Chapter 5; Part 2: Application

Michael:

Thanks for writing in with this question.  The only way you can know if you are training properly is with your performance.  If you’re getting faster, then you’re doing it right.  If you are not, then it is time to look for “why.”

It is important to keep in context who we are talking about when we get too far into the weeds in the discussion of intensity.  This probably does not apply to you, but I am going to put it out there for any reader.  If you have a low aerobic capacity/slow aerobic threshold speed worrying too much about fine-tuning your higher-intensity training is a misplaced effort.

There is a nuance to any discussion about high-intensity training. Remember Astrand’s quote.  Paraphrasing, no one really knows whether it is better to spend 16 minutes (4x4min) at 100% of the maxVO2 or to spend 40 minutes at 85%-90% of maxVO2.  That was true in 197 when he wrote it and remains true today. That is why there is so much variation in how good coaches and athletes approach high-intensity training. They mess around over the years and find a system that works and tend to stick with it.

If you have an aerobically deficient athlete, then it is black and white what they need to do for training.  That’s coaching 101. But when you are looking for the next 2% gain the way forward is not so clear.  There are going to be a lot of opinions.  What you hear from me is my opinion based on my experience.

Why the nuance?  Because the very aerobically fit athlete has a compressed Z3 and Z4.  Z3 may only be 10 beats wide.  The top of Z3 (AnT in our system) might be at 90+% of max HR.  For this athlete, Z3 may mean low lactates but it also means fast speed and speed is what we are training to improve.

For this well-trained athlete, it is Z2 that is kind of the black hole of training.  Their speed at AeT is going to be within 5% of their speed at AnT.  So doing a high volume of Z2 training will quickly lead to overtraining.

By keeping the intensity of this tempo training at around the 2.5mMol/L blood lactate level, the elite athlete can do a much higher volume of this high-speed training than if they sped up 5% and were carrying about 4-6mMol/L.  The fatigue load of training with 4-6mMol/L  is exponentially greater than with 2.5mMol/L. This allows them to keep up a high volume of training and include a relatively high volume of very fast training.

Here is a typical (early May) week for Tom Evans building into the Western States which he won.

Mon: AM 20×400 @78″ w/ 200 jog    PM: 5x2km at 3:05 down to 3:00/km w/ 2min recovery walk. LA after #2,4,5  2.0, 1.9,1.9

Tues: AM easy 60min. PM: Gym ME sled push/pull followed by easy 60min.

Wed: AM easy 30min shake out   PM: easy 60min

Thur: AM 25km trail tempo @3:15/km    PM: 10x1km @ 3:00/km w/ 2min rec  LA during; 2.2-2.6

Fri: AM easy 60min. PM: Gym ME sled push/pull followed by easy 60min.

Sat: 45km @5-5:15/km on a muddy trail with 1800m elevation gain/loss

Sun: Easy 16km

Total for the week 13o miles.  4 fast sessions, 2 ME sessions.  BUT>>> Notice how much easy running there is

There is no way he would be able to keep that aerobic volume up AND do high lactate training.  This way, we can balance volume and intensity. I have seen this work very well with elites from Cross Country skiing to ultra running.

The ultimate goal for every endurance athlete is to be able to move fast with low blood lactate levels.  The more fast running Tom can do with low lactates, the better the training effect.

I hope this helps.
Scott