So my olympic distance training plan has a run/walk workout of 20k (13’ run, 2’ walk) in week 4.
My pigheaded self has never done up a run/walk in training. I’d rather bang out a 10.5 or 11 mile easy paced run and feel rewarded about it than do a run/walk session *unless there’s a darn good reason to do it. *Is there?
I get the recovery aspect of interval training but this is an endurance workout right? Incidentally, I’ve done a few 13.1’s so I’m no stranger to longish runs.
Is it supposed to be like tempo intervals?
Is it supposed to be like tempo intervals?
Hmmmm. Good point. It doesn’t list a speed. I* think* it’s like a build for the 10 milers.
It’s the longest “run” in the plan with the rest being 10 milers. The weekly long runs go: 8 mile, 8 mile, recovery week, 12.4 (20k) run/walk, 10 mile, 6.2 mile recovery week, 10 mile, etc.
I really like the plan, but that workout just seems out of the mental mindset of a quality session to me.
It sounds like it is trying to be a long (time) run without being too long (distance). It will have you on your feet long (time) enough that they will be weary to simulate the run portion of the race. You’ll also probably finish that run/walk at the approximate time that your race would take (if it is a long run pace).
If that is indeed the rationale, I guess I kinda get it. But, I would just run it straight through. I hate walking.
if the 20k distance represnts the longest run you have done in some time, it’s ok to take some walk breaks from time to time but there is no need to do it just because the schedule requires it. Jeff Galoway is a big advocate of that sort of training, sometimes I walk part of a hill if I’m trying to keep my effort level low.
But no, there is nothing special about it, use your discretion.
If you are running a solid amount of miles for you and you’ve been doing 10 miles several weeks in a row , ranging up to 12 miles isn’t going to be a problem. It sounds as though the author is rather over cautious in regards to that long run.
(solid amount of miles = that number will vary depending what you think is solid - my definition is 35-45+mpw for 8 or so weeks is solid )
Thanks for the replies.
Even though I “feel” fit I actually haven’t done any long runs this season so I understand that’s a key session to get athletes ready for the 10 milers ahead.
It seems to make sense now.
So my olympic distance training plan has a run/walk workout of 20k (13’ run, 2’ walk) in week 4.
My pigheaded self has never done up a run/walk in training. I’d rather bang out a 10.5 or 11 mile easy paced run and feel rewarded about it than do a run/walk session *unless there’s a darn good reason to do it. *Is there?
I get the recovery aspect of interval training but this is an endurance workout right? Incidentally, I’ve done a few 13.1’s so I’m no stranger to longish runs.
While no STer would admit to planning on walking in the run portion of the tri, it’s possible the coach of the plan added that in just in case it actually happened and thus you at least had the feel of starting stopping again, but I’m probably wrong.
If you’ve been running a lot of 6,7,8,9 milers going to 12 is no big deal for most people.
The problems happen when people try that and their weekly run looks like 4.5, 6, 3, 0, 5, 0, 8.