They say "a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client" ... I'm wondering if the same sentiment could be applied to runners and coaching (as in "a runner who coaches himself has a fool for a client").
I may be a fool ... but I'm going running.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
new shoes, new training cycle
My new shoes are the Brooks Cascadia 7 - I've had them out on the road for a couple of days now, and they are very comfortable. I like them a lot.
We've had great sunny days, really great winter running weather. My mileage has been low, but all of a sudden I'm anxious to get back to some real road work. Some time off from running really can be a good thing - but I have a lot of work to do to meet my goal for the year of running the Comrades ...
So, how am I training? I want to build on what I've done on the past, but pay more attention to running efficiency and speed. Here is a top-level view of my plan and why I think it's reasonable.
I can look back at years worth of running logs, and see that running 45 miles a week is a relatively high workload for me. 45 miles at an easy pace (just over 10 minute miles) is 450 minutes (7.5 hours) of running. Using Daniels' point system, doing these easy runs only would put me at 75 points a week.
The change I am making this training cycle is to introduce more 'quality' into my running. Spending some more time at marathon and threshold pace during the week, and adding some 10K races on weekends will put me over 100 points for the week. I have weekly runs of 15+ miles, and will run one marathon, but nothing longer than that before Comrades.
Reasonableness check: For one thing, based on my own experience, I can't train much harder than this, and I don't want to get injured, so this is what I should do. With my (limited) natural ability, I've previously beat the cutoff in a number of ultraruns - I'm expecting that the added focus on running efficiency and speed is going to help give me my best shot at finishing Comrades.
Mike's pacing by heartrate
 |
| new Brooks Cascadia 7 shoes |
So, how am I training? I want to build on what I've done on the past, but pay more attention to running efficiency and speed. Here is a top-level view of my plan and why I think it's reasonable.
I can look back at years worth of running logs, and see that running 45 miles a week is a relatively high workload for me. 45 miles at an easy pace (just over 10 minute miles) is 450 minutes (7.5 hours) of running. Using Daniels' point system, doing these easy runs only would put me at 75 points a week.
The change I am making this training cycle is to introduce more 'quality' into my running. Spending some more time at marathon and threshold pace during the week, and adding some 10K races on weekends will put me over 100 points for the week. I have weekly runs of 15+ miles, and will run one marathon, but nothing longer than that before Comrades.
Reasonableness check: For one thing, based on my own experience, I can't train much harder than this, and I don't want to get injured, so this is what I should do. With my (limited) natural ability, I've previously beat the cutoff in a number of ultraruns - I'm expecting that the added focus on running efficiency and speed is going to help give me my best shot at finishing Comrades.
Mike's pacing by heartrate
- Easy (~70% HR max, 115 bpm)
- Marathon pace (80% HR max, 130 bpm)
- Threshold (88% HR max, 142 bpm)
- 10K (> 90% HR max, 145 bpm)
Friday, January 27, 2012
Daniels' Running Formula (part 2)
My copy of "Daniels' Running Formula" is dog-eared and marked up with text I've highlighted. I can open the book to a random page and almost immediately find Coach Daniels telling me something that emphasizes or clarifies running lessons I've learned along the way. Paging through the book now, here are some of my key 'take aways' from Coach Daniels' book. The following material is quoted or paraphrased from Coach Daniels' book, from pages indicated.
- No one has all the answers, and one plan will not suit all runners (page x)
- There are four kinds of distance runners 1) high ability and motivation 2) high ability but not motivated 3) lacking ability but highly motivated 4) lacking ability and motivation (pg xv).
- Training Principles (pg 8) Some of them are ...
