By many accounts, I should start my summer training for cross 24 weeks before my goal peak time. This means I'd have to start the first week in May and put in 15-16 weeks before I even start official practices with my team. Does this seem a little too early, or should I just suck it up and embrace the greatness that will come with my consistent training?
I think that is fine as long as you are not hammering your runs. Just concentrate on getting in consistent mileage with some strides a couple days a week. It won't burn you out.
24 weeks is a good progression if you are an experienced runner. If not, you could probably effectively progress on 12-18 weeks of a mileage build-up. Interestingly enough, I recently read a study in which collegiate cross country teams that ran less and had more rest days during the preseason phase (May to August) had more success at the National Championships in November than teams that ran longer weekly. Is it possible that too much mileage during the summer months lead to decreased perfomances in the peaking phase of October or November?
I'd say anything before June 21st would be too soon to start your summer training. Enjoy the spring man!
First off, you didn't read the study. You the read the article in a magazine. Second of all that study was taken before Colorado started dominating with higher mileage.
Damnit, you beat me to it!
get ugly wrote:
I'd say anything before June 21st would be too soon to start your summer training. Enjoy the spring man!
That's what I was thinking. Where did you find this study?
get ugly wrote:
I'd say anything before June 21st would be too soon to start your summer training. Enjoy the spring man!
What would you do during the 7 weeks between May 1 and June 21? I know that I took about that much time off between cross and indoor this year and I didn't start feeling in shape again until late March.
Damn, did I say study, I meant article in Arkansas Gazette...btw, how many national championships has the HIGH MILEAGE state of Colorado won in comparison to Arkansas? You guys give me stress fractures of the anoos.