Today's Training

[anthonykay]

My first run for a week, after last Tuesday's fiasco when a run on my favourite route over Buck Hill and Beacon Hill had me walking for at least a third of the way; my legs just didn't want to move.

So I needed something to restore my confidence: hill reps in the Outwoods! But not on the stupidly steep path that I sometimes use; instead I chose a path which (according to the 1:25000 OS map) ascends between 45 and 50 metres in about 500 metres horizontal. I did 6 reps, with times between 2m43s and 2m48s. Felt dreadful on the first one, but then got into a nice rhythm, and felt quite good; although no athletics coach would have allowed me to get away with the length of recovery time I was taking between reps. It doesn't compare with the reps I occasionally did on Beacon Hill in my youth, when I sometimes went under 2m30s for 75 metres climbing in 600m horizontal; but it did make me feel better about my running.

A bit of excitement on the way back home. As I left the Outwoods I noticed a group of about 6 horse riders on the bridleway that meets the path from the woods after about 200 metres. Although the riders' coats were black rather than red, and there were no hounds around, they gave the impression of being huntsmen. As I ran down my path and they trotted along theirs, it became apparent that we would arrive at the path junction at the same time; but then they stopped and let me go first. This meant that I carried on down the path considerably faster than I would have wanted after a reps session, with the sound of hooves coming nearer behind me. I was definitely feeling hunted; at one point I even thought I heard the sound of a hunting horn drifting across the fields. There was no Va tacito e nascosto about this lot of cacciatori! But then, today is 15th December, not 15th March . . .

Better stop now, the men in white coats are at the door . . .

[Graham Breeze]

I was definitely feeling hunted; at one point I even thought I heard the sound of a hunting horn drifting across the fields. There was no Va tacito e nascosto about this lot of cacciatori! But then, today is 15th December, not 15th March . . .

Well that has raised the tone (although do you really like Handel's Giulio Cesare?)

[Travs]

Are you periodising your training Travs? If so, where are you now?

I know a lot of people try to build base mileage in the winter, then sharpen up early spring.

Noel, i wouldn't say that i periodise my training...

I did discuss this with a former fell-runner of race-winning calibre (he was also a steeple-chaser of national, if not international repute)..... and a firm advocate of periodisation.

We were in agreement that periodising for say a fell champs season is rather challenging, with perhaps 4-8 races over several months, ranging from 3-20 miles in distance. His recommendation was to periodise to hit your peak at the first race of the season... this is all you can plan for with any certainty, and then you have to take it from there.

For my part, in a normal year i might be racing on the fells 20 times a year, pretty much all year round. Add in various road relays, track fixtures, the cross-country season from October to February, it's pretty much a constant "season".

While i will try to hit good levels of fitness for the two months which have my favourite races (June and September), it's very difficult to periodise in the traditonal sense. Couple that with the huge differences in fell races.... one week it's 5 miles at Callow, the following week Wasdale...

I just try to keep my training within a few simple rules...

1) All my average miles/climb over a 10 week period to account for injuries, tiredness, life...
2) Minimum average of 50 miles per week.
3) Minimum average of 10,000ft per week.
4) Try to get in one good rep session per week. If not racing then perhaps a second good session (tempo or another rep session).

Seems to keep me fit enough, and i believe i'm still improving... positively raring to go on the fells next year.

Although i'm fully aware if i wanted to see really good results i'd have to scale back the racing and start targeting specific races properly.

[Mike T]

Noel, i wouldn't say that i periodise my training...

I did discuss this with a former fell-runner of race-winning calibre (he was also a steeple-chaser of national, if not international repute)..... and a firm advocate of periodisation.

We were in agreement that periodising for say a fell champs season is rather challenging, with perhaps 4-8 races over several months, ranging from 3-20 miles in distance. His recommendation was to periodise to hit your peak at the first race of the season... this is all you can plan for with any certainty, and then you have to take it from there.

For my part, in a normal year i might be racing on the fells 20 times a year, pretty much all year round. Add in various road relays, track fixtures, the cross-country season from October to February, it's pretty much a constant "season".

While i will try to hit good levels of fitness for the two months which have my favourite races (June and September), it's very difficult to periodise in the traditonal sense. Couple that with the huge differences in fell races.... one week it's 5 miles at Callow, the following week Wasdale...

I just try to keep my training within a few simple rules...

1) All my average miles/climb over a 10 week period to account for injuries, tiredness, life...
2) Minimum average of 50 miles per week.
3) Minimum average of 10,000ft per week.
4) Try to get in one good rep session per week. If not racing then perhaps a second good session (tempo or another rep session).

Seems to keep me fit enough, and i believe i'm still improving... positively raring to go on the fells next year.

Although i'm fully aware if i wanted to see really good results i'd have to scale back the racing and start targeting specific races properly.

Tim Noakes, in his "Lore of Running", gives details of many famous athletes' training philosophies. Some aimed to peak at certain times, others just trained hard most of the year. Amongst the latter group is Ron Clarke, who went on to break 17 world records, and nearly ran himself to death at the Mexico Olympics. Every run was hard.

Of course most people would very quickly become injured and over trained if every run was "hard". Fast running once or twice a week year round makes sense, as does increasing distance/height and then tapering before important races.

For those at the back of the field like me, enjoyment and remaining injury free are more important than anything else. Having said that, it is fun in races to beat those who usually beat you, but by definition this rarely happens.

[Travs]

I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens with my hopefully impending move north in the new year...

Will much more frequent access to the Fells lead to an improvement in performance?

[noel]

Those rules seems pretty sensible to me. My running is always better when I'm hitting decent average mileages, and when this keeps going long enough to then build some quality sessions within this.

I suspect you'll get better at your local races when you move up North. People tend to get good at whatever terrain they train on most.

[anthonykay]

Well that has raised the tone (although do you really like Handel's Giulio Cesare?)

I don't know the opera well, but I particularly like that aria; and more generally I like a lot of Handel's output. I would rate him the second greatest composer born in 1685.

[Graham Breeze]

I don't know the opera well, but I particularly like that aria; and more generally I like a lot of Handel's output. I would rate him the second greatest composer born in 1685.

nemine contradicente

[Llani Boy]

nemine contradicente

I am quite enjoying my free Latin lessons. ut diu ut permanere

[Mike T]

I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens with my hopefully impending move north in the new year...

Will much more frequent access to the Fells lead to an improvement in performance?

Which bit of the north? Running on proper hills, rather than on a treadmill or stair climber, should improve your technique/performance considerably, particularly when going down hill.