Minimum Effective Dose • The best way to improve your running is to run more miles • The best way to get injured running is to run more miles Every runner who is seeking to improve will at some point face this problem – the best way to get fitter is to run more miles but if I do that, I’m likely to get injured. Most running books and magazines quote the 10% rule when looking to increase mileage – that it is safe to increase your mileage by 10% each week. Some wiser writers include the warning that every fourth week should be a recovery week where you back off to let your body recover. Using this as a principle though, you could go from running 10 miles a week to running 100 miles in a week in less than a year! Well you … [Read more...]
Law 9 – Incorporate Base Training and Sharpening
October 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment
This rule implies that peak racing performance only occurs when a period of high-intensity, low volume training (peaking or sharpening) follows a prolonged build up period consisting of low intensity, high volume training. The godfather of this approach to training has got to be Arthur Lydiard. Greatest of all the runners coached by Lydiard was the double Olympic champion and multiple world record holder Peter Snell. Although Snell was predominantly an 800m runner, during his base period, he would regularly run 100miles per week. The Lydiard approach would then have the runner adopt a period of hill training before a brief sharpening phase to prepare for the main competitive races of the season. Following this style of training … [Read more...]
Law 7: Don’t Race When in Training or Run at Race Pace for distances Above 16 kilometres (10 miles)
September 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I decry such things as time trials..I am convinced that they are nothing more than a senseless waste of time and energy. They can't tell you any more than the race itself could...Racing then, should be the only time-trials and should be run every two or preferably three weeks apart....six weeks between events would be more suitable for a marathon runner, but once every two months is probably better. Newton is clearing stating that it is impossible to give your best effort every day - whether through racing or time trials. He also raises a couple of issues - time trials, yes or no and how often should you race? Time trials Time trials are efforts over a specific time or distances to assess the runner's level of fitness during training. … [Read more...]