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RnP - What's the priority on Z4 Mile Repeats?

jmoss70jmoss70
in General Training Discussions

RnP - From an IM Adv final 12 weeks perspective, how important are Run Mile Repeats @ Z4?  I ask because of all the workouts we do during IM Build/Race Prep, the one where I feel most "on the edge" in terms of potential injury or fatigue it is Tuesday's when doing Mile Repeats.  Don't get me wrong, I am capable of doing them - I can do them with a sinus infection, stomach flu and even into a brick wall.  Very different from Bike Z4 where I just lose power and puss out.  But there are times when I feel like I'm on the brink so I do 2 instead of 3 repeats or break 3 and 4 into half miles, etc.  

Am I missing out on big fitness gains for the big 26.2 *race* at the end of a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike "warm-up"?

My assumption is this is more of a "C" priority workout esp. when building to IM?

Comments

  • mgraffeomgraffeo
    Jim, I'm neither R, nor P, as you've requested, but if you're interested in input from the rest of the team, there's likely a wealth of experience to learn from.
  • jmoss70jmoss70

    Yes, definitely interested in feedback from the entire group.  Was addressing to R&P more to gain a historical perspective on why they constructed the plan the way they did with the Mile Repeats. 

    Interested in your feedback and anyone else as well.

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    I'm interested in this question too. I agree with you Jim, that sometimes I do feel that I am pushing myself pretty close to the edge of risking injury when I do a lot of hard mile repeats. If I recall correctly, from X number of weeks out from a race, we'll pretty much expect to enter the race with the fitness we have from that point.

    When I'm getting closer to an important race I tend to dial down the intensity down a notch, particularly for running. I think workouts with race-specific intensity is important physically/mentally as race day approaches, but there's also the question of risk vs. reward. Ultimately as race day approaches, I feel that it's an issue not of building fitness, but being confident that you can nail down that particular pace on race day and knowing how it feels.
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    Um, maybe I'm misinterpreting the plan, or mis-remembering them. But my review of last year's final 12 weeks IM Adv plan, and cursory look at this year, does not show mile repeats @ TP pace (is that Z4). Rather, there are strides, and there is a lot of work at HMP (Z3?)

  • jmoss70jmoss70

    @Al - Monday's just about every one of them in the last 12 weeks of IM Adv plan...the 2012 version. 

    3 X 1 Mile @ Z4-5 or 1.5 Mile, etc.

    Strap on your balls...Zone 4-5...sun-uv-a. 

  • jhbinscjhbinsc

    Glad you asked the question Jim as I'm curious myself as I feel the same way you do about them.

  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    The Golden Rule of Self-Coaching:

    "How is what I'm doing NOW going to affect my downstream workouts?"

    That simple sentence should be your guide.

  • jhbinscjhbinsc

    Good point and one I'm considering more and more as I progress.

  • jmoss70jmoss70

     I wanna add here that I've always had the famous Rich quote in my head day after day, week after week:

    "Don't follow our plans into a brick wall"

    And yet I can do mile repeats into a brick wall - how ironic.

     

     

  • Peter GreaggPeter Greagg
    My 2 cents worth (based on intermediate IM plan) is that I found the TP intervals on Mondays too hard to do after the big weekend — so I just moved the Z4 intervals to Tuesday.

    For me, this worked much better. Oh, BTW, I never had that problem with HIM plans.
    YMMV
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