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2014-03-09 4:21 PM

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Subject: Shane's April-May Run Group - Preparation
This group will be designed around a solid block of running headed into the season. We will be starting on April 7th and aim to complete six weeks of run focused training concluding on May 18th. If you are racing in June and beyond, assuming that your A race isn't the first couple of weeks of June, this should allow you enough time to get back to balanced training with an improved run leg.

While the group will include structured run workouts at a variety of intensities however, you will still do most of your running at an easy effort and I will provide a range of options within a workout based on your running background. It is important to bear in the mind that running is the sport in which you are most likely to suffer an injury from trying to do too much too soon and it will be much more valuable to err on the side of caution and get through the entire block of training healthy than to try to do everything. You will need to listen to your body and use your experience to inform your decisions with the workouts.

In addition, it is likely you will need to back off a bit on the bike and possibly the swim. It is very hard to have a run focused block while maintaining your current training load on the bike so backing off a bit is probably going to be required. This doesn't mean that you are going to lose bike fitness during this time but it means you likely will not be making any significant gains on the bike due to the fatigue from the run. The swim will depend on the person, some people can maintain the same load swimming during a run focus and others will have to back off. One thing that you will likely notice is increased cramping in the feet and legs due to increased fatigue so mixing in some pulling and/or band work may help when this occurs.

Before we kick off, it would be great if you were to run a race (at least 5k and up to half marathon) as we will use this to set paces and guide the training going forward. After we conclude, it would be fantastic to run a similar race and see how you have progressed during the block of training.

In the next post I will detail the running that you should be looking at between now and the beginning of the run block.

Shane


2014-03-09 4:38 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: Pre Week 1
In order to make gains on the run (or in any of the sports) you need increase your training load; this is done by increasing volume or intensity (or both). With the swim and the bike, it is generally faily safe to maintain a higher level of intensity even with reduced volume but on the run, due to the load bearing nature of the activity, intensity comes with a much higher risk. To that end, most run programs will first build volume and then start to manipulate intensity. This is how we will be approaching things with a gradual build over the pre weeks before we move into the program itself. For our purposes, we will aim to run at least 4x/week and we will set things up like this to start:

Find your best 4 week block of run training in the last six months and determine your weekly average (time)

Take 30% of this weekly average - this is the maximum length of your long run

Take the remaining time and divide it by the remaining number of runs for the week (i.e. 3 if you are running 4x) - this is your typical run length.
For your remaining runs, look at the typical run length and adjust them by +/- 5 minutes to plan out the rest of your week

For example - a runner who averaged 3 hours of running and wanted to run 5x/week would see the following:

Long run - ~55 minutes
Typical run - ~30 minutes

So the weekly schedule might look like this:

Mon - 25 minutes
Tue - 35 minutes
Wed - no run
Thurs - 25 minutes
Fri - 35 minutes
Sat - no run
Sun - 55 minutes
Total - 175 minutes

Shane
2014-03-09 9:04 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 1

This sounds great Shane!  Thank you :)

2014-03-09 11:57 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Shane's April-May Run Group - Preparation
I'm interested. My A race is not until July (HIM) and my run can use the help.
2014-03-10 11:47 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 1

Oooh math! I can do math!

My average for recent 4 week stretch was just under 3.5 hrs.

30% is 60 min for my long run.

If I do 4 runs total, I divide the remainder by 3 and get 45 min for a typical run.

So maybe a schedule like this?

M - 45 min; T - x train; W - 55 min; Th - 45 min; F - no workout; Sat - 60 min; Sun - x train

Or would it bet better to do lower volume/more workouts? 5 runs is a stretch for me...

I am interested in working on running this season. My goal is a 31 min 5k. I am doing a half mary this Saturday (gulp!) on minimal training because I pulled a quad a few weeks back. (Playing soccer with college students, oops.) Turkey Trot 5k time was 32:08, but I've gained weight since then.

Rebecca

 

2014-03-10 12:50 PM
in reply to: miche033

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 1
Rebecca,

That looks reasonable for the breakdown. Generally I prefer that athletes build run load through frequency so if you're thinking about an additional run, I would give it a go with the lower volume for the other runs.

If you find that it's not working for you, you can always go back to fewer runs.

Shane


2014-03-15 11:49 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Shane's April-May Run Group - Preparation

Originally posted by gsmacleod Before we kick off, it would be great if you were to run a race (at least 5k and up to half marathon) as we will use this to set paces and guide the training going forward. After we conclude, it would be fantastic to run a similar race and see how you have progressed during the block of training.

This might be a silly question, but how would you suggest running a half marathon to set paces.  For running I typically train by HR so I've done field tests in the past to set HR zones.  I plan on joining this challenge and figured I would try and do a race as you suggest.  There's a half marathon next weekend that I could do...and I'm curious how to pace a half?  Just run it and not worry about pace or HR?  Any suggestions?

2014-03-15 6:15 PM
in reply to: karen26.2

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Subject: RE: Shane's April-May Run Group - Preparation
Usually for a half I'll suggest that an athlete break it up as 5-5-5.

First 5 miles - moderate effort - a little faster than your easy day to day pace but it should feel too easy for a race. If you have a goal time in mind, this will usually be 5-10s/mile slower than the pace to have you finish at that time. I would do the first mile as 10s slower and then after the first mile, pick things up a little if the pace feels very easy.

Second 5 miles - pick up to goal pace - for the first bit, picking up the pace should be okay but then start to get more challenging and require more focus to stay on pace. While it will get harder, you still want to not be at the point where you feel the pace is hard.

