How To Plan And Optimize Training And Recovery
This episode is for runners who want to optimize their training. Recovery is an essential aspect of training. A simple way to optimize it is to plan it with the same care you give to training.
Training plans are a guide, and there are many to choose from. The best ones will have sufficient detail to execute a variety of workouts, keeping your training balanced for every training cycle, which is typically 3 weeks long.
The benefit of planning in terms of training cycles is that they provide a focus that extends beyond the calendar. This keeps your training fresh and personalized to your needs.
These are the typical workouts:
- Long runs
- Tempo runs
- Speed intervals or hill runs
- Easy runs.
- Strength and mobility workouts
Long runs build your aerobic base, tempo runs teach pacing, speed intervals develop speed, and hill work develops strength and power, while easy runs serve as a form of recovery that promotes measurable gains.
In addition to running, most experienced runners also rely on strength or cross-training to activate muscles and supporting tissues for the rigors of running.
You should record relevant data from your workouts for analysis and future reference. Your subjective feelings are significant because you know your body better than anyone else, including your coach if you have one.
How To Execute Every Workout
1. Honor Its Purpose
The most common training mistake is running workouts too fast. We all love to run fast, but to gain the benefits, you must respect the workout’s purpose.
2. Adjust For Conditions
If you live in a hot, humid environment, you will need to make adjustments from time to time. If you are older, you may need to extend the warmup on occasion
3. Trust Your Experience
A challenging workout is a good workout. It tests your limits, and you grow. The trick is knowing when you are pushing the boundaries too far.
4. Maximize Recovery
We all recover differently, so work with the variables to find what works for you.
Check out Ep 30 of this podcast for a detailed breakdown on HRV (heart rate variability).
5. Respect The Cycle
A running plan is not complete without supporting information that interprets the respective workouts and how they work together. That understanding gives you the freedom to adjust the intensity of the exercise and its sequence within the typical training cycle.
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Be safe out there and enjoy your next run!
