Tomorrow is a scheduled quantity training day. If I train, it has to be early because I have a 1 pm appointment for a steroid shot in my thumb, the trigger finger thing is flaring up again. I probably wouldn't want to train afterwards.
I hate to admit it, but I sometimes feel tinges of this pubalgia thing. It's barely noticeable but a little disconcerting. I'd really not like to break the training schedule but I'm considering taking another day off.
There are only 2 local college meets left this year and they are both coming up on the next 2 consecutive weekends. Then 3 masters meets and the season is over ... for 5 weeks.
Decisions: I was thinking about running the 100 instead of the 400 this weekend, but now I'm reconsidering. I feel like I need to strike while I'm still improving in the 400 and 200 ... and keep pounding out the training regime that seems to be working. The next 2 meets are BIG, and they are on good tracks. This weekend, the Boston Moon Classic at TSU on a blue Rekortan rubber track, and then the Vandy Invite - on that pristine Mondo Super-x track.
I'll be likely be doing the 100m in all my Masters Meets, so maybe I'll wait. Probably be on the track tomorrow. We'll see.
Regardless of this problem with your groin, I would suggest to stop the strength and stair stuff and focus on running. At some point every year, the cross training things stop and 100% of energy and effort is on the specific activity. This should give you one extra quality running workout a week with the same or more recovery time than you currently have. For instance, you could run the meet saturday, come back and train on sunday (don't tell me one 200 and one 400 excludes a next day training), rest on monday, run on tuesday and wednesday, rest on thursday, and pre meet stuff on Friday. Four quality runs per week. The extra run day would be better than the resistance\uphill running day.
ReplyDeleteI guess it depends on the type of running. Speedwork is always more stressful on the body than resistance work for me. Stairs is regarded as strength work, and of the 8 different types of workouts in the Clyde Hart regime, it is the ONLY aspect that receives 100% priority in ALL phases of the season. See pg. 4.
ReplyDeletehttp://ebookbrowse.com/clyde-hart-400-meter-training-pdf-d25318239
In my conversations with Johnny B., top collegiate sprinter who has had 4 surgeries for pubalgia, he realized the surgeries were probably unnecessary and he treated himself by strength work that focused on the glutes. I've run 9 meets this season without injury, and I credit that largely to these strength sessions. They are safer than running short fast sprint repeats because they can be done at near maximum effort at low risk.
I don't think it's a good idea to train the day after a meet.
UPDATE: Now that I'm home and have done some stretches in the hot tub, I feel fine and will likely be on the track tomorrow. I couldn't live without a hot tub. I use it before and after workouts and to stretch in before sleeping.
Strenght work is great. Strength work can be done with low risk for tears - but not low risk for joint loading. Bending and compressing joints under load, inpingement, etcetera, are all known issues. Regarding whether to take a break from strength training: no doubt it has great benefit but on the other hand the benefit has been attained already for what you are currently striving to do. If you stop now you lose that fitness element slowly over time, but it allows you to concentrate on your specific fitness element more completely. At some point there is a cross over - meaning, if enough time passes the fitness you lost from stopping weights will affect your ability to train maximally for running. But that will take time and theoretically you should be able to peak at running before that happens. The idea is to pick the one or two times a year where you want absolute best performance and break then for a short 3 to 6 week period. Then start strength back up again.
ReplyDeleteThere is one downside to such frequent racing - everything is built around a single day - makes a lopsided training program and it is hard to peak. If you had to run multiple heats in multiple events the racing would be sufficient - but at your level of fitness and performance it will be tough to peak that way. It is fine if you "train through" a meet or two so that you can peak later, but that may give up a chance to run your best at any given meet. For instance, you could long sprint on Friday and race one or two events on Saturday, not caring if you don't get a PR, and then peak properly for the next meet.
Just ideas....
I've been following your discourse with Bill about his training and issues connected therewith and as his Dad, just wanted to express my appreciation to you for your interest and taking the time to express your opinions. I can't say that as an 'old trackster' I really understand most of your intercourse with Bill but I do believe your interest in his 'journey' is laudable and I, for one, thank you.
DeleteBill Sr.
It is easier to build a 2 week cycle to aim for a peak performance than 1 week cycles. That was the case leading up to my recent PRs. I'm going to keep the same routine since it seems to be working. Looking at the Bill Collins grids, he runs just M, W, F - strength (weights) T, TH ... all season long, w/ weekend off. My strength/resistance is somewhat non traditional - high rep and aimed at injury prevention, balancing quad/ham strength, adds, abds, and psoas, etc... and it's only one day a week. Stairs are just a part of it. If anything, I should do more not less. I'm still only taking 1 day rest.
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