[Brett]

Apologies if this has been touched on before. My search came up empty. I got the book, read the book, love the book.

I am self-programming, utilizing TFTUA, the Cat 1 First Time 50K Running Race Plan (pg. 291).

Three notes:
1.) I have ADS
2.) I’m 43 years old and, as such, have two strength sessions per week.
3.) I am a former (recovering?) cyclist and, thus, prefer to do my Day 4 Z1 Recovery on the bike. (I find the easy spin beneficial for shaking out the legs and alleviating the joint stress of running for a day.)

As a result of the above, my Early Base Period Week (pg. 347) looks like this:

Day 1: Rest
Day 2: Z2 up to 15% of weekly vert and distance / Strength Training
Day 3: Z2 up to 15% of weekly vert and distance
Day 4: Recovery bike ride (super easy, usually about 45-60 mins w/ ~400 ft. of easy vert, which is a little vert as I can get out my door in LA).
Day 5: Strength Training (instead of hill sprints)
Day 6: Z2 up to 15% of weekly vert and distance
Day 7: Z1 up to 40% of weekly vert and distance
So, I have 4 runs per week, totaling 85% of weekly distance. My question is where do I get the other 15%?
Should I be accounting for the cycling milage? If so, how? Or should I simply add 5% to each of the four run days?
I’d definitely prefer not to scrap the bike ride for another run but I can if that’s the preferred prescription. Or is there another option I am missing?

Thanks much.

Brett

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on September 9, 2020 at 9:16 pm #44913

Hi Brent,

Good work diving into the training and process of improving your aerobic capacity. It looks like you have a good template laid out for the week which covers your bases. I wouldn’t be concerned right now about the “missing” 15% running volume, which you’ve chosen to replace with the bike ride. For right now I imagine the gains you’ll make by spending lots of consistent volume at your defined AeT will be the most important. As you progress and see that base growing, and/or if you get an objective (such as a 50km race or similar) on the calendar which will require getting more specific with your running, you can shift that bike ride to a run, and opt instead to use the bike for other days. I will often program a recovery 30min bike ride after strength workouts for athletes; this is an easy way to get “extra” volume in a non-impactful way, and without diminishing the running volume.

Hope that helps – good luck!
Sam.

[Brett]

Brett on September 10, 2020 at 5:39 pm #44942

Got it. Many thanks for the reply, Sam.

best.

Brett