Hey Dave — a really great post. Your reminder of the 2.5 to 3 hour bike and 90 to 120 min run until the end of time advice really strikes a chord with me. I am in the middle of OS at the moment and in two weeks will do a four week HIM block for a race I decided to do a few weeks ago. Since then, I have been adding 60 mins @ zone 3 on the bike on Saturdays bnd making one of the runs up to 90 mins by adding HMP/MP.
The thing I noticed was that I have started to feel much much stronger in both sports — also more tired but that's understanderable.
So my takeaway is as you remind us, do a 2.5 to 3 hour bike and 90 to 120 min run until the end of time.
Fortunately, I am a pretty consistent guy...it's one thing I do have going for me. I'm one of those guys who has to sit down with a calendar each week to figure out when he's going to squeeze in his workouts, but the fact that I have to do that got me in the habit of it, and it means very few missed ones. And I don't know if I'm lucky or good, but I've been on a crazy-long no-serious-injury streak...In the last 5 years, I had one mild bout of tendinitis that PT kept me going while we resolved it quickly, a bad separated shoulder that only kept me out 2-3 weeks (except swimming obviously), and a freak massively deep bruise in my back that also kept me out of the pool 2-3 weeks. Only the tendonitis was an overuse injury, and that has not come back at all since I changed my running form. Knock on wood.
i am looking forward to seeing Rich elaborate on the "emphasis" plan. I have yet to set my season in stone, but next year's first race may well be KS 70.3 again, which is mid-June. That gives me ~8.5 months starting from Oct 1. I can do KS well on 8 weeks of focus, I'm pretty sure, maybe even a little less.
Your remarks about the track are interesting. My improvement as a runner coincided with two things: (1) switching to Newtons and changing run form; and (2) switching from being "manly" and running outside in the winter to running almost entirely on a 300 m indoor track during the winter. I know EXACTLY what you mean about those laps. and hitting 84 seconds or whatever.... Interesting to hear you say that about summer, too. Tedium aside, there would also be the benefit of the surface being easier on the feet than road.
I bit the OS wholeheartedly this last winter, so I didn't do the 2-3 hour ride and 1.5 -2 hour run each week, but I certainly see the merit in that. Again, I'll be looking forward to what RnP have to say about single-blocks and how to work in the other stuff. i can easily see either of those as one of a couple "key" sessions of of the soft sport in those blocks.
Anyway, you've given me lots to chew on, so thanks.
Comments
I am in the middle of OS at the moment and in two weeks will do a four week HIM block for a race I decided to do a few weeks ago.
Since then, I have been adding 60 mins @ zone 3 on the bike on Saturdays bnd making one of the runs up to 90 mins by adding HMP/MP.
The thing I noticed was that I have started to feel much much stronger in both sports — also more tired but that's understanderable.
So my takeaway is as you remind us, do a 2.5 to 3 hour bike and 90 to 120 min run until the end of time.
Cheers
Peter
http://triathlon.competitor.com/2010/04/training/power-gains-in-cycling-with-plyometrics_8162
Study claims a 3.5% gain in power with doing plyometrics. Seems like a worthwhile step to take in the OS. Hell I will take another 5-10 watts if it works.
Thanks for your really thoughtful reply.
Fortunately, I am a pretty consistent guy...it's one thing I do have going for me. I'm one of those guys who has to sit down with a calendar each week to figure out when he's going to squeeze in his workouts, but the fact that I have to do that got me in the habit of it, and it means very few missed ones. And I don't know if I'm lucky or good, but I've been on a crazy-long no-serious-injury streak...In the last 5 years, I had one mild bout of tendinitis that PT kept me going while we resolved it quickly, a bad separated shoulder that only kept me out 2-3 weeks (except swimming obviously), and a freak massively deep bruise in my back that also kept me out of the pool 2-3 weeks. Only the tendonitis was an overuse injury, and that has not come back at all since I changed my running form. Knock on wood.
i am looking forward to seeing Rich elaborate on the "emphasis" plan. I have yet to set my season in stone, but next year's first race may well be KS 70.3 again, which is mid-June. That gives me ~8.5 months starting from Oct 1. I can do KS well on 8 weeks of focus, I'm pretty sure, maybe even a little less.
Your remarks about the track are interesting. My improvement as a runner coincided with two things: (1) switching to Newtons and changing run form; and (2) switching from being "manly" and running outside in the winter to running almost entirely on a 300 m indoor track during the winter. I know EXACTLY what you mean about those laps. and hitting 84 seconds or whatever.... Interesting to hear you say that about summer, too. Tedium aside, there would also be the benefit of the surface being easier on the feet than road.
I bit the OS wholeheartedly this last winter, so I didn't do the 2-3 hour ride and 1.5 -2 hour run each week, but I certainly see the merit in that. Again, I'll be looking forward to what RnP have to say about single-blocks and how to work in the other stuff. i can easily see either of those as one of a couple "key" sessions of of the soft sport in those blocks.
Anyway, you've given me lots to chew on, so thanks.
Thanks!