More or Longer Sessions for Long Distance running. | Uphill Athlete

More or Longer Sessions for Long Distance running.

  • Creator
    Topic
  • #73120
    Alex
    Participant

    Hello,

    in the last days I thought a lot about my training. I train for Ultratrails with about 50-100km. For this my weeks go around 80-100km with 2000-5000 high Meters(10-15hrs).

    Normally I train about 6 days a Week with one rest day.

    The most trainers say add a day before run longer but is this also correct for ultra training?

    Would it not be better to run 3x20km and one 30-40km a week and add more rest days then 5x12km and 1x 30-40km? I thought about it to get more hardening and resistance to increase the training volume.

    At this time the 100km/week is my breaker I couldn’t train more without overload problems specially at the lower legs.

    Would you think my Plan could be the solution to get forward or should I stay at the old rhythm?

    Thanks a lot, greetings!

  • Moderator
    pedro on #73147

    Hi Alex,

    How you split the volumes depends always on your work capacity and adaptation to work load, period of the season when that load is planned, related to the goal , availability.
    for example – beginning of the season 5x12km and 1x 30-40km ( less km per day , more times per week and a longer run, easy to manage with work schedule of a person that works 35-40 week, to raise volume and intensity
    -3×20 and a long run, more rest days, better for someone that has more experience in running, someone that works in shifts and can not train everyday.
    “Really important”
    – have a microcycles of load ( working weeks that go from 7 days to 10 days), microcycles of rest ( weeks of lower working load that should show up on your plan in 3 to 3 weeks or 4 to 4 weeks.

    – Respect the 10% load increase , and never increase load and intensity on the same microcycle.

    – use recovery methods , myofascial release, static stretching massages…etc

    – Rest day , a rest day is a day that we let our body recover and be prepared for the next week, for an athlete that has no experience , should be a full rest ( nothing related to running) or active rest (a easy walk ) , for an experience athlete , a rest day can be an easy run or also a full rest ( depends always of the objectives of the periodisation and the microcycle in question .

    -Where you put the rest days, depends as I wrote above, on the goal ( 1ex . longer run this week is going to be really hard and my athlete has been doing a lot of intensity, I want him to be fully recovered for It… rest day on the day before.
    2ex this is a normal week with a longer run, the objective was to raise volume , no rest day , and before the rest day , he will still do a easy run to remove the metabolic product produce by the long run , and then a rest for a better adaptation .

    I think that what you are on the right path , but you should respect the rules mentioned above to avoid injury (especially the 10% rule and the rest weeks)

    I hope I could help with my answer …

    Participant
    Alex on #73289

    Thank you Pedro for the answer. I helps a lot.

    I already try to hold a circle of 3 weaks load and one week rest with a cutback to 50-60% load.

    But also with this circle it’s a bit difficult for me to get over 100km a week. It’s always a bit of luck not to get injured.

    Maybe I should do less intensity while increasing the mileage.

    Thanks a lot

    Keymaster
    Jane Mackay on #73294

    Alex, in addition to Pedro’s guidance, you might find Scott Semple’s replies (based on his own experience) in this thread useful:

    Volume Progression

    and Scott Johnston’s reply here:

    Volume Progression

    Participant
    Alex on #73354

    Thank you for the answer. Ok the reply of Scott is the answer for my leg pain problems. In summer i mostly run on Trails and had no Problems with overload.

    The last weeks i do a lot of tempo work with hard intervalls above the vo2max and this all on the road.I think this could be to much for my legs.

    Pedro you think its better when i have on sunday my longrun to do a easy run on monday and rest on thuesday? Normal i always set my rest day after the longrun.

    Have you also an advice how much weekly volume i should be able to handle before working on the speed? (My main event 2023 will be 80km with 5200hm)

    Thanks a lot.

    Moderator
    pedro on #73357

    Hi Alex
    Running on the roads or hard ground would be always an extra stress to add to the training and so you should try as much as possible try to run on soft ground ( trails, running tracks , grass ;Etc ) and be careful in which type of shoes/running equipment you use (shoes with more cushioning , a different drop )
    I think that having a active recovery, a recovery run after the long run and before the rest day, helps you remove all the metabolic products from the system and take more advantage of your rest day.
    Speed or muscle endurance workout that applies more to your case it will be considered to be specific work, so , you should start working on it at least 8-12 weeks prior to the event.
    Volume to achieve should be at least the total volume of the race, in your case 80km and have the total of ascent 5200 .

    I hope I could help

    Cheers ,

    Pedro

    Participant
    Alex on #73441

    Thank you again, this helps me a lot so I‘ll rethink my actual plan and change some things.

    So back on trails it’s always more fun as the hours of road running.

    All the best!
    Greetings.

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