-- The body reacts to stress of training by adapting to perform better
-- Specificity: You get better at the activity that provided the training stress. Over-training has a negative effect on ability to perform the activity that provided the stress
-- Diminishing Return (and accelerating setbacks). As training increases in duration and intensity, the benefit gained increases more slowly, while the chance of over-training/injury increases
- Your current best performances can be used to determine the training intensity necessary to improve (pg 31)
- The basic goals of training are: (pg32)
-- improve ability to transport blood/oxygen
-- increase ability of muscles to use oxygen
-- shift lactate threshold to higher running speed
-- increase VO2 max
-- improve speed
-- improve running economy
You can see where this is going ... a training plan is a mix of training activities of the right duration and intensity, selected to make progress against the goals. He describes a system of assigning points based on training activity time and intensity. This is interesting because it 'handicaps' ability to the extent that runners with very different abilities can compare their training efforts, and he observes that novice runners might consider a weekly total of 50 points, advanced high-schoolers 100 points,and collegians 150 points. Elite runners might be working 200 points or more a week. (pg 41)
- A season long training cycle might have four phases (pg 68)
-- FI. Foundation and injury prevention - building the base
-- EQ. Early Quality - running mechanics, running economy and speed (primarily reps)
-- TQ. Transition Quality, the toughest phase, focusing on long intervals
-- FQ. Final Quality, threshold running, some reps and intervals, and racing.
Over the long term (many training cycles) Coach Daniels believes that it's better to develop speed (skill) before endurance (aerobic conditioning) (pg 80). Note that on page 81, he points out that older runners running for fitness might want to flip this around ...
- To avoid over-training and injury, slower runners might have to run less total mileage than faster runners. (pg 92)
- Re: Individual limits and weekly mileage (pg 95) There is a wide range of answers to the question of how many miles/week a distance runner should be running ...
- Stride rate. Almost all elite distance runners tend to stride at about the same rate: 180 or more steps per minute. (pg 93) The main change that occurs as runners go faster is in stride length.
- Breathing Rhythms. Most elite distance runners breathe with a 2-2 rhythm (pg 116)
- The ideal intensity is the least stressful intensity that accomplishes what you want (pg 123)
- Losing weight / changes in body composition (pg 150). It's hard to tell how much improved performance is due to leaner frame rather than the fact that quality training can be carried out more effectively with a slimmer body. Some cautions here ... losing body mass for the sake of weighing less can be counterproductive.
- Marathon Training (chapter 20)
-- If you get beyond about 50 miles per week, you should probably consider running twice a day most days of the week
-- I think the guidelines given for runners training to complete a marathon (pg 268) may apply just as well to beginning ultra-runners.
- No one has all the answers, and one plan will not suit all runners (page x)
- There are four kinds of distance runners 1) high ability and motivation 2) high ability but not motivated 3) lacking ability but highly motivated 4) lacking ability and motivation (pg xv).
- Training Principles (pg 8) Some of them are ...
-- The body reacts to stress of training by adapting to perform better
-- Specificity: You get better at the activity that provided the training stress. Over-training has a negative effect on ability to perform the activity that provided the stress
-- Diminishing Return (and accelerating setbacks). As training increases in duration and intensity, the benefit gained increases more slowly, while the chance of over-training/injury increases
- Your current best performances can be used to determine the training intensity necessary to improve (pg 31)
- The basic goals of training are: (pg32)
-- improve ability to transport blood/oxygen
-- increase ability of muscles to use oxygen
-- shift lactate threshold to higher running speed
-- increase VO2 max
-- improve speed
-- improve running economy
You can see where this is going ... a training plan is a mix of training activities of the right duration and intensity, selected to make progress against the goals. He describes a system of assigning points based on training activity time and intensity. This is interesting because it 'handicaps' ability to the extent that runners with very different abilities can compare their training efforts, and he observes that novice runners might consider a weekly total of 50 points, advanced high-schoolers 100 points,and collegians 150 points. Elite runners might be working 200 points or more a week. (pg 41)
- A season long training cycle might have four phases (pg 68)
-- FI. Foundation and injury prevention - building the base
-- EQ. Early Quality - running mechanics, running economy and speed (primarily reps)
-- TQ. Transition Quality, the toughest phase, focusing on long intervals
-- FQ. Final Quality, threshold running, some reps and intervals, and racing.
Over the long term (many training cycles) Coach Daniels believes that it's better to develop speed (skill) before endurance (aerobic conditioning) (pg 80). Note that on page 81, he points out that older runners running for fitness might want to flip this around ...
