To be clear, I'm familiar with the research. I don't think you should have a long static stretching routine before a race like many people might have. But to say "all stretching is bad" is just a gross simplification.
Just for clarification, I said stretching before races, not general stretching. Actually some of the research indicated that less flexible muscles don't lose energy as quickly as flexible muscles during races.
I pretty much agree with you about running doubles. However, its too easy to run too hard during the double and not give you body enough time to recover.
If you run your doubles too hard, that is not the double’s fault. That’s like saying easy runs are bad because it’s too easy to run them too hard.
This post was edited 28 seconds after it was posted.
+ WRT doubles, for many its just impractical to get the required distance in other ways. e.g. working full time I never had the time to get the 90 mins plus in before work and was often too wasted after a day at work to do it in the evening. Splitting into e.g. a 30 and a 60 just made more sense. Optimal in an idea world? Possibly not but closer for me at the time.
If you are just doing 60-75 mins for the day though I'd always try and do it in one go.
Disagree on stretching and doubles. Stretching can have a place. I always do some form of dynamic stretching before workouts and races. And I usually end up doing some form of static stretching because something always ends up a bit tight.
Icing after a workout, yeah, I think the science is still out on ice baths and icing but leans towards it being counterproductive. It's different if you're trying to keep an injury in check though, versus just icing to not be sore after.
I always thought icing was good after workouts to help reduce muscle inflammation. Correct me if I am wrong though.
Disagree on stretching and doubles. Stretching can have a place. I always do some form of dynamic stretching before workouts and races. And I usually end up doing some form of static stretching because something always ends up a bit tight.
Icing after a workout, yeah, I think the science is still out on ice baths and icing but leans towards it being counterproductive. It's different if you're trying to keep an injury in check though, versus just icing to not be sore after.
I always thought icing was good after workouts to help reduce muscle inflammation. Correct me if I am wrong though.
The thing about sports science is it's... uhhh... always questionable lol. It's very hard to study athletes, so many variables. You'd be surprised how little we actually know about muscles and tendons.
I've read that inflammation after hard training is the body's response to stress and it is beneficial. Inflammation can become so bad that it's harmful and making the situation worse, there's an evolutionary argument here that I won't get into.
I've taken ice baths after hard sessions and it's made me feel "fresh." However, how much of that is real and how much is placebo? I have zero idea. I'm kind of in the camp that, unless you have some abnormal soreness, injury that needs to be managed, or extenuating circumstances, don't bother icing.
With perfect recovery, it's be better to do a 22 mile run every day, but it's a lot easier to recover from 22 miles in 14/8 and a lot easier to do 7 easy, 6 tempo, 1 cd than 14 easy, 6 tempo, 2 cd
If you can't get why doubles are beneficial his mileage is probably low enough that he doesn't benefit from them yet - splitting 7-10 into doubles or something
Another common misunderstanding is that there's some kind of bright line between aerobic and anaerobic workouts. In truth both energy systems are always in play, even when running very slowly or very fast. The "threshold run" can be a useful training concept but it's extremely oversimplified from a physiological perspective.
Disagree on stretching and doubles. Stretching can have a place. I always do some form of dynamic stretching before workouts and races. And I usually end up doing some form of static stretching because something always ends up a bit tight.
Icing after a workout, yeah, I think the science is still out on ice baths and icing but leans towards it being counterproductive. It's different if you're trying to keep an injury in check though, versus just icing to not be sore after.
NSAIDs, I only take them to keep injuries in check. I've seen people take them because they're "sore" and that makes no sense. Just be sore for a few days. But if you need to keep training and racing and you've got a kind of busted ankle or something, a few pills might do the trick.
Check the research on stretching before races, it hurts your performance!
Doubles depends on how they are done. Training is the slight tearing down of muscles and rebuilding them stronger. If you are running twice a day you are not giving your body enough time to fully recover. Now if you run slow twice it might recover but it just doesn't seem to be the best use of time.
