The time change is going to kill me. Getting up at 3AM is a lot harder than getting up at 4AM, but it is really now 4AM and not 3AM so I shouldn’t be complaining – but I am – V02 training 3AM is just wrong.
My V02 class is ending next week. It has been a great experience and my cardio level has increased tremendously, but I am still indecisive about taking it again, doing a partial class or not doing it at all. The class is very intense, but only lasts an hour and I usually and only able to get 4-5 miles in on the treadmill because of the incline being on level 12!! I still have not learned to love level 12 – I doubt I ever will. I am considering sticking with the strength training portion of the program and opting for longer runs two days a week – around 8-10 miles. What do you think? Are more miles better than harder intensity?
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(edit to above: for those who don’t know – I’m training for San Diego marathon June 4 – still doing long runs on weekends, 2x week strenght and speed 1 x per week)
I hear you about the time change, I was ok the first few days but had serious trouble this morning.
WRT fewer runs and higher intensity…there was an article in Runners World a few issues back that said fewer runs were ok as long as you structured them properly – do approriate speedwork etc.
Yes, more miles are better. So is sleep.
I think it depends on what you are trying to accomplish…increase Vo2 max – higher anaerobic threshold required so I would say faster and shorter…increase endurance and ability to break down lactic acid, I’d say longer and slower…why not do a bit of both…long runs and shorter up tempo runs…
You need both hard miles and long miles. First what are you training for? 5K is very different than the half marathon. Both require distance and speed work but they vary in intensity and duration. With the 5K you need a lot of turnover work, i.e. fast 200 and 400 meters vs the longer distances where you would want to do more 800/1200 work. Typically for shorter races you do 1 session of speed work along with 1 intense tempo or interval session each week. Longer races you need to put in miles and back off the same intensity.
Good luck!
Sleep and bon-bons are good. Martinis are better. Sloth, greed, avarice, pride, are best. Trust me on this…
ditto the devil (i never imagined i would ever type that…)
You are trying to PR at the marathon level so increasing your mileage during the week is good but do so conservatively (to avoid injury). It is important to get your speed work in once a week as well. Something just is NOT right with a 3am start……
Ah the age old question, is mileage better than intensity? I think it can be argued both ways by people other than myself, however, I would like to say that no one can really answer this question with certainty.
Whatever you choose to do I hope it works out for you because you deserve it.
Being the old lady that I am, I opt for intensity (hills) over distance, as that’s when I seem to break down. Keep up the weight training tho as long as you back off before an event!
I don’t think there is a correct answer but here is an interesting article.
http://www.rrca.org/publicat/slowdown.html
PersonallY I perfer long slow runs. But I know some of the intense workouts (Hills, track) will help me to build running economy. But I think once I get hardcore into high mileage for the marathon, base runs will dominate my “playouts”.
Personally I believe you need to mix it up, sort of like a balanced diet.
I like a mix but with overall low mileage, but I may just be weird. 3-4 runs a week with a long run, tempo run, speed run, and a recovery day seems to work for me.
I am loving daylight savings because now I don’t have to run in the dark at night 🙂
I didn’t know you were also training for San Diego. That is a GREAT marathon.
Running a marathon requires a series of ever increasing long runs (once a week) and some speed work. Sounds like you have it wired to me. At least I hope so because that is what I’m doing, too.
Are they measuring your V02 or just making you work really hard with the assumption that you will enjoy (ha ha) an increase in aerobic capacity?
I think everyone will have their own response to this issue of intensity vs. distance. I will, therefore, not hesitate to tell you that I prefer distance runs over speed work. This reflects Kurt’s thought to some extent. I really detest the speed work…I have to do it to increase my speed but I loathe it at the moment. Blech!
Incline 12 on the treadmill! Jesus H!! That’s awesome! I’d fall off the thing flat on my face. Have a chcolate chip cookie! Hell…have 2!
You have so much more willpower than I do. There is no way my ass would be out of bed that early. You’re an all-star. All-star I say!
personally, but not knowing your whole program… i think this level of intensity for daily workouts seems wrong.
– first you build a base, long slow.
