Final Phase Z3 training to maximise gym based ME benefits
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I have worked through the 10 week gym based ME programme, with approx 10-12hrs of Z1/2 work and 1 x hill sprint 6-8 x 10 secs each week. What a difference – this really works! I am now entering the final 7 week phase before my 100 mile race with a 6500m accent.
I am now increasing Z3 work, maintaining 1 x hill sprint session, and adding longer race specific runs (couple of back to back runs)
In terms of best work for maintaining the gains of the gym based ME, I am planning on longer hill efforts 1 x weekly (3 x upto 15/20 min), 30/30 or mixed Z2/3 mix workout (1-2 hrs), looking for a weekly ‘must do’ session to maximise gains?
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for writing in.
Indeed, the ME and sprint combination is fantastic metabolic and signaling training that lays such a robust foundation for the greater volume of training and racing to come.
Have a look at page 292 in Training for the UA, and the pages around it, for discussion on amount and type of specific ME in these final weeks. The workouts you mention all are proven specific ME workouts and will compliment the gym ME workouts of past. Be cautious with how much ME you’re planning around what should otherwise be a lot of running/hiking volume. These final 7weeks comprise of 2 or 3weeks of ‘taper’ weeks, so you are looking to emphasize the long runs, which have an ‘incidental’ ME component anyway. Consider planning 1