Base training

Ik beken, ik ben een enorme fan van letsrun.com alhoewel ik best besef dat 90% van de berichten op hun nieuwsgroeppagina crap is, kan de aandachtige lezer soms goede info vinden.
Hieronder een post van Renato Canova, het gaat over Base training ! Base training is al lang niet meer gewoon kilometers malen op een slaapverwekkend tempo.

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In my training I refuse to have a choice between to EXTEND the distance at the same pace and to INCREASE the intensity in the same distance.

In my experience, these 2 parameters work together.

In any case, during winter my main aim is to build ENDURANCE and STRENGTH. For the first, of course I use a lot of long run at different speed :

a) We start with 40' going in one week at 1 hr at comfortable pace (for example, in the case of an athlete running 14' in 5000 or 3'45" in 1500m, a pace of 3'40" per km or 5'53" per mile)

b) After this short introductive period, we move in 2 directions :
1- We extend the distance at the above pace till 1 hr 30' in the next 3 weeks

2- We try to increase the speed of 1 hr using the system of PROGRESSIVE RUN (for example, the last 20' run at 3'20" or 5'20"), extending the fast part of running till when the full hour is at the same fast pace

3- At the same time, we start to put in the program some session for STRENGTH, combining exercises of reactivity, technical exercises and short sprints uphill, carried on at the maximal intensity (otherwise, it's not possible to develop strength).

c) When we are able to do this, we have another period where we develop our training in this way :

1- If the athlete is a specialist of 10000m / HM, his long continuous run at the pace of 5'50" per mile can be extended, once per week, till 2 hr. If is a specialist of 1500 / 5000 or steeple, can remain of 1 hr 30' using some final progression.

2- Once per week, there is a LONG FAST RUN, that in the case of a runner of 10000/HM is between 20 and 25 km, and the athlete try, week after week, to run a little bit faster. In the case of an athlete for steeple / 5000 the distance is between 15 and 25 km, for a specialist of 1500m between 12 and 18 km.

3- These 2 different training are in the program every week, with 3 full days of interval in between (for example, on Monday the longest, on Friday the fastest).

4- In the middle (in this case, on Wednesday) we start to work for SPEED ENDURANCE, alternating FARTLEK (sessions lasting about 1 hour with mixed distances, for example
6' + 1' + 5' + 2' + 4' + 3' + 3' + 4' + 2' + 5' + 1' + 6' fast (42' global fast work) with 2' easy recovery (22') giving a total time of 1 hr 04'), or long intervals on track (for example, 3000 + 2 x 2000 + 5 x 1000 + 6 x 500m, recovery after 3000 and 2000 in 3', after 1000 in 2', after 500 in 1'30")

5- During the other days (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) we use long and easy run (never less than 18 km, till 25 km, at comfortable pace) and exercises for STRENGTH, extending there execution in order to increase the STRENGTH ENDURANCE.

d) Only after these periods, when the AEROBIC BASE is consolidated, we start to put the real training of speed.
When we start with this, we cant use a weekly program, but our microcycle lasts 2 weeks, because NEVER WE GO TO REPLACE THE LONG RUN, BUT WE GO TO ADD SPEED TO THE PROGRAM ALREADY USED.
One of the most important points is : NEVER WE HAVE TO LOSE WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD BEFORE. Training is not to replace, but to ADD.