Last 5km - time to drop the hammer - pick up the pace with 5k to go and aim to run a bit faster each km through to the final km. Then, aim to pick up the pace a little each 30s until you see the finish at which point you give it all through the finish.

Shane

2014-03-15 6:22 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: Pre Week 2
Hopefully the first week went well and now you'll want to be considering a race in the next little bit but if you're not racing this weekend, then what I would suggest is that you build your overall volume by about 10%. You can either add about 10% to each run or you can take 10% of last week's volume and make an additional run of around that duration. Even if you ran a fair amount, say five hours, this is only a 30 minute run on your additional day so it shouldn't be too daunting. I would also add strides to at least one run where you do 4-6x30s at 5k pace with 2:00 easy between.

If you are racing, I would suggest running normally though Thursday and then doing the following:

Friday - off (at least from running)
Saturday - easy run with 4x30s strides to race pace with 2:00 easy between
Sunday - race!

If you're racing Saturday, back everything up a day.

Hope you have a great week,

Shane
2014-03-16 5:28 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 2
I probably will not be joining the group after all due to the timing (I miscalculated it), but will follow the thread, note the workouts, and possibly do a run focus later in the season. I'm doing Jorge's winter bike program (started Jan. 2), and for the first time since starting tri, doing a real bike focus (usually 4X per week, including the long rides). I think I have another six weeks to go, and that's going to be interrupted by taper/recovery for races in two weeks and in mid-May. My legs are simply too tired from all that hard biking to handle run speedwork more than once a week right now, and even that's a stretch. Yesterday was the first workout in weeks where I didn't feel like I was fighting through quicksand to run faster than Zone 2! Just curious how much gain on the bike I can make from a genuine focus on it. If I finish the 16-week program and am still at the same turtle-like bike speed, I'll probably just give up on it and continue to focus on what I enjoy most (run and swim), assuming my body will cooperate.

Unfortunately what I've discovered so far is that for some reason I get a lot faster on the bike AFTER riding about 75 minutes. That's not very useful as that's around the time I'd hope to finish an Oly ride in. Sigh. When I was younger and lived in cool climates, this was also true for running; sometimes even now. Maybe should just get better on the bike and stick to events longer than Olys!

2014-03-16 7:29 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 2
Hi Shane
I'm interested. I'm doing the 10 km road race in the Calgary Marathon on June 1. The timing seems pretty good to me - what do you think?
Thanks for doing this.
Don


2014-03-16 10:31 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Shane's April-May Run Group - Preparation

I'm really looking forward to this Shane.

I have a 5K scheduled April 5th and 13.1 scheduled May 31st. 

 

2014-03-16 7:06 PM
in reply to: donw

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 2
Don, that looks like it should work nicely. Hopefully we can set you up for a strong 10k!

Shane
2014-03-16 7:07 PM
in reply to: switch

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Subject: RE: Shane's April-May Run Group - Preparation
Elesa,

Glad to have you onboard - hopefully you have a great run build.

Shane
2014-03-16 7:08 PM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 2
Sorry to hear that you'll not be running along with the program but hopefully you can grab some elements that will be useful to you.

Shane
2014-03-17 10:49 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 2

I'm in!

I've had some decent mileage, and I raced yesterday. So, I'll likely be taking this week a little easier before diving in. I plan on running along with the program - maybe with a few alterations to accommodate a couple of races/camps on my schedule. 



2014-03-17 10:49 AM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 2

I'm in!

I've had some decent mileage, and I raced yesterday. So, I'll likely be taking this week a little easier before diving in. I plan on running along with the program - maybe with a few alterations to accommodate a couple of races/camps on my schedule. 

2014-03-24 9:13 AM
in reply to: ratherbeswimming

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 2

So I was out of town last week. So this week's plan is to do 5 runs and see if I can do it. Time will be 1 x 60 min, 2 x 40 min, and 2 x 30 min per your instructions.

Before leaving town, I "ran" a half marathon on very little training. (I only did 2 long runs!) It was brutal, but I had already paid for it, so I went. (Tale of woe here: http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=512627)My right heel is still bothering me more than a week later... seems to be a touch of PF. Hope it's nothing more.

Next 5k is April 26, which I guess is soon. I can treat it as a training run. I have yet to plan the remainder of my season. Maybe a sprint and an oly, and def a few more 5k's to try and make my goal of 31:00.

Rebecca

 

2014-03-24 9:42 AM
in reply to: miche033

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Subject: Pre Week 3
Welcome Elaine!

Just this week and one more before we kick things off. Again, focus should be on frequent running and building volume slowly (no more than 10% per week). Also, you will need a test run either this week or next (or a race) if you don't have a recent result to guide your training once we kick things off.

Hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to some solid run training!

Shane
2014-03-28 1:55 PM
in reply to: gsmacleod

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 3

Three runs down, two to go this week! (Five seems a lot more than I am used to.)

What do you mean by a test run, Shane? Like a hard run of a specific distance is to see what race pace is?

2014-03-30 4:19 PM
in reply to: miche033

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Subject: RE: Pre Week 3
Originally posted by miche033

Three runs down, two to go this week! (Five seems a lot more than I am used to.)

What do you mean by a test run, Shane? Like a hard run of a specific distance is to see what race pace is?




Ideally this would be a race of 5k to a half marathon and we will use it to set paces during the main part of the group. If there isn't an easy race to use, then a field test, aiming for a race effort of 5 or 10k is what I would recommend.

Shane


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