- To avoid over-training and injury, slower runners might have to run less total mileage than faster runners. (pg 92)
- Re: Individual limits and weekly mileage (pg 95) There is a wide range of answers to the question of how many miles/week a distance runner should be running ...
- Stride rate. Almost all elite distance runners tend to stride at about the same rate: 180 or more steps per minute. (pg 93) The main change that occurs as runners go faster is in stride length.
- Breathing Rhythms. Most elite distance runners breathe with a 2-2 rhythm (pg 116)
- The ideal intensity is the least stressful intensity that accomplishes what you want (pg 123)
- Losing weight / changes in body composition (pg 150). It's hard to tell how much improved performance is due to leaner frame rather than the fact that quality training can be carried out more effectively with a slimmer body. Some cautions here ... losing body mass for the sake of weighing less can be counterproductive.
- Marathon Training (chapter 20)
-- If you get beyond about 50 miles per week, you should probably consider running twice a day most days of the week
-- I think the guidelines given for runners training to complete a marathon (pg 268) may apply just as well to beginning ultra-runners.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Daniels' Running Formula (part 1)
I've been reading "Daniels' Running Formula" (the second edition), by Jack T. Daniels, Ph.D. This book has been out for years and really doesn't need a critical review at this point - you should just accept it as a classic guide to effective training for runners. I would like to share some thoughts and observations I made when I rediscovered this book over the recent holidays.
Coach Daniels has gotten plenty of accolades as a coach. As an athlete himself (a pentathlete at the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games) and with a long history of coaching and helping a lot of runners perform their best, it's great that he managed to capture that experience and training philosophy so well in this book. I get special pleasure from the fact that that he coached at State University of NY Cortland for years - my wife's family lived in McGraw, NY just on the other side of the highway, and our visits to the area always included visits to Cortland.
As a sports physiologist, Coach Daniels uses VDOT as a real-world metric of an individuals ability to perform. Over the years I've been tempted to visit a sports lab and discover my own VO2 max level, knowing it correlates with the best possible performance I can expect to achieve in my own running. Coach Daniels' VDOT number incorporates VO2 max and also includes the runners pace (velocity) at VO2 max to come up with a more useful indication of a runner's ability. VDOT takes the scientific purity of a laboratory VO2 max measurement, and adds all the other variables in - especially how efficient a runner is, and the terrain, weather, ability to manage physical resources during an event, emotional state-of-mind, willingness to suffer discomfort, and others.
You can determine your own current VDOT number based on recent best performance (no sports lab visit needed!) using tables in Coach Daniels' book, and then use your VDOT number to determine your most effective training pace and level of effort for optimum improvement. The core of this book is about using VDOT - actually planning training efforts measured as time spent at some percentage of your VDOT - as the basis of developing training plans for distances up to the marathon.
The last few years my own training has been centered on recording mileage. This book has reminded me that I might be able to train a lot smarter than just continuing the quest for higher weekly mileage totals. I'll continue in my next blog with some 'bullet' points sampling some of Coach Daniels' insights, and possibly my efforts to translate it all into an effective training plan.
Coach Daniels has gotten plenty of accolades as a coach. As an athlete himself (a pentathlete at the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games) and with a long history of coaching and helping a lot of runners perform their best, it's great that he managed to capture that experience and training philosophy so well in this book. I get special pleasure from the fact that that he coached at State University of NY Cortland for years - my wife's family lived in McGraw, NY just on the other side of the highway, and our visits to the area always included visits to Cortland.
As a sports physiologist, Coach Daniels uses VDOT as a real-world metric of an individuals ability to perform. Over the years I've been tempted to visit a sports lab and discover my own VO2 max level, knowing it correlates with the best possible performance I can expect to achieve in my own running. Coach Daniels' VDOT number incorporates VO2 max and also includes the runners pace (velocity) at VO2 max to come up with a more useful indication of a runner's ability. VDOT takes the scientific purity of a laboratory VO2 max measurement, and adds all the other variables in - especially how efficient a runner is, and the terrain, weather, ability to manage physical resources during an event, emotional state-of-mind, willingness to suffer discomfort, and others.
