NAU and Mike Smith Training

What is the reasoning behind the Saturday long run the day after a hard workout on Friday? It seems like they’re leaving fitness on the table by not having a harder long run on Sunday. The Saturday long run for NAU is an easy jog.

Bump.

Saturday Long Run? wrote:

What is the reasoning behind the Saturday long run the day after a hard workout on Friday? It seems like they’re leaving fitness on the table by not having a harder long run on Sunday. The Saturday long run for NAU is an easy jog.

So that your week can look like this

first workout monday/tuesday, second workout wed/thursday/friday, if second workout is wed/thurs than you run a hard long run saturday and if you worked out friday you can run a easier LR the next day. And then cross train or easy jog as you'd like sunday

gopherfool wrote:

Saturday Long Run? wrote:

What is the reasoning behind the Saturday long run the day after a hard workout on Friday? It seems like they’re leaving fitness on the table by not having a harder long run on Sunday. The Saturday long run for NAU is an easy jog.

So that your week can look like this

first workout monday/tuesday, second workout wed/thursday/friday, if second workout is wed/thurs than you run a hard long run saturday and if you worked out friday you can run a easier LR the next day. And then cross train or easy jog as you'd like sunday

Ok but it appears nearly all their workouts are on Tuesdays and Fridays. So why not do a long run on Sunday at a moderate pace?

There’s more bang for your buck and still plenty of easy days before and after the workouts.

My question wasn’t exactly why Saturday instead of Sunday.

It’s, more specifically, why an easy Saturday long run of 18-20 miles after a Friday workout?

bump

Saturday Long Run? wrote:

My question wasn’t exactly why Saturday instead of Sunday.

It’s, more specifically, why an easy Saturday long run of 18-20 miles after a Friday workout?

Based on the minimal information you gave, I assume the Tuesday workout is very hard so LR Saturday means they can be well rested for it (as opposed to Sunday).

Check the google doc of their training. The Tuesday/Friday workouts are rarely very challenging. Standard college stuff.

Because they are living at 7,000ft. Bodies are going to recover very slow. Not to mention most of their long runs are done on hilly terrain, mountain service roads or even higher elevation (8,500ft+). Most of them are not from Alitutide so 3 workouts would put you in a hole real quick. And let me tell you, holes on Flagstaff are deeeeep. Your only as good as you can recover.

Went to flagstaff wrote:

I ran a few days on the Buffalo Loop in Flagstaff earlier this year, and ran into NAU guys each time. You aren't kidding they run slow on slow days. Can confirm.

don't believe a word gahagand says. Sitting in his dorm room at Binghamton University he like to pretend he know something about everyone and every coach out there.

They don’t have 4% wrote:

Because they are living at 7,000ft. Bodies are going to recover very slow. Not to mention most of their long runs are done on hilly terrain, mountain service roads or even higher elevation (8,500ft+). Most of them are not from Alitutide so 3 workouts would put you in a hole real quick. And let me tell you, holes on Flagstaff are deeeeep. Your only as good as you can recover.

So why not run easy Saturday and an easy long run on Sunday? You’d dig a hole easier by running 2+ hours the days after a workout than you would running 30-60 minutes the day after a workout.

Saturday Long Run? wrote:

They don’t have 4% wrote:

Because they are living at 7,000ft. Bodies are going to recover very slow. Not to mention most of their long runs are done on hilly terrain, mountain service roads or even higher elevation (8,500ft+). Most of them are not from Alitutide so 3 workouts would put you in a hole real quick. And let me tell you, holes on Flagstaff are deeeeep. Your only as good as you can recover.

So why not run easy Saturday and an easy long run on Sunday? You’d dig a hole easier by running 2+ hours the days after a workout than you would running 30-60 minutes the day after a workout.

You really want to question the training of these guys dominating the NCAA?

I’m not questioning it. I’m trying to understand why they do it. I’m considering implementing it into my own training. However, I live at sea level, not 7,000 ft. Perhaps I’m better off doing a harder long run on Sundays.

Saturday Long Run? wrote:

I’m not questioning it. I’m trying to understand why they do it. I’m considering implementing it into my own training. However, I live at sea level, not 7,000 ft. Perhaps I’m better off doing a harder long run on Sundays.

If you're really interested in implementing their training, how about you do it for 6-8 weeks just like they do, with the T/F workouts and an easy Saturday long run and actually feel how it works.

I know this is an old thread... but I'd love to take a look at the infamous NAU training doc. mendeleevium@gmail.com

Naysayerrrrrrr 45 wrote:

I think his training is...

1) get a bunch of foreigners

2) don't eff it up.

He never actually develops anyone

As if that is a knock. Cuz we all know that great teams are built around developing athletes with no talent.

I also don’t get it wrote:

gopherfool wrote:

So that your week can look like this

first workout monday/tuesday, second workout wed/thursday/friday, if second workout is wed/thurs than you run a hard long run saturday and if you worked out friday you can run a easier LR the next day. And then cross train or easy jog as you'd like sunday

Ok but it appears nearly all their workouts are on Tuesdays and Fridays. So why not do a long run on Sunday at a moderate pace?

There’s more bang for your buck and still plenty of easy days before and after the workouts.

Sunday is the Lord's day, and should not be wasted on fruitless pursuits, such as running.

A few things to think about.

Mike Smith worked under Jack Daniels for a handful of years. From reading the Daniels' Formula, Jack was a fan of doing back to back Quality days. I believe because of the delaying of muscle soreness. So that could be why he does back to back quality days.

Another thing is deciding which Quality days are most important. If the long run was on Sunday, that would only give one easy day in between the long run and first workout of the week. With it on Saturday, you get two easy days in between and they are more prepared for the workout on Tuesday. And if the Sunday long run were more specific to a pace then it's very possible they wouldn't be ready until Wednesday for the next quality session.

It's also possible he wants to get the long run out of the way so that kids can focus more on school work on Sunday.

Saturday Long Run? wrote:

It seems like they’re leaving fitness on the table by not having a harder long run on Sunday. The Saturday long run for NAU is an easy jog.

So, you're saying that it "seems like they are living fitness on the table". And you are referring to the team that has won the NCAA XC championship three years in a row and is currently ranked #1?

I could understand if you said something like, "obviously they are not leaving fitness on the table, I just don't understand what they are doing and how it's so successful".

dude...