amkelley wrote:
Allen, I continue to be amazed at the cycling mileage you're able to do off very little training.
My brother was surprised, too, but I was confident that a few quick 24-milers and
the one longer effort of 94 miles a few weeks ago was all I would need to complete even 200 miles. My training philosophy, for better or worse, has always emphasized single big efforts and lots of rest and recovery.
What amazes me is how YOU can log consistent high mileage, day after day, week after week. Even when injured and subbing bicycling, you seem to ride A LOT of miles.
At 57, I ran a 70% AG marathon on less than 20 miles per week. That, of course was not 3 or 5 miles a day, but rather the average of long runs and lots of rest days.
After that, I decided to switch to more traditional training -- bigger weekly totals, and fewer days off.
That result was a big improvement in the marathon -- 78% AG a year later -- but it wasn't sustainable. Injuries and down time repeatedly eroded any gains I had made. And big weeks for me were only 50 or 55 miles. A lot less than your consistent totals!
So, I'm thinking now, maybe just stay with my old emphasis on rest and recovery. For example, although I considered running 5 miles today and 5 miles tomorrow, I knew that I would gain more by running 10 today, and resting tomorrow. Well, I think so, anyway ...