– then you strength train to build muscle, because speed comes from muscle
– then you interval/hill train that broad base, muscled body to get race ready
– then you leave it all out on the course, and recover
without the strenght portion, i fear for injuries for myself, and you too. so, in my opinion, strength and stretching is more important for you and your goals right now then top end speed, especially at the cost of not doing long slow.
um, whats a VO2 class?!
🙂
newbie wants to know!
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on the Big D Half, you’re awesome Susan! Nice job!
Yeah, the time change isn’t treating me well too.
If you don’t mind the punishment, I’d sign up again for the class.
ok, i completely don’t know the answer to this as i am still building a base. speed is a far off dream in never never NEVER land to me. however, since you have run some marathons and you obviously have a solid running base and i hear you say you would like to increase speed, intensity may not be so bad. but like i said i don’t know for sure. 12 seems insanely wrong for incline, but what do i know? can you do VO2 maybe 2x a week instead of daily? you know, swap your hill training or speed work for it. then again, if you taper porperly, wouldn’t it cause you to kick butt in your marathon? like i said, i am clueless. i say listen to your body. it usually knows best.
a.maria…..I’m with you. What’s a VO2? Us rookies need to know. It sounds anywhere between a cocktail and a car engine.
Nevertheless…great dedication on your training
hm… level 12 is actually quite nice on a personal massage device. see, i can be totally crude and rhyme at the same time. very poetic, i must say.
on a serious and less kinky note, i can’t run two days in a row. there are gremlins in my shinlins. i know i should take a year off, but the fear of being a sloth keeps me going. i ran the gold coast marathon, me foist, following only part of the work out. i always did my long weekend runs and a midweek mid run. i’d do another run in there if i could. if it didn’t hurt. after that in july, i trained for columbus in october. but then i could only run 2x a week. always long runs, but i tried to just do those and a mid week semilong. the rest was for recovery. i improved my time by 10 minutes. i’m not a fast runner and perhaps i could really improve if i did a class and ran 5-6x/week, but i can’t. my leg will not heal. it’s healing now. sloooowly because i still run, but healing nonetheless.
you can improve and not run all the time. what i’ve read that if you omit anything, do NOT omit the long runs. and most experts say to wear garter belts under your running shorts like bull durham. i might have made that last bit up. but… it’s all different for everyone. i’m just letting you know that cutting out things to help my leg heal worked as long as i always did a longie. …other than michael.
Oh! And here I am still thinking if I should start at 6 because of the weather, you are serious about this training uh?
Maybe you should try it longer if it’s paying off with your HR.
Long mileage is the best thing for marathon training. San Diego could be hot in June, so you might want to acclimate by trying one or two of your runs in warm weather (ha ha).
Well, you know my choice. Go long:)
The biggest problem with running (outside) at 4 AM has nothing to do with miles vs. speed. What are you wearing??? Nobody can see how good you look.
Maybe VO2 is in the light and that’s what drives you but I think, for San Diego, you need a new Triks outfit to complement your running shoes and Garmin.
the Devil has some valid points. 🙂
Susan,
My hat is off to you and all the people who get up and exercise before they start their day. We weakling afternoon exercisers salute you.
SD
Hey Susan,
Since you are training for a mary, I’d opt for the mileage. The improvements to your aerobic system are pretty limitless while there is a pretty small window for your anaerobic system. Since you are already doing one weekly speed session hit the aerobic miles! You’ll become faster aerobically and can reap the bennies when you really focus on the intensity!
I don’t think more miles are better, even for marathon runners. Even ‘slower’ marathoners would do better by basically improving their 5k and 10k speed as part of their marathon program. They could modify the Frank Horwill program to suit their own circumstances:
http://www.serpentine.org.uk/advice/coach/fh70.php
Although something like this is ‘less miles’, it’s not easier training!
Vo2 max training at 3:00am!!! Jeepers! I have a hard time getting up at 6:00am!
jesus. My treadmill (the one that I use, it’s not exactly “mine”) only goes up to 10 incline. And that’s tough… I really admire your training ethics. I have to get up at 5:30 for work and hate the idea of even getting up 30 minutes early to exercise..