You can determine your own current VDOT number based on recent best performance (no sports lab visit needed!) using tables in Coach Daniels' book, and then use your VDOT number to determine your most effective training pace and level of effort for optimum improvement. The core of this book is about using VDOT - actually planning training efforts measured as time spent at some percentage of your VDOT - as the basis of developing training plans for distances up to the marathon.
The last few years my own training has been centered on recording mileage. This book has reminded me that I might be able to train a lot smarter than just continuing the quest for higher weekly mileage totals. I'll continue in my next blog with some 'bullet' points sampling some of Coach Daniels' insights, and possibly my efforts to translate it all into an effective training plan.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Running watches I have known
I've tried a number of running watches over the years in pursuit of the perfect watch. My watches over the past 10 years or so, in the order I adopted them:
- Nike Triax C6
- Nike Triax CV10
- Suunto T6C
- Garmin FR60 (my current watch)
I still haven't found the perfect running watch - here is what I think of the ones I've run with so far.
I liked the style of my first Nike Triax - the angled design of the watch face was nice. I used it to capture splits and total run time, including using countdown timers for managing interval workouts. I could see my heart rate data in real-time. For a running log, I entered summary data by hand into a spreadsheet. It was a nice running watch, with all the timing capability I needed.
Moving on to the Nike Triax CV10 let me add a shoe pod to the heart rate monitor (HRM) to measure speed and distance. If you've seen some of my older blogs, you know I'm a fan of the statement "you can't manage what you don't measure." Running by 'feel' is OK, but at some point it is good to have actual data that shows what heart rate and running pace actually corresponds with perceived level of effort. After running a lot of miles with a HRM on, I've definitely changed my idea of how hard it should feel like I'm working on my long runs.
A running buddy then adopted a Suunto T3, and the concept of training effect (TE) was interesting. In my typical need-to-know-it-all fashion, I downloaded all the Suunto training materials and read and re-read everything. I eventually wound up buying a Suunto T6C for myself, with the Suunto HRM and shoe pod. I also adopted a running software package called Firstbeat Athlete to log my watch data and monitor my progress.
At this point in running watch evolution, it's clear to me that a big part of the total functionality of a watch now lies in the software you use with it and ability of that software to load and use data from the watch. This software is typically PC (or Mac) or web based. The Suunto T6C and Firstbeat software gave me new insight into the effect of workouts of different durations and intensities.
I moved away from the Suunto T6C/Firstbeat Athlete combination for a couple of reasons. Part of the appeal of capturing heart rate data at the R-R level was the promise that you could get feedback when you are over-training. I never really thought I benefited from this capability. The Suunto watches capture the data needed for heart rate variability analysis, but rely on external software (and a person) to do the analysis. And this software is typically owned and used only by professional trainers. The fee to have some data looked at on a one-off basis is prohibitive to do on a regular basis. Note that some Polar watches, and some iPhone apps will now do this sort of analysis.
Firstbeat Athlete is showing it's age a bit. It has some long standing issues with not always syncing a users profile (things like height and weight) with the data stored in the watch. And as a running log, it had a long standing bug with not adding up your weekly mileage correctly. A recent update to Firstbeat Athlete actually added the ability to import data from a Garmin 610 using the wireless USB stick but not much else changed. I think the Firstbeat folks are first class exercise physiologists, but I'm not sure what their plan is for future PC and web based software.
Finally, I become frustrated with the finicky-ness of the Suunto T6C computer data connection, a small clip that uses a set of dimpled electrical contacts on the back of the watch to connect the watch to a USB port. The future of data connections is of course wireless. Both Suunto and Garmin seem to be using very similar technology for wireless data connections on their newest watches.
