This one is simple, I have been working on a "smart" post ultra schedule/routine for quite awhile. The main reason is that most coaches recommend 1 and maybe 2 marathons a year for successful outcomes, recovery and long term effects of these races. I plan to be in this for awhile (already in year 12) so I want to maximize my efforts to play the Ultra game for as long as I can while minimizing the negative effects of running lots of miles and racing multiple times throughout the year.
A lot of information has been coming out about endurance athletes falling out of the sport due to chronic injuries, immune system crashes and overall burnout. I think the following article, along with parts II and III are great reads.
http://www.irunfar.com/2013/09/overtraining-syndrome-part-one.html
The truth is, that running an ultra, although a long and difficult task, occurs at a low intensity. This low speed over a longer timeframe, typically, doesn't create the soreness of a higher intensity activity. Participants of Ultras feel OK within days of their races. This gives them a false sense of security. They feel like they must have recovered, that their training and racing strategy is paying off and that its time to get back to the grind well before the body has really recovered from the effort.
Do you only have Heart Disease when your chest hurts?
We all know that there are many things that can be going on/wrong in our bodies without symptoms. The negative effects of Ultras can be another "silent killer" if we don't utilize some of the tools to monitor this recovery. Here are a few;
Resting Heart Rate
Heart Rate during activity
HRV
The newest research is showing that you can't diagnose overtraining until you are in it. Like you only know when your car battery is dead when the car doesn't start. Also, many of the signs of overtraining are also signs of successful training. What do you do?
The first step I took was to start training by the Maffetone Method. It's simple. Unless you get tested to find out your aerobic threshold, he recommends training at a 180-your age, heart rate. If you've been sick or injured in the last year, you are new to endurance training or you don't have a good aerobic base he recommends subtracting 5 beats. If you have a good aerobic base, haven't been injured or sick he says you can add 5 beats.
The key to finding out if you are improving or regressing is the MAF test - maximal aerobic function. I think this is a great test for any training regime. For the test you run a 20-30 minute warmup and then run mile repeats on a track or a "time trial" course at your MAF HR and record the results. If your training is going well and your aerobic base is getting better and you are getting more fit, your MAF test times should decrease. If your times aren't decreasing it means you aren't improving and you need to reassess the reasons why.
I live close to the PH track, so my test involves a 3 mile warm-up and then 5 miles on the track followed by a 2 mile cool down. My test results have been mixed. I've only done 4 tests with the initial test being a 7:22 ave/mile and the best being 6:46.
There will be more on the above.
9/5/14 - mtn biked at the Explore Park for 13 miles. Did trail maintenance and I rode with a chainsaw backpack.
9/7/14 - Ran 12 at the Cove. Trough, Brushy Mtn Fireroad, Drop, Hemlock, Lakeside.
Total for the week; 12 miles running and 13 on the mtn bike.
No comments:
Post a Comment