2 hard/medium sessions in one day? Too much?

Are you already so good that this is the only way for you to improve?

This can work but you really really need to pay attention to recovery. If you start thinking you are super human and don't pay attention to slow running on the days before and after a double day of hard sessions you will do damage quickly.

09kfmdo wrote:

Are you already so good that this is the only way for you to improve?

^this

Canova has his athletes do two hard/medium sessions in one day at the end of their preparation for a big race. So if you're a world class runner, search for "special blocks".

So if you are not a world class runner this is a bad idea?

Of course an athlete would have 2-3 very easy days in between.

The issue with this is that the recovery is so long, you tend to end up not being able to get in as much quality in a given week, so you actually progress slower.

However, it can be good for special blocks, as noted above. I don't think it is so much an issue that this won't work unless you are elite level, it is more an issue that the potential benefit is very slim if done right and the potential downside is very large if done wrong, so it is usually only done by elite athletes that 1) have the time 2) have an experienced coach.

It certainly can be done by amateurs with less time and experience, but it is crucial to not underestimate the required rest time.

This concept of "hard days hard, easy days easy" is more commonly used in the power events, who will use it throughout the competition and peaking phase.

I love doing tempo AM, speed PM with my athletes. I'll even do tempo the morning of less important races. This has worked for me with athletes ranging from high school runners to Olympians.

Physiologists started to realize many years ago that "hard/easy" was a mistake since the body often took two days to recover from a very hard effort. They also realized the damage had a delayed onset though so you can either pack two days in a row in or go AM/PM with harder sessions. My rule has always been make the first session a little lighter and the second session the harder of the two. If you go two days light after this, you have a great program. Wednesday/Saturday is the structure I prefer.

The setup you do is

m:easy

t:easy

w: double medium/hard session

t:easy

f:easy

s:double medium/hard session

s:easy

?

Ecoeco wrote:

The setup you do is

m:easy

t:easy

w: double medium/hard session

t:easy

f:easy

s:double medium/hard session

s:easy

?

That is a possible scenario. No double session on Saturday though. Saturday is one session that is the hardest workout, or race, of the week. During base I would have gotten an athlete to recover with a longer easy day so Thursday could be anywhere from 60 to 105 minutes (only elite experienced runners do as much as 105). Sunday would also be long, probably 30 or so minutes longer than Thursday. Tuesday and Friday would have strides but no real work, just turnover.