I Think I've Read Way Too Much About Training and Now I am Not Too Sure What I am Doing....

I think you need to stop reading so much and run more.

You're raising some very interesting points. The problem is that there isn't one system that will work for everybody. I would say that the most important ingredient in success is your belief that the training will work and then sticking to it for many years. That being said, I believe there are certain principles which cannot be ignored such as recovery/adaptation and progression.

I think what you need is to take a look at the Frank Shorter method of training. His approach is simple, yet effective. He combines consistent mileage with two or three quality workouts during the week. But perhaps the most important thing I ever learned from him is that you have to learn to " make your easy days easy, and your hard days hard." No one can define " easy" for you but keep in mind that it involves not just intensity but volume as well. Some people think they can recover doing a 10 mile easy run and for some people that might be the case. For others, they might need to do as little as 4 miles. Another variable is how you space out your hard days from your easier ones. Some people prefer the 1-1 rotation (Hard - Easy). Others, a 2-1 or even a 2-1-2-2.

The point is that when its time to hit the track for that 3 mile tempo run at 5:30 pace, you can hit your goal times for the workout instead of struggling to run 6's

Good luck!

Magness is this you????

There are as many ways to train as there are runners. I think many runners stunt their progress by not having a set plan but rather training according to the most recent impressive book or article. Be selective in what you read and who you listen to, incorporate only what you feel are the best ideas, and develop a system that works FOR YOU.

Go out and run...find your own mojo. Find the grasshopper within.

Alan

This is where coaches become invaluable. I was the same way. Finally, I found a coach I really trusted and now my job is to just run. I am improved immensely in less than a year. His methods aren't always the most in vogue on here (often they are) but although I discuss it with him - when it comes time to run I just shut up and run.

I was lucky to get a local coach I can see in person with his credentials for $100/mo, and realize that a lot of people can't afford that. I am sure you could even just find a mentor and just buy into the approach - even when it doesn't seem to be the best.

Buying into your training and just going with it is probably more important than which of the half dozen or so major types of programs you could choose between.

So many people I talk to don't give a program the full season (at a minimum) it needs to be evaluated, and changing programs mid-stream doesn't help you.

Im a fan of this guy. His training is very straightforward and he borrows from Lydiard & Daniels (who doesnt). The thing is he has a 30 week schedule leading up to last years Houston Marathon that shows day by day, week by week training broken down into 4 phases. This guys doesnt ask for a dime. If you stick to almost any plan you will succeed (i.e. there are more than 1 way to skin a cat).

Start with the system of least intensity. Each year, move up to the system with the next lowest intensity. When you stagnate, go back one system. That's your best fit, and you'll have a nice foundation to boot. You'll also know if you're a Nenow or a Coe.

Too much reading and not enough actual running. You never saw a Kenyan wearing glasses, did you?

Duh. You know way more than you need to. Nearly all the major 'contributors' here will never achieve their personal potential, don't let them drag you down into their self-made cesspool of mediocrity.

I agree whole heartedly. It can all become so overwhelming, and this is such a simple sport. Just run right?

I had decided that I was going to do a marathon this fall and all I would do is simple mileage. But once I started plotting out my plan, I got caught up in about 4 different books, looked at things on the net, before you know it I had scrapped 3 different training plans.

Why are there two of these threads??

you have to come up with a central paradigm. A system.

Define what you are trying to do, and then look at what can be done to accomplish that.

Don't just read these how to train in 10 simple steps books. Think why they are doing what theya re doing and why each type of training is successful and what are it's downfalls.

Don't just take bits and pieces from each training and combine them. The individual workouts have to make sense in the whole system.

Wrap your wind around a concept.

Get out of the habit of looking at workouts in terms of LT, VO2, etc. These are good labels but in most people they begin to think well the way to improve your LT is too do an LT workout. Well that's true to an extent, but couldn't just mileage improve LT or maybe workouts slightly slower than 5k pace improve LT a bit?

Remember that the workouts intensity depends on speed and duration and conditions.

You mayt see 3-4min fartleks in Canovas, but does that mean they are VO2 work as you define it or LT work or what? I've read Canova's stuff and during the fundamental period it appears that they are slightly faster than LT. Same goes for if someone is doing mile repeats. Your mind has been trained to think, mile repeats=VO2. but depending on other things they could be a recovery run, an LT run, VO2, 10k pace, 15k pace, etc.

Training distance runners is a complex thing for the top level. It's not as easy as some will say (the "just go run" crowd). But it can be that easy once you have your head wrapped around the idea. Canova's training ideas look incredibly complex to the outsider, but I'm gonna take a bet that in his mind it makes complete sence and is relatively easy to decide when and where to put a certain type of workout as long as he knows what he's trying to accomplish.

also, some of those books/articles are great, some are absolute crap. Don't just think because it's in writing that it is correct and worthwhile.