3 week training rota

[Rob Furness]

I'm thinking of adopting a rotating 3 week training schedule for next year but I haven't quite sussed out how to do it. I was thinking along the lines of 1st week - volume (plenty of miles but all steady/easy paced and running every day), 2nd week -Intensity (hard week with tempo running and hill reps, but less volume and cross training on easy days), 3rd week - rest (running most days but only short and easy stuff with no efforts, perfect for week leading up to races too).

I'm planning to build a base first before starting this, but as it's totally made up I would appreciate any advice people may have. Obviously, each block would gear towards what I was training for. So, if I'm training for a 3 mile race I'm not going to be doing 20 mile runs in the volume week! Other than that rough framework I've not made any decisions yet.

Discuss....

[Corniceman]

I guess the volume week could be pretty consistent and include that 20 mile long run at weekends as this is suitable for races at any length and not out of place in any training programme from 10K runner to marathon runner with 5 other days comprising 1 or 2 runs per day at 6 miles (ish) in length.
The hard week could include some flat intervals as well as a tempo and hill reps and a 4th longer easier weekend run too perhaps a fatrleck. The easier week sounds good and avoiding the temptation to through in a harder session somewhere that week needs to be avoided. I dont know about you buit I believe quite strongly in the Arthur Lydiard principles but find building up the aerobic base difficult as a races and the temptation to do other harder sessions oftens takes over. My thinking is that Lidiard like many other top coaches now have their athletes race programmes mapped out for many months ahead of them and therefore a structured training programme is possible. Most fell runners I know compete so often that such a structure is hard to implement! you have got me thinking on this one RF. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Any experienced coaches here that can advise?

[Tahr]

I am training for a BG round in the summer and because of the shift work I do I find myself on a three week training program one week on long runs, one on speed work and the easy week.

My plan is at least one long day on the hill every weekend backed up with a shorter club race or fell race on the same weekend twice a month, one week of long steady runs (working up to 60 miles in the week plus the weekend) One week with two mid-week clubs runs, one hill reps or speed work and a tempo run, the third week will be a couple of mid-week steady hill runs.

As said this isn’t out of choice just because of my work so I will have to see how I go.

ATB

Tahr

[Rob Furness]

I'll kick it off in the new year and see how it goes.

[shaunaneto]

Id just started something like this and am on my 2nd week.

I have no need for pace so there's no speed work of any kind, instead the focus is on endurance and movement through rough ground. I'd come to this from feeling I could do with more frequent rest weeks. No idea if it's a good idea, give me a couple of months and I'll know.

[Derby Tup]

I am training for a BG round in the summer and because of the shift work I do I find myself on a three week training program one week on long runs, one on speed work and the easy week.

My plan is at least one long day on the hill every weekend backed up with a shorter club race or fell race on the same weekend twice a month, one week of long steady runs (working up to 60 miles in the week plus the weekend) One week with two mid-week clubs runs, one hill reps or speed work and a tempo run, the third week will be a couple of mid-week steady hill runs.

As said this isn’t out of choice just because of my work so I will have to see how I go.

ATB

Tahr

Week one: climb, week two climb, week three climb

[Tahr]

Thanks Derby Tub, Suitably amended training plan


I am training for a BG round in the summer and because of the shift work I do I find myself on a three week training program one week on long climbing runs, one on speed climbing work and the easy climbing week.

ATB

Tahr

[Stolly]

Thanks Derby Tub, Suitably amended training plan


I am training for a BG round in the summer and because of the shift work I do I find myself on a three week training program one week on long climbing runs, one on speed climbing work and the easy climbing week.

ATB

Tahr

Haha. I'd forget the 'speed' climbing and the 'easy' climbing to be honest

[Derby Tup]

Haha. I'd forget the 'speed' climbing and the 'easy' climbing to be honest

'Speed' climbing and 'easy' climbing sound like 'speed drinking' and 'easy drinking' to me :w00t:

[Nigel]

If you are doing a three week cycle I would build up for two weeks and then have a relatively easier week but with progression so your weekly mileage might be, for example, 25, 28, 22 then 27, 30, 25 then 30, 33, 28 etc etc and climb might be (ft per week) 5,000, 6,000, 4,000 then 6,000, 7,000, 5,000 etc etc. I wouldn't, personally, have a week of long and then no more longs for two weeks as descriibed I don't think you'd gain (progress) from each block of training sufficiently. Instead, each week, I would have at least one long run moving up to two as you get closer (back to back long days), one hill reps session (speedwork in disguise), interspersed with fartlek, steady runs and some recovery runs. I think you need to steadily build up to having the mountains 'in your legs' with long days, big climbs, back to back days (eventually) but with a recovery week built in every third week to enable it to bed in and guard against injury and maintain enthusiasm. The recovery (third) week would still have quality (speed or hil reps), long days in etc etc but at a slightly reduced intensity / duration. The other thing I would throw into the mix would be strength and conditioning work - can't be underestimated for something like the BG opr any Ultra in my opinion. Just my thoughts on it.