Runner ME Progression (Big Vert Plan) Recovery Time

Creator

Topic
February 5, 2020 at 10:24 am #37510

OwenFW
Participant

Could someone who has done the Big Vert plan confirm something for me? I’m finding that the Runner ME progression workouts in the first 14 weeks take a lot of time. The active recovery time built into them alone can add up to an hour or more, so in the fifth week I’m pushing two hours even though my pace on the actual work portion is good. I’ve been using all the active recovery time to work on other stuff (PT and upper body), so it isn’t like the time is wasted, but when an hour-long recovery run is added, it takes up a huge chunk of a weekday. I’m just looking for confirmation that I haven’t misunderstood something about the programming. I don’t think I have, but I thought I’d ask.
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Posted In: Mountain Running

Participant

Dada on February 5, 2020 at 11:43 am #37518

Hi,

I don’t know your specific plan but the plan described here at the bottom (Link) takes me around 40 minutes (week 1)

Hope this helps somehow.

Dada

Inactive

Anonymous on February 5, 2020 at 11:59 am #37519

I haven’t done our Runner ME from that plan, but I’ve done other types of leg-specific ME work. It’s very important that the recoveries be event-specific.

As I understand the theory from Verkhoshansky, part of a good ME process is to recruit additional fibers and then force them to work aerobically. If you’re cooldown isn’t sport-specific (and that goes for all sessions, not just ME), you’re getting much less benefit from this type of work.

Warm-ups, cool-downs, recovery runs… all of them are deprioritized by many people because they’re not very sexy or gratifying. However, they’re three of the most important components.

Inactive

Anonymous on February 5, 2020 at 12:00 pm #37520

…another benefit of sport-specific recovery periods is forcing active muscle fiber to work in the lactate bath that the ME as just created.

Participant

Jared Casper on February 5, 2020 at 12:59 pm #37521

Just to verify that at least the two of us agree on the length that these workouts should take (I’m going through it as well), here’s my reading of the workout: Taking week #5 as an example, it calls for “2 x (10×10) 1min rec/set. 8min active rec/series” So that’s 10 sets of 10 reps each leg for a series. Doing the recommended ~1 rep/sec thats 20″ for a set + 1′ recovery = 1’20″/set * 10 sets = 13’20” + 8’ recovery = 21’20” per series * 2 series (SJS and BSU) = 42’40” per circuit * 2 times through circuit = 85’20” workout time + 20’ warm up = 105’20”. So about 1 hour 45 min for the workout plus any cool down. With the prescribed recovery run that same day, I agree that the plan is calling for a good 2 – 3 hours that day. When I’ve done this plan in the past I’ve split it up and done the ME in the morning before work then the recovery run in the evening (although “run” should be in quotes, these were often more of a walk for me after those ME workouts :)).

Participant

OwenFW on February 5, 2020 at 1:37 pm #37532

Thanks to all, especially Jared. Good to know I’m taking the right medicine!

Inactive

Anonymous on February 5, 2020 at 3:49 pm #37551

Jared and Owen;

My apologies for the error in the workouts you’ve been using. Please substitute the following progression with its shorter active rests between exercises.

REPEAT on this schedule:
WO #1: 2 x through circuit
WO #2: 2 x (8 sets x 10 reps) 1min rec/set. 3min rec/series
WO #3: 3 x (6×10) 1min rec/set. 3min active rec/series 10% BW
WO #4: 3 x (8×10) 1min rec/set. 2min active rec/series 10%BW
WO #5: 2 x (10×10) 1min rec/set. 2min active rec/series 10% BW
WO #6: 2 x (6×10) 30sec rec/set. 3min active rec/series 10% BW
WO #7: 2 x (8×10) 30sec rec/set. 3min active rec/series 15% BW
WO #8: 3 x (10×10) 1min rec/set. 2min active rec/series 15% BW
WO #9: 3 x (8×10) 30sec rec/set. 2min active rec/series 15% BW
WO #10: 3 x (8×8) 10sec rec/set. 3min active rec/series 20% BW
WO #11: 2 x (10×10) 10sec rec/set. 2min active rec/set 20% BW
WO #12: 3 x(10×10) 10sec rec/set. 2 min active rec/series 20% BW
WO #13: 4 x (10×10) 10sec rec/set. 1min active rec/series 20% BW
WO: #14 4 x (10×10) 10sec rec/set. 1min active rec/series 20% BW

Scott

Participant

Jared Casper on February 5, 2020 at 3:57 pm #37553

Thanks for the update Scott! (Although to be honest I personally haven’t minded having the extra rest between series. These workouts are surprisingly tough! :))

Participant

Brett on February 6, 2020 at 12:06 pm #37632

Oh wow I just got to the point of the big vert plan where I’m no longer doing the ME workouts! They took me anywhere from 90 mins to 2 hours and were definitely a time suck. Oh well. Still feel like I got tons of benefit from them and will undoubtedly be doing more of them at some point. Extra mental training!

Participant

Aaron on February 11, 2020 at 9:29 pm #38002

That does make a difference! Ibe been struggling too with the total time to complete with those rest and recovery times.

Did 3x8x8 with 15’/180′ and got done easily in an hour.

I take it that the big vert plan has been updated and I should reload it?

Inactive

Anonymous on February 13, 2020 at 9:48 am #38116

Yep. It’s updated. If you find a workout where it hasn’t been, please let us know.

Inactive

Anonymous on February 13, 2020 at 9:49 am #38117

And thanks, @owenfw, for bringing this to our attention!

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Runner ME Progression (Big Vert Plan) Recovery Time