The new Suunto Quest seems like it might have been a good follow-on to my T6C, but my search for my next watch and software combination led me to the Garmin FR60 and SportTracks 3 software (from Zone 5). I've basically traded training effect for TRIMP (a numerical method of summarizing duration and intensity), and gained a very reliable and convenient way of transferring watch data to my PC. A new data-point the Garmin FR60 provides is running cadence, which I've been watching pretty closely lately. I've previously blogged about SportTracks 3 and some of the plug-ins I use
- Nike Triax C6
- Nike Triax CV10
- Suunto T6C
- Garmin FR60 (my current watch)
I still haven't found the perfect running watch - here is what I think of the ones I've run with so far.
I liked the style of my first Nike Triax - the angled design of the watch face was nice. I used it to capture splits and total run time, including using countdown timers for managing interval workouts. I could see my heart rate data in real-time. For a running log, I entered summary data by hand into a spreadsheet. It was a nice running watch, with all the timing capability I needed.
Moving on to the Nike Triax CV10 let me add a shoe pod to the heart rate monitor (HRM) to measure speed and distance. If you've seen some of my older blogs, you know I'm a fan of the statement "you can't manage what you don't measure." Running by 'feel' is OK, but at some point it is good to have actual data that shows what heart rate and running pace actually corresponds with perceived level of effort. After running a lot of miles with a HRM on, I've definitely changed my idea of how hard it should feel like I'm working on my long runs.
A running buddy then adopted a Suunto T3, and the concept of training effect (TE) was interesting. In my typical need-to-know-it-all fashion, I downloaded all the Suunto training materials and read and re-read everything. I eventually wound up buying a Suunto T6C for myself, with the Suunto HRM and shoe pod. I also adopted a running software package called Firstbeat Athlete to log my watch data and monitor my progress.
At this point in running watch evolution, it's clear to me that a big part of the total functionality of a watch now lies in the software you use with it and ability of that software to load and use data from the watch. This software is typically PC (or Mac) or web based. The Suunto T6C and Firstbeat software gave me new insight into the effect of workouts of different durations and intensities.
I moved away from the Suunto T6C/Firstbeat Athlete combination for a couple of reasons. Part of the appeal of capturing heart rate data at the R-R level was the promise that you could get feedback when you are over-training. I never really thought I benefited from this capability. The Suunto watches capture the data needed for heart rate variability analysis, but rely on external software (and a person) to do the analysis. And this software is typically owned and used only by professional trainers. The fee to have some data looked at on a one-off basis is prohibitive to do on a regular basis. Note that some Polar watches, and some iPhone apps will now do this sort of analysis.
Firstbeat Athlete is showing it's age a bit. It has some long standing issues with not always syncing a users profile (things like height and weight) with the data stored in the watch. And as a running log, it had a long standing bug with not adding up your weekly mileage correctly. A recent update to Firstbeat Athlete actually added the ability to import data from a Garmin 610 using the wireless USB stick but not much else changed. I think the Firstbeat folks are first class exercise physiologists, but I'm not sure what their plan is for future PC and web based software.
Finally, I become frustrated with the finicky-ness of the Suunto T6C computer data connection, a small clip that uses a set of dimpled electrical contacts on the back of the watch to connect the watch to a USB port. The future of data connections is of course wireless. Both Suunto and Garmin seem to be using very similar technology for wireless data connections on their newest watches.
The new Suunto Quest seems like it might have been a good follow-on to my T6C, but my search for my next watch and software combination led me to the Garmin FR60 and SportTracks 3 software (from Zone 5). I've basically traded training effect for TRIMP (a numerical method of summarizing duration and intensity), and gained a very reliable and convenient way of transferring watch data to my PC. A new data-point the Garmin FR60 provides is running cadence, which I've been watching pretty closely lately. I've previously blogged about SportTracks 3 and some of the plug-ins I use
Thoughts on GPS - I do study maps (and take maps with me) on new trails the first time out. I might benefit from a capability to enter a planned run into the watch, but frankly it wouldn't help - I do a lot of backtracking out there. Besides, most of the time I'm on a trail where I know where I'm going, and where all the wrong turns would take me. Finally, the power requirements (read: short battery life, and need for constant charging), and the physical size of the watches almost rule out using a GPS watch as an everyday watch. The Garmin 610 looks pretty good though if you're willing to do the trade-off.
