Summer of Malmo questions

mgm wrote:

LT pace should be touched upon all year in varying degrees or else you're following an outdated linear concept of periodization

"Touched upon...in varying degrees" -- Sure.

But that's what happens when you do tempo running by feel. You will inevitably be spending some time in and around that range. And that's plenty during the summer.

When maximizing LT is the physiological goal of the training cycles that you're in, then by all means, make sure you're hitting those paces exactly right. But maximizing LT is emphatically not the goal of summer training.

Huh? Don't blame this on "outdated" linear periodization (assuming for the sake of argument that it has been shown to be "outdated" and somehow inferior). Up to date "non-linear" periodization has rejected physiological "thresholds" in favor of "individualization" and "specificity".

[quote]mgm wrote:

LT pace should be touched upon all year in varying degrees or else you're following an outdated linear concept of periodization[quote]

I think there's some confusion here in terms of the "running by feel" vs. using a watch debate. No one believes it's a good idea to be obsessing over splits and looking to run exactly, say, 5:30 pace on a tempo run in August. I just think it makes sense to have a range, of say, 5:15-5:45 range while doing one, and then you can stay within that range.

Why this is such a controversial topic, I have no idea.

SlipperyPete1340 wrote:

I just think it makes sense to have a range, of say, 5:15-5:45 range while doing one, and then you can stay within that range.

That's exactly what running by feel IS!

That's what I thought too, but apparently wearing a wrist watch and trying to stay within a range of times is an affront to all that is pure on this thread.

Of course it makes sense to plan a target pace range, e.g. 5:15-5:45. That's not controversial. It's the other stuff you said.In this thread, you raised two opposite concerns:1) the experienced 15:30 5K runner running 6:15 pace, or even 6:30 pace, and feeling great2) inexperienced runners racing their tempos too fastThe first concern is unrealistic. No way a 15:30 runner misses an optimal tempo pace target by more than 10 seconds, while feeling great.Your second concern is a common problem. So do you tell the inexperienced non-feeling runner:a) stay relaxed -- run within yourselfor:b) tempo runs must HURTYou think "running by feel" can cause a huge uncertainty. On the contrary, it's a valuable source of feedback. You said the problem with feeling means "you don't know what the hell you've done". Feeling doesn't replace knowledge, but adds to it. It's not an either/or thing -- subjective and objective feedback are complementary.

SlipperyPete1340 wrote:

I think there's some confusion here in terms of the "running by feel" vs. using a watch debate. No one believes it's a good idea to be obsessing over splits and looking to run exactly, say, 5:30 pace on a tempo run in August. I just think it makes sense to have a range, of say, 5:15-5:45 range while doing one, and then you can stay within that range.

Why this is such a controversial topic, I have no idea.