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When does base training stop?

I've got a race in mind at the end of March, just a 10k run, but it is a fast flat circuit and good for a PB. I'd like to post a PB but I'm not a natural runner and I won't be setting the world on fire. I don't want to ruin my season for it.



I was thinking about starting to put a once or twice a week fast run in, just 5km or so, so I can get a little bit of speed into my legs, but I'm conscious of not wanting to over-do it by starting my speed work too early.



One of the problems is that I haven't identified any A races for this year yet. London is probably out, Brighton is a long way off, and I'm still dithering about making the jump to 70.3 and doing the New Forest half.



Without an A target I'm struggling to make sense of my yearly timetable. Any advice?



(Thanks to treefrog for prompting this question).

Comments

  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    BOPO,



    I dont have the experience froma TRI point of veiw but as a running idea I would not look at speed but do alot of hill work at moderate pace. The muscle will adapt to the harder hill workout and give you speed when you do some flat stuff! Is your race in march on the road or cross country?

    Sometimes just changing your terrain can help!



    Be carfull as Treefrog said you can ruin a season by peaking to soon.
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    The race is Eastleigh 10k, March 29th. Possibly the dullest race I've ever taken part in, but it is very local (I'll cycle to it so I can call it a brick session [:)]), has some closed roads and is almost completely flat.

  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    What about the following: it doesn't hurt to do one speedish session during base every 2-3 weeks.

    What if you'd do this and run the race flat out. Do it again next year and you can follow you progress and current fitness levels. That way the race still has a functional touch and is a good start for the speedier sessions to come following march.

    Trying tobreak a PB could defo endanger the capability to peak in race season.

    Take care, be careful

  • Hey BOPO -



    With the race at the end of March, your training week could like this:



    February might look like this:



    Monday - Yoga / Stretch

    Tuesday - Base Run 2 - Z3-Z4 (60% - 70% of Sundays run) - slightly faster

    Wednesday - Resistance Training - Focus on Small Muscle groups, Core stabilizers and muscle groups less used during running

    Thursday - Tempo Run (At Threshold - Z4-Z5A) - Race pace (Could be longer intervals or Continuous)

    Friday - Active Recovery Run - Z1

    Saturday - Resistance Training - Focus on Small Muscle groups, Core stabilizers and muscle groups less used during running

    Sunday - Long, Base Run 1 (Z2-Z3) - Aerobic Training Zone



    March might look like this:



    Monday - Yoga / Stretch

    Tuesday - Tempo Run (At Threshold - Z4-Z5A) - Race pace (Could be longer intervals or Continuous)

    Wednesday - Resistance Training - Focus on Small Muscle groups, Core stabilizers and muscle groups less used during running

    Thursday - Intervals - Hills, Speed, Mixed (Above Threshold - Z5A - Z5C) -

    Friday - Active Recovery Run - Z1 + Stretch - will help you recover from the Intervals

    Saturday - Resistance Training - Focus on Small Muscle groups, Core stabilizers and muscle groups less used during running

    Sunday - Long Run (Z2-Z3) - Aerobic Training



    Just an idea - Hope this helps.



    Feel free to look at our site for programs, training resources and more.

  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Base ends when the mind numbing plod finally causes you to snap & you tap out a fast one & it fells GOOOOOOOOOD.
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    I had a long chat with some friends about this. Our background is we were in longterm training for various rowing events and spent the Winter in single sculls building the base, and then we'd be put into crew boats in April/May and the sparks would fly until September.

    All agreed that doing Winter intervals etc broke the boredom and helped to sharpen the focus, but it was best to avoid factoring them in regularly too early - in fact one (Olympian) said that he found leaving them later gave him last minute panic type motivation!

    In rowing there are regular "head" races (time-trials) over the Winter to spice things up and to inject a bit of speed into training.

    One other point which is very valid is over doing the base will make you into a Long Slow Distance expert or a "length legend"; as swimmers call them, ie you are able to deal with any distance but have no speed.

    To be honest I was a bit of a length legend last year when I became too comfortable with doing HUGE volumes of training, and did too little interval work too late, the previous year I did it far too early and burnt out a bit.

    Last year's mistake (too much base work was the lesser of the two evils!)

  • GGGG Posts: 82
    Hi Bopo,



    I have the Eastleigh 10k in the diary.



    Id say go for it, I stressed myself out at towards the end of last year beacuase i was thinking/worrying too much about the training. Ended up not enjoying myself,



    One interval or hill session each week would sharpen things up and shouldnt disrupt your other training too much(not that im an expert).



    Southampton running club do intervals on a Tuesday oposite the airport on wide lane.



    Maybe a few tempo runs over the next few weeks too.



    I live in Shirley and normally run up to the sports centre to train on the hills there. Some good hilly roads from the sports centre upto the the Avenue too!



    GG













  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Have decided to up things a little from base training, without going completely mad. I'm going to add a few hill repeats to the end of a short run, once per week.... so 5km steady run, then a couple of 150m uphill sprints with a jog back. Did 3 yesterday then ran back home 1km at a faster pace.



    This should be OK to get some speed into my legs without overdoing it, I think.
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