alternatives to periodization

road horror wrote:

and alternate one untempo workout,

Maybe the problem is that you never do tempos

So your suggestion would be to do more. Maybe the cycle should include a tempo workout every week like a tempo run one week and cruse intervals another.

Here's my suggestion, it has worked for me. I would lower your base mileage, ditch any type of VO2 kind of workouts, and just try and run fast as much as possible listen to your body and recover when you need to, but really run your runs fast and work on your pure speed. Eventually when the faster pace begins to get easier up your mileage. (This should be a very long process, but you should know running takes lots of patience.) Basically your neuromuscular system will start to adapt and become more efficient at faster paces, it has to. Plus your LT will imrove dramatically. This is how the kenyans roll. they get in group runs and every run one guy is having a good day so everyone else has to run fast.

Now that it's easier periodization follows. Basically you need to build a base of running fast, then develope your "base"(for periodization) by upping the miles at the fast pace. Now on to real tempo runs and progression runs. Stay away from any VO@ workout until the last 8 weeks.

*Always work on your pure speed. It is now starting to come to exercise scientists that running economy plays alot bigger role that people thought. The good news is that can improve dramatically V02 is very much genetic. So... work on pure speed and running fast.

Can you define what you mean by 'pure speed' ?

Scott Simmons. I know he gets skewered on here routinely, but this is how he trains his people for the most part. Basically, the idea is that aerobic development occurs through all types of training, except very short intervals on the track or something like that. He incorporates all those elements almost year round and the mileage does not change that much throughout the year. His teams have consistently run well wherever he's coached and he's coached some pretty damn good runners, too. A lot of the old eastern bloc countries and USSR used to train this way, too back in the 70s and 80s. Of course, take that for what you will considering their record of drug use, but it certainly worked for them. Try it for a while and see how it goes.

When I say work on pure Speed I mean work on running fast without anaerobic training so doing thins such as Repeat 100 meters with full recovery or flying 150s at the end of workouts or easy runs just to word on your neuromuscular developement, without anything metabolic and anaerobic, which in turn will lead to a higher running economy. Also I should have clarified to also incorporate what I call fast and smooth training. Meaning getting on the track and doing 4-8 400s at mile pace without straining full recovery after some easy running to work on feeling smooth and running fast. It's all purely neuromuscular, and very effective.

If I'm not mistaken, Rob De Castella was known for training the same way all year round. Worked pretty well for him.

drunk runner wrote:

If I'm not mistaken, Rob De Castella was known for training the same way all year round. Worked pretty well for him.

Pretty much. It should be simple!

drunk runner wrote:

If I'm not mistaken, Rob De Castella was known for training the same way all year round. Worked pretty well for him.

So did Frank Shorter.