How to train like Parker Valby for injury prone runner

There’s also a lot to be said for mimicking running specificity when cross training. For example, is this accurate and how much does it matter? Alter g > arc trainer > eliptical > bike or swimming.

As you allude above, there is a big difference between swapping out your long run with cross training and knowing what Valby is doing.

See my previous post for the thread containing links which evaluate different forms of aerobic machines that can not only improve cardiovascular fitness, but also improve functional strength.

Back in the 70’s, my backwater high-school was able to somehow acquire a machine called the “Real Runner”. I hated that thing. I very rarely used it, because I felt like puking after about 40secs on it. (Only now looking back I can appreciate what that machine could have done, but we didn’t have much of a track team, nor coaching to go with it.)

I look at the Arc Trainer as a gentler, more user-friendly, version of that old and very crude, “Real Runner”.

Where has she said she only uses the Arc trainer? I've heard her say she uses the elliptical pretty often as well.

Try to do as much running as you can without getting injured, and then supplement the rest with crosstraining. I'm sure you've recognised a mileage point at which you've typically begun to accumulate niggles/injuries. If that's 30 miles, maybe just stick with 25 per week for a few months, and then take it from there.

If 9 hours is the amount of time you're willing to spend training, then stick with that. Maybe your breakdown looks something like 3 hours of running, 6 hours of crosstraining.

Perhaps you do 1 threshold workout, 1 vo2/speed workout and 1 medium long run per week of running (with an additional easy run if it fits into your 25 miles), and the rest is cross training.

Something I've found - that works for me - is doubling on my hard days with a second hard workout of crosstraining (I use the bike). I typically try to get in 15-25 minutes of work around threshold.

The rule of thumb must be the less you run the better. Add to that, race plenty of cross country.

Hills in Florida?? You got to be kidding me. She’d crap herself at Hardrock, UTMB, Tor de Geants, hell even Western States. These track and XC stars have no clue what hills are.

Generally your hard days are running, your easy and long run days are cross training. How long and how much resistance will require some trial and error.

Ultimately, go to your coach with these ideas and see what they think. Work with your coach, not around them.

And yet she is the fastest woman in history. Good thing she stays away from hill training like all of those slow pokes.

You’d be pissing yourself if you had to run the technical trails. Keep running around circles.

She will be a wealthy woman. Nobody who can beat her up a hill will be.

How have your times improved during this training period if you don't mind me asking?

I think your right in some respects though I have had no problem getting my heart rate up high using the elliptical with a difficult resistance. I found I was able to do 30 mins of near LT2 while on the elliptical something that is very difficult to implement in running training.

Arc Trainer vs Elliptical

“All right, so here’s my personal opinion about the Elliptical and the Arc Trainer.

“Me personally, I just don’t really feel the effect of a full-body workout on the Elliptical. I’m not saying you cannot lose weight, or build muscle on the Elliptical. It’s just (for me personally), it’s not my preference. And it’s also, to me, not as low-impact as the ‘Arc’.

“And as you can see, with the ‘Arc’, it’s more like a gliding-effect, and I’m able to get my knees up, so I am working multiple muscle groups at the same time. So, to me, I am getting a full-body workout.

“Again here are different variations on the machine (see video). You don’t have to go as fast as I am; like I said, I have been doing this for a while, so yeah, I’m going pretty fast, and I have my incline on 20, resistance on 25-30.

“In a second I’ll show you a different angle, just to show you how high I get my knees up. (see video) Uhmm yeah, that’s why I say I prefer the ‘Arc’ over the Elliptical, ‘cause I feel like it gives me an overall full-body workout.

“So do what you will with this information, this is my personal opinion.”