TR 2020 Running Thread

Hi all,

I don’t have a trainer as I’m living in Sydney for 6 months so my targets for the first half of the year are running focused!

  1. Be consistent with weekly volume for the first time in my life starting at 40km per week and looking to gradually increase.

  2. Run a sub 19 min 5km

  3. Run a sub 40 min 10km

  4. Run a sub 1.35 HM

  5. Avoid injuries, particularly knee injuries

It’s useful to write this down and hopefully hold myself to it!

Good luck everyone!

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My 2pence worth…I live in the UK.
I’m an ex triathlete and runner (2:47 marathon/1:17 half). In my view those plans which have low mileage and have you running just 3x week with the long runs Fast has been around for a while…But the guys who came up with it were ex quality runners who were just trying to get a decent time (I haven’t run since March 2018 but I’m pretty sure if I started running again I could get back in sub 3 shape inside 6 months especially as I still only weigh 61kg) However for inexperienced, slower or bigger runners this is a recipe for injury. If you want to run a fast marathon then volume is king - even more than in cycling - most decent runners do a lot of easy miles - 150 of them at the top end. I ran my best marathon on 60miles/week. However I ran my second best marathon 2:48 (and my only -ve split) on 35miles/week with cycling and weights - but by that stage I had run more than a dozen sub 3 marathons - so experienced runners can do it. If you are not build up slowly there is no way that if your running 30 odd miles a week that your long run should be fast especially with little experience - running is nowhere near as intense a sport as cycling but it does beat your body up much more…take it steady - the BIGGEST marathon battle is getting to the start line uninjured :slightly_smiling_face:

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Based on the inverse of my experience, you get #2 and #3 sorted, and #4 will be < 1:30 :wink:

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Usually my running goals are in long course tri, but I’m not doing any of that nonsense this year. I am doing the Chuckanut 50k, which is a classic PNW trail run that starts right near my house (we can actually hear the announcer on race day if we open the windows).

However, my big goals this year are cycling-related, and the first one (three day gravel stage race) is only five weeks after the 50k, so I’m not going to go as all in on the run training as I normally would. I guess that will make the 50k more of a ‘hard day out’ than a fully primed and ready race, but I’m only racing against myself, so I’m okay with that.

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This this this. I am an experienced runner, but not a fast nor a ‘natural’ runner. It’s always been my weakness in triathlons. I’m at my best when I leave the damn track, skip most or all of the speed work, and just run six days a week. All. Fucking. Year. On slowtwitch it’s called the BarryP plan, and it has worked for a lot of ‘non-natural’ runners.

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Even in plans that have some speed work, the aim is 80% of your time to be spent at easy pace. This includes the warmup/cooldown of speed work, but even then, it’s a lot of slow pace. It’s essential to support whatever faster work will be added on top.

For sure. I was referring to the plan I was on a few years ago when I was only running three times (~20 miles) per week and each and every run involved speed work. Changing from that to running six days a week was a huge boon for me. Doing that speed work but still running six times per week would probably be even better.

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Yeah, that’s definitely a recipe for injury.

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er……no it wouldn’t you can’t do both. When I just ran I divided my year in 3. Jan - April I ran the London marathon every year - ran 50-60 miles/week - 50 easy miles/6 miles at half pace/4x1 mile @5-10k pace (8 goes at VLM with time from 2:47 to 2:52). May - Aug ran 30 miles/week - 1x10 miles easy (7min/mile) plus 5 miles tempo @6min/mile plus 3x1 mile@5k pace and 10x200m @ mile pace - lots of intensity low mileage - ran a lot of evening 5k races (16:30 - 17:00 mins). Sept December - 35-40 miles - 10mile/half marathon training - 1x13 miles, 1x6 miles tempo , 4x1 mile@10k pace. Ran 10 mile (58 mins) and half marathons (1:17)……You can up the volume or the intensity - not both - so I had 3 focuses during the year - and at 61kg I didn’t get injured much and running didn’t take much out of me - if you are heavier you need to be even more careful.

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Not what their studies have shown, which the program is based on - novice runners benefitted as did experienced runners.

That’s not to say this is a couch to marathon program, it’s isn’t, but it isn’t just for elite runners. They say you should be running 40mpw for the previous three months to start a marathon program, and they have one for novice marathoners and one for experienced. They recommend everyone start with the 5k program, which I might give a go later in the year if this marathon goes well.

I finished my first week today with a hilly half marathon about an hour ago, I was very dubious about the pace but although I had to push hard on the last incline, I just about made the target pace. Feeling confident but proof will be in the recovery though! :grinning:

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The main issue isn’t whether it’s effective or not, but rather by how much it increases the risk of injury.

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Indeed, but their position is that the program decreases risk of injury compared to traditional higher volume plans.

I will see how it works out for me, as this is also my main concern, and is why I’m trying to be as strict as I can with the protocol. They don’t give much guidance on elevation change affecting overall pace, so I may have to find a smoother training route for my long runs.

Similarly with the recommended weight training and cross training, I’m doing my own thing in the detail, as allowed by their book.

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Also suspect is how people actually perform the ramp up for a traditional higher volume plan.

It would take me almost a year to get up to 60 miles per week from where I am now if I increase volume at a rate my body could handle. Especially if the goal were consistent 60 mpw months, and not just a few peak 60 mile weeks.

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Fair enough - I haven’t kept up with running news recently as I stopped running marathons in 2017 - I was just remembering what those guys were saying a decade ago so it looks like they have improved their strategies (which you would expect) - back then they advocated 3 runs/week with 1x20 miles fast 1xtempo and 1xintervals. All I can say is my pb marathon came the year I put in the highest mileage and to do that you need to run most of your mileage slowly. Although interestingly I got within a minute of my pb at my last London marathon where I managed 2:48 off 35 miles/week and cycling plus 2 gym sessions - and I felt strong as it is the only marathon I did where I managed to run the second half faster than the first - BUT that was because I was determined to give that strategy a go and had run 20 odd marathons by that stage - so back to the experience point.

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2:48 off 35 mpw…:sunglasses:

But yes, definitely the long history of training you put in, to get that out.

I’m coming to the opinion, not least affected by the various podcasts, that the various protocols and schools of thought don’t make all that much difference, compared to the positive benefit of (any) consistent training, nutrition, recovery and sleep. Pick what suits you and your life, and go with it.

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Yep - and just whether you are suited to running - it’s a lot easier to get 61kg (134Ibs) around 26.2 miles quickly than say 230Ibs! and you recover quicker - although I used to annoy the tourists in the Underground station near the finish area…descending steps is a very difficult process when you have just run 26.2 miles flat out. :grinning:

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My running goals for 2020 are … no pace goal, no distance/volume goal, no races. Just get in 3-4 runs per week, mostly outside, of varying distances and scenery, and have a great time every single step of the way. :sunglasses:

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I’ll probably be around taking photos of my clubmates doing the race (didn’t sign up in time myself!) Shall I bring you a finish line beer handup? :laughing:

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:joy:

:+1:

is there an online version of this?