Brain Harvesting

Secondary - Aerobic Conditioning

I'm slightly confused at the aerobic conditioning runs being 'secondary'. You call these 'in between' runs. Are you not planning to have any easy days between the first four sessions (long run, marathon pace, V02, speed/anaerobic)? - Ewen

To clarify my current training. I tend to list my training runs in order of importance, rather than the intended chronological order. Being a shift worker on a rotating roster means the order of training is dictated by when I can do it, instead of what would otherwise be ideal.

So listing the sessions as follows:

• Long Run
• Marathon Pace Run
• VO2 track intervals
• Speed/Anaerobic Conditioning
• Aerobic Conditioning
• Strength/Core Conditioning

Means over an 8-9 day period I will complete training in each of the above categories. Usually I will have a day of slightly easier running at aerobic conditioning intensity in between the harder runs (ie. long, marathon pace, VO2 or speed), but this isn't always the case.

The key concept over the five weeks of Specific training is contradictory to common, general advice on training. This advice can be summarised as "make your easy days very easy and your hard days, very hard." Sometimes very good advice, but not in my case at this time. To prevent an early peak, but still force improved performance following my taper, instead of simply maintaining when I am at now, I am overloading through a moderate, but consistent training load. That means, the easy days are harder, but still a bit easier than the hard, and key hard days are within my capabilities, instead right on the edge. The peak/taper is where the true recovery comes in.

Racing

I failed to cover how racing fits into this phase of training. I have three races planned:

1. Yarra Valley Grape Run 13.7km
2. Sri Chinmoy Yarra Boulevard Half Marathon 21.1km
3. Coburg Fun Run 12km

These will simply replace key training sessions. The 13.7 and 12km races will take the place of the VO2 track runs and the half marathon will replace a marathon pace run. The training in the lead up will not change and as a result of this and the expected level of constant fatigue I can't foresee any super fast times. Post race is where the variation comes in. If my legs really need it, then I will take a day or two very easy and really look at recovery.

Hills, Strides and Base

What do you think of hill work in the base trg phase? Am about to start a new phase and was looking at basing the majority of my quality work (10% total) on some hill efforts. Just not sure whether to look at hill intervals or longer repeats? - Kyle Williams

I think hill work is very important in all training. I wrote about how I have included in my training recently, especially over my base phase in Antagonising Gravity.

What do you think of 'strides'? (60-100m sprint efforts before or after easy runs for speed) Are they worth including in a base phase? - Kyle Williams

There is always a place for strides or some form of faster running. While I personally don't include it in every run, I would probably average some short fast efforts/strides 3-4 times per training cycle/week. Most of my warm ups for fast sessions includes, strides, fast comfortable runs, drills and plyometric work. Without regular inclusion of this type of work, I find fast running doesn't feel as comfortable or natural, plus I start noticing niggles in my half strings or calves.

Since the above two questions were in regard to base training, it is probably worth having a look at my post: The Point of Base Training. While it was written when training for an Ironman triathlon, the main concepts are still very valid. I also had a quick look through your blog Kyle, my recommendation general recommendation for your run training would be not to be too concerned if you can't hit the target times in all training sessions and be patient with the rate of improvement. Improvement isn't linear, sometimes it is fast, others frustratingly slow and sometimes you need to take a step or two backwards in order to get better in the long run.