Finally, I tend to wear my running watch as my everyday watch to work and when travelling. I always use the alternate time zone and depend on alarms working when I'm on the road. I found each of these watches are suitable for all but 'dress up' occasions (they all make a statement that I'm a runner, but I'm almost always willing to talk about that).
Finally, I tend to wear my running watch as my everyday watch to work and when travelling. I always use the alternate time zone and depend on alarms working when I'm on the road. I found each of these watches are suitable for all but 'dress up' occasions (they all make a statement that I'm a runner, but I'm almost always willing to talk about that).
Sunday, November 20, 2011
JFK 50 Miler race report
Yesterday was the 6th time I've toed the starting line for the JFK 50 Mile race. It gets a little bigger and even better managed each year. My hat is off to the race director and all the great volunteers that make this happen every year.
I thought my preparation was good this year, especially the fact that I got out and ran the Appalachian Trail on eleven days in the two months before the race. It's one thing to get some hill work included in your workouts, it is quite another to spend time running specifically on the trails you want to be able to cover efficiently. I worked hard on the trail during the race, but I definitely knew what to expect and went through that section in good shape.
Having said that, I'm looking at some of the data from the run yesterday. This graph of my heart-rate, as a percentage of maximum over the race, tells the story ...
Ignore the spike at the start - that's just the monitor not getting good data at the start. For the first 3 hours (the time I spent on the Appalachian Trail) I was running at close to 85 % maximum heart rate, the upper end of my aerobic range. Then I hit the long, flat C&O canal portion of the run, and saw my heart rate gradually slow until at the 6-hour point I was running just under 75 % max. The last couple of miles of walking/running took it down even further.
While seeing my heart rate vary from 85% to 65% of max over 50 miles doesn't bother me, I can't help but think I should have taken it easier on the trail portion early on, and run the canal harder. Of course, depletion of stored energy is probably a big factor in the trend shown in this graph, but I can say that I ate better before and during this run than I usually do during a race.
Mary did a great job of crewing for me yesterday. Here's the picture she took before the start.
I love running long because there is so much going on, it's a puzzle I am never going to solve, but I do have a lot of fun working on it. Then again, Scott Jurek says run long, and do it with soul ... I hope I'm not over-thinking this!
I thought my preparation was good this year, especially the fact that I got out and ran the Appalachian Trail on eleven days in the two months before the race. It's one thing to get some hill work included in your workouts, it is quite another to spend time running specifically on the trails you want to be able to cover efficiently. I worked hard on the trail during the race, but I definitely knew what to expect and went through that section in good shape.
Having said that, I'm looking at some of the data from the run yesterday. This graph of my heart-rate, as a percentage of maximum over the race, tells the story ...
 |
| Mike's heart-rate during the JFK-50 |
While seeing my heart rate vary from 85% to 65% of max over 50 miles doesn't bother me, I can't help but think I should have taken it easier on the trail portion early on, and run the canal harder. Of course, depletion of stored energy is probably a big factor in the trend shown in this graph, but I can say that I ate better before and during this run than I usually do during a race.
Mary did a great job of crewing for me yesterday. Here's the picture she took before the start.
 |
| Mike before the race |
Ready, or not ...
I've been using a piece of software called SportTracks to help me train with a little more insight. Here is what the last two months of training looks like, as I got ready for the JFK 50 mile run yesterday.
This thing doesn't exactly speak for itself, but there is a lot of information presented in a way that makes you think a little differently about what you're doing to prepare for a big event. Here's what is being shown.
First, the vertical bars represent individual training days. Three of the taller bars are labeled A, B, and C - these are a 22 mile training run on the Appalachian Trail, a 50 km trail race, and the Toronto Marathon respectively. The height of the bar is calculated based on time and intensity, a function of the number of minutes spent in each heart rate zone, so that longer duration events at higher intensities get a higher "training impulse" (TRIMP) value.
Over a period of time these individual training days average out to some 'chronic training load" (CTL), shown above as the blue area under the line labeled '1'. As our training load increases through a training cycle, you would expect to see this line gradually increase over time.
