[pult]

Hi,

I started with ones a week 3x3min intervals – rest in-between each 3min…

Question: I do an uphill run, one option is 8% the other one 14% incline.
Regardless which one, it takes around 40sec being above anaerobic threshold (zone 4), the remaining 2min are very hard and my pace is significantly reducing, in the 14% incline option its such a slow running that its close to walking.

Does this make sense? Keeping HR as high as possible even pace is reducing @each set?
Or should I start at flatter road/track? My aim is 6 days skimo hut to hut

My Difference between aerobic and anaerobic threshold is below 10%; Z3 intervals work well. I do Scott`s killer workout + general strength workout 2x week since 3.5 weeks.

TP: Sunday HIT, Monday 1600 stairs 3-4 time (=900 to 1200hm) @Z1-Z2; Tuesday rest, Wednesday strength, Thursday long run Z1, Friday recovery run Z1, Saturday strength….

Heiko

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[Dada]

Dada on January 9, 2022 at 3:31 am #61794

Hm general comment: I can bearly fit in two intensive workouts per week. Are you handling this intensity well?

When your pace reduces later in the 3 minutes, is your HR dropping as well? If not, you are fine. Z4 is about stressing your cardio vascular system. And the steeper your runs are the more specific for ski mountaineering.

Cheers
Dada

[pult]

pult on January 9, 2022 at 4:46 am #61802

Dear Dada,

thank you so much. HR is still high or increasing, pace is dropping only. Such will continue, thank you.
This training is the third attempt to do Venter Runde, Ötztal. Did it a couple of years ago but wanted to repeat it, trained and then it was canceled due to Corona 2020 and 2021… third try now, fingers crossed

Heiko

[Dada]

Dada on January 9, 2022 at 7:11 am #61805

Viel Spaß & Erfolg!

Maybe one more thing: I plan my type of training in blocks from non-specific to very specific. That is why I start with VO2MAX (Z4) and then progress to Z3 and then to Z1/2 training just prior my ski traverses. It worked perfectly for Berner Oberland Traverse.

[Dada]

Dada on January 9, 2022 at 3:58 pm #61819

One more thing which caught my attention: for VO2max intervals one should aim at maximizing the time @ intensity. So, I would cut the rest interval in half (90s) to keep the HR elevated and to reach VO2MAX intensities faster and longer.

Cheers
Dada

[pult]

pult on January 11, 2022 at 2:33 am #61907

Dear Dada,

many thanks for all your input. E.g. for community I want to share further points.
I have got some feedback form an uphill coach who I asked this also in terms of my hut-to-hut 8 weeks TP I am using at the moment.
The reply was: “Regarding your high intensity workouts, if you cannot sustain the pace for the workout why not drop from Z4 to Z3? See what Scott said in the forum topic:
Zone 4: 165-176. This is HARD aerobic/anaerobic work. You can begin to use this right off the bat but many people find that they cannot sustain the high intensity/HR for the full duration of the Z4 interval session because of local muscular fatigue. A world class athlete might be able to 4-6×8 min in Z4 and maintain the high power output throughout. Lesser athletes might find that part way through interval number 2 they are so fatigued that power and HR are dropping off due to local muscular fatigue. They can’t do much hard sustained work yet and need to drop down to Z3 to build a base to handle this work.”

I also asked a friend of mine who is training sprint athletes: He said, my ramp is too steep at the moment and I should start with some flatter one.

I also re-read the uphill athlete’s book. There it`s stated that sometimes it is better to train muscle endurance before Z3 or Z4 intervals, if they are too hard. Just to say again, the Z4 interval works, HR is high but pace is slowing down significantly. I do not have issues with Z3 intervals; however, my decision now is to add ME workouts with walking up with weight in my backpack – we do have a historical stair here, height difference around 350m and its really steep – in mean 47%. I did this in the past some weeks with 3 to 4 reps at Z1/Z2 without weight, will do it now with 15KG water carry aiming for 2 rep. at the beginning in Z1/2. Then I will add ones a week Z3 intervals. Next after this will be going from Z3 to Z4 intervals. Those I trained and struggled are 3-3min/3min, maybe I will do at the beginning those I did the last season 8min 30sec/30sec two times…

I also followed the TP including core strength and general strength twice a week. I also saw in the book – totally forgot this – that there is a test in terms of strength and I am in level 3. Such I can reduce this strength plan to less exercises being more specific for me. This gives me more time to keep my aerobic base training being 90-95% of all.

So, I will watch this the next 4 weeks and fingers crossed it will improve my endurance for the planned Venter traverse

Heiko