Yes, NSAIDs and icing can interfere with the body's ability to heal itself. Blood flow to muscles facilitates healing. Don't impede it.
To simplify training to the "tearing down of muscles and rebuilding them stronger" shows a clear misunderstanding of the physiology of endurance training. You have many more variables to build up (e.g. mitochondrial density, h+ ion buffering, lactate efficiency, tendon strengthening, etc). These can all be improved upon from more volume, therefore more doubles.
(3) The higher the mileage the better the performance
(4) Running doubles
OMG!!!
When posting on this board, PLEASE try to bring some kind of intelligence and common sense when doing so. Also, it helps if YOU bring some sort of experience and or actual personal proof supporting your perspective.
I'll try to help you out:
(1) Stretching before a race (Define stretching. Easy and or light stretching after a warm up jog is highly recommended to facilitate blood flow throughout the muscles which in turn preps the working muscles for an excessive workload which includes racing or intense training session). (2) No pain no gain (The actual activity of "running hard" is uncomfortable and or "painful". In order for the body to adapt to this discomfort it must be exposed to it in various doses so as to acclimate to it. In the end, competitive running is and will always be "painful", the secret is to manage the "pain" and or "discomfort". You can't avoid it. (3) The higher the mileage the better the performance (This is the only point that is TRUE, higher mileage does NOT guarantee better performance. Rather, it is a combination of mileage and quality workouts that promote better performance. What defines "higher mileage"? Each runner is different, and mileage correlating with body type, genetic ability, etc...will vary. Find what works for you). (4) Running doubles (Again, depending on mileage requirements per athlete and quality of workouts. An easy PM recovery run after a tough AM workout is very beneficial to purge excess lactic acid from the muscles, including massage and hydration. Elite runners who double up with two hard sessions a day should be aware that these are not to be done frequently, and if monitored properly can be beneficial. The more work that can be achieved without compromising health is the whole point of training and thus performing at a higher level).
And yes, my above recommendations have been tried, tested, and proven successful at both the national and world class level.
(3) The higher the mileage the better the performance
(4) Running doubles
OMG!!!
When posting on this board, PLEASE try to bring some kind of intelligence and common sense when doing so. Also, it helps if YOU bring some sort of experience and or actual personal proof supporting your perspective.
I'll try to help you out:
(1) Stretching before a race (Define stretching. Easy and or light stretching after a warm up jog is highly recommended to facilitate blood flow throughout the muscles which in turn preps the working muscles for an excessive workload which includes racing or intense training session). (2) No pain no gain (The actual activity of "running hard" is uncomfortable and or "painful". In order for the body to adapt to this discomfort it must be exposed to it in various doses so as to acclimate to it. In the end, competitive running is and will always be "painful", the secret is to manage the "pain" and or "discomfort". You can't avoid it. (3) The higher the mileage the better the performance (This is the only point that is TRUE, higher mileage does NOT guarantee better performance. Rather, it is a combination of mileage and quality workouts that promote better performance. What defines "higher mileage"? Each runner is different, and mileage correlating with body type, genetic ability, etc...will vary. Find what works for you). (4) Running doubles (Again, depending on mileage requirements per athlete and quality of workouts. An easy PM recovery run after a tough AM workout is very beneficial to purge excess lactic acid from the muscles, including massage and hydration. Elite runners who double up with two hard sessions a day should be aware that these are not to be done frequently, and if monitored properly can be beneficial. The more work that can be achieved without compromising health is the whole point of training and thus performing at a higher level).
And yes, my above recommendations have been tried, tested, and proven successful at both the national and world class level.
Actually when people post long crap like this it goes unread.
Why wouldn't the same logic apply to running doubles.
If I do all of my day's mileage in one chunk, my body is going to be much more stressed on the back end of that run - when it's tired and my muscles are starting to fatigue.
If I break it up though, I'm much fresher for the second half. The key, as you say, is taking it easy - which you should do for all of your easy/recovery mileage anyway.