The red line labeled '2' above is similar, but is called the 'acute training load (ATL). While the CTL is a long-term sliding average of you daily training level, the ATL is a short-term sliding average telling you how what you have done recently compares to the long term. Seeing ATL higher than CTL means your recent training has been harder than average. It also means you are relatively fatigued, and not ready to perform at your best. The green line labeled '3' is a plot of 'training stress balance' (TSB) that just represents this difference between ATL and CTL ... when the line is positive, you are relatively rested or recovered, and when the line is negative your are fatigued and not ready to perform your best. You can see on the chart above where leading into the Toronto Marathon (the bar labeled 'C') I took a couple of days off from runnng, causing the ATL line to drop and the TSB line to go positive. At the far right side of the graph, the day before the JFK, I am also pretty well recovered with a very positive TSB value.
The final curve shown on the chart is called an"influence' curve (labeled '4'), plotted based on work described in this paper - Influence Curves.pdf. This curve is not at all affected by how you are actually training, it simply attempts to show when you should be training to best influence you performance on a selected target date. In the graph shown, the target date is the day of the JFK 50 on the right side of the graph. Not surprisingly the value is positive in the two months leading up to the target date, telling me it's a good time to be preparing. You can also see a peak in the curve, indicating the most critical time period for training. About 11 days ahead of the event the influence curve actually turns negative, indicating major training effort this close to the event will not help your performance at all - during this period you are better off doing low intensity efforts that slow the loss of fitness level you've achieved while allowing recovery.
Now that you have seen the charts, feel welcome to critique my preparation for the JFK 50. My current thinking is that I'd like to see more regular and definite recovery periods during a training cycle.
 |
| SportTracks 3 with the Training Load plug-in |
This thing doesn't exactly speak for itself, but there is a lot of information presented in a way that makes you think a little differently about what you're doing to prepare for a big event. Here's what is being shown.
First, the vertical bars represent individual training days. Three of the taller bars are labeled A, B, and C - these are a 22 mile training run on the Appalachian Trail, a 50 km trail race, and the Toronto Marathon respectively. The height of the bar is calculated based on time and intensity, a function of the number of minutes spent in each heart rate zone, so that longer duration events at higher intensities get a higher "training impulse" (TRIMP) value.
Over a period of time these individual training days average out to some 'chronic training load" (CTL), shown above as the blue area under the line labeled '1'. As our training load increases through a training cycle, you would expect to see this line gradually increase over time.
The red line labeled '2' above is similar, but is called the 'acute training load (ATL). While the CTL is a long-term sliding average of you daily training level, the ATL is a short-term sliding average telling you how what you have done recently compares to the long term. Seeing ATL higher than CTL means your recent training has been harder than average. It also means you are relatively fatigued, and not ready to perform at your best. The green line labeled '3' is a plot of 'training stress balance' (TSB) that just represents this difference between ATL and CTL ... when the line is positive, you are relatively rested or recovered, and when the line is negative your are fatigued and not ready to perform your best. You can see on the chart above where leading into the Toronto Marathon (the bar labeled 'C') I took a couple of days off from runnng, causing the ATL line to drop and the TSB line to go positive. At the far right side of the graph, the day before the JFK, I am also pretty well recovered with a very positive TSB value.
The final curve shown on the chart is called an"influence' curve (labeled '4'), plotted based on work described in this paper - Influence Curves.pdf. This curve is not at all affected by how you are actually training, it simply attempts to show when you should be training to best influence you performance on a selected target date. In the graph shown, the target date is the day of the JFK 50 on the right side of the graph. Not surprisingly the value is positive in the two months leading up to the target date, telling me it's a good time to be preparing. You can also see a peak in the curve, indicating the most critical time period for training. About 11 days ahead of the event the influence curve actually turns negative, indicating major training effort this close to the event will not help your performance at all - during this period you are better off doing low intensity efforts that slow the loss of fitness level you've achieved while allowing recovery.
Now that you have seen the charts, feel welcome to critique my preparation for the JFK 50. My current thinking is that I'd like to see more regular and definite recovery periods during a training cycle.
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