[Davide A]

Hello to all mountain athletes reading!
I read THE books and try to improve my training following the UA principles, with satisfaction, especially in the past season.
I came from a “traditional” style of training, where you usually build up the long runs mileage to reach about 75% of the race mileage. No back to back. Three weeks prior to a race I go for a long one, taper, and then race.
This strategy always worked for me but at a high price. Doing this kind of long runs, sometimes alone, is tough, on the mind and on the body.
That’s why I’m interested on trying the back to back style.
I’m looking for a bit of help on programming:

– My mathematichal mindset need a formula to determine the lenght of the runs:
1) How long do you do the back to back runs, in terms of percentage of the race mileage?
2) Do you do equal distance/vert in the two runs or you do different runs?
3) Do you always run the same pace (or zone), or at least try do do the same pace?

– Other problem. Since I’m leaving in a “terrain challenged” city in the flatland. Does it make sense to do a first flat run and a second one in the mountains?

– Last one. In the phisiology part of the book I felt that the principles on which the back to back is built is not properly explained. So: How does it work phisiologically compared to the single long run?

Sorry for all the questions. I hope this topic will help some other readers. And sorry for my poor english!

See you in the Alps!

Davide from Italy

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