over the place...).