(Road Racing) and Time Trialing and Training Thread - Week Ending 9/13/20

OR, I am with you regarding early morning runs. Except for a few weeks in college, I've never been able to handle them.

My primary motivation now for the four rest days each week is to stay ahead of my knee issues. That's been mostly successful, but after yesterday's 7-miler, knee pain interrupted my sleep last night.

Back in 2016, I was criticized on the 50+ thread for single long runs that were 60% of my weekly mileage. When you're marathon training on a two-runs-per week schedule, what's the alternative?! In my late 20s, I had some decent marathon results off just ONE run per week. A long run only (and six recovery days, ha!).

BTW, I had a transcription error. That was a 20-week couch-to-marathon schedule, not 22. I accidentally typed two of the weeks twice.

OR, I'm looking forward to your 5K this weekend. Good luck!

Also, some fantastic results from the posters on this thread. Truly inspirational and fun to follow.

Allen - What a dumb criticism. People can be so narrow-minded in regard to training. Too bad. As you have shown, there can be many successful approaches, especially if one is trying to handle an injury or some other type of personal issue. Your results speak for themselves. With regard to what you are currently doing...it is EXACTLY what I would do. I would not attempt to run on consecutive days. Your overall good success shows that the approach is right for you.

With regard to my 5k...I have been feeling great, and even looking forward to this race...but after yesterday's run my right shin started to hurt and both knees have been fairly sore lately. So, while I have not been stressing out over this race, now I am beginning to. I think my fitness is good, but I hope I can get to the starting line okay. Even my right hamstring is getting tight. I am taking today off from running and will see if I can run a few miles tomorrow, though I do not like to run the day before a race.

imagebearer wrote:

JB is sleep deprived, I'm cutting him some slack. Mr Stone's on the up and up. 8 mi Vic? Are you coming off of an injury?

After my 3 big weeks prior I thought it was prudent to take that classic 4th week cutback.

Victor Nightingale wrote:

imagebearer wrote:

JB is sleep deprived, I'm cutting him some slack. Mr Stone's on the up and up. 8 mi Vic? Are you coming off of an injury?

After my 3 big weeks prior I thought it was prudent to take that classic 4th week cutback.

Since we have already demonstrated that the toughness of one’s wife is inversely related to the male runner’s mileage, what Victor/GT is really showing is that his wife definitely works REALLY hard...

The Stone Cutter wrote:

Victor Nightingale wrote:

After my 3 big weeks prior I thought it was prudent to take that classic 4th week cutback.

Since we have already demonstrated that the toughness of one’s wife is inversely related to the male runner’s mileage, what Victor/GT is really showing is that his wife definitely works REALLY hard...

I don't know how I feel about that inverse relationship. But it has certainly been true for me over the last 2.5 months. - RS

Good to see you're back! There are others here with more knowledge and experience but I'll chime in. I always think of training as a means to an end. Because at this point your "end" isn't very well defined (no goal race, nor even a goal distance), I think you have the luxury of trial and error. Maybe add in one component at a time. Like a couple of weeks with a couple of days of hill sprints, and if you respond well to that, change one of those days to flat fartleks... then move on to more structured stuff when you're confident the injury is in the rear view mirror and/or you have some kind of goal in mind. Enjoy the autumn running weather!

Hey WH, welcome back! Somehow I missed seeing your post earlier in the week.

I think what you have in mind sounds really good. I think once you are consistently in that 40 to 50 mile per week range, you are fine to start adding in light quality. Fartlek, light tempo, hill sprints, run to the barn, easy progression, MP mile repeats, etc. Feel free to keep a mixed bag. That way you lightly touch on several systems and also keep the training fresh and enjoyable.

You can continue to do this as you also continue to increase your volume. Personally, I like holding off on the specific stuff until I have a specific goal on the horizon.

Best of luck on your recovery. You and I seem to be pretty much rowing the same boat right now...

WH - after starting back running from 5 months off and all the stress fractures... spent a lot of time on the single track and first quality I added was just hammering the uphills hard and easy downhills and moderate flats.i think a lot of trail running helped build back up my lower body w the way your feet flex around more and work things that I think get weakened over time on the perfectly flat roads/track. Still try to run an E day on the trail a couple times a week. Glad to see you back at it.

Hey All,

I was considering getting a pair of spikes given my focus on shorter stuff for the next couple of months. This 5k plan I am doing has a bunch of track work and TTs for the forseeable future will be on the track.

Question for the older folks on this thread. How much have spikes torn up your legs? Is it just not worth it from an injury risk standpoint?

highhoppingworm wrote:

Question for the older folks on this thread. How much have spikes torn up your legs? Is it just not worth it from an injury risk standpoint?

Please define older folks... and tread carefully....

Also, on the note of the inverse relationship between miles and toughness of spouse... I've been consitently around 65-70 a week, and I'll be damned if my wife hasn't gotten angrier and stronger the more miles I've put in.

Let's face it, I think what it comes down to is women are tough as nails... men on this thread... well we have running. (some of us do anyway...)

HHW - I think it to much risk for reward. Maybe try a super light flat like the Reebok Run Fast Pro .. sub 4 ounces but has Basically .. the same foam as the Vaporfly .. and on sale baby!

https://www.reebok.com/us/floatride-run-fast-pro-running-shoes/DV6793.html

Wives ... This subject is very foreign to RRR.. Been on a good long run of not getting jammed up.

I am 35 so I guess 35+

I don't mess with spikes now. My calves tell me to stop and it's not worth it.

I think for the slightly better performance, it's not worth it (echoing RRR). I'd just stick with next% or a more traditional flat (Reebok has been making great shoes).

Good luck in the 5K, OR.

I was just looking back at some of my past training logs and discovered that I didn't run for the last 2 days prior to my half marathon PR. I don't recall why. But when you mentioned not liking to run the day before a race, it kind of makes me wonder if the best possible time for some of us to take a day or 2 off is right before a race. On that particular day for me, clearly I had some extra pop in my step and maybe that had something to do with it.

To Allen's point about getting shamed on the 50+ board for his unique brand of training: wth? One of the most fascinating things that I've learned from browsing these boards (ignoring the trolls and hate posts of course) is that it doesn't seem that there is any one proven method that absolutely works for everyone. And if that is so, why not do what is most convenient and enjoyable for you?

Because training philosophy seems to have a lot in common with religion and politics for some people ....

BHV - Thanks very much, my friend. I will update things by saying that I felt pretty good in this morning's little 5.5-miler. I took it very easy, and the shin did not complain. The hamstring seemed decent, too. So, I will be heading to the start tomorrow morning. Weather is looking very good--cool air coming in out of the north. My kind of day. Not sure about the course (hilly?). At least half of it seems to be cross country (grass, etc.).

The Stone Cutter wrote:

Victor Nightingale wrote:

After my 3 big weeks prior I thought it was prudent to take that classic 4th week cutback.

Since we have already demonstrated that the toughness of one’s wife is inversely related to the male runner’s mileage, what Victor/GT is really showing is that his wife definitely works REALLY hard...

I see why you had to change your name from NumbersGuy...trying to develop trends from two data points is shaky at best.

But my wife is great!

(Especially since a couple people here have met her...need to...tread carefully)

outsiderunner wrote:

BHV - Thanks very much, my friend. I will update things by saying that I felt pretty good in this morning's little 5.5-miler. I took it very easy, and the shin did not complain. The hamstring seemed decent, too. So, I will be heading to the start tomorrow morning. Weather is looking very good--cool air coming in out of the north. My kind of day. Not sure about the course (hilly?). At least half of it seems to be cross country (grass, etc.).

Best of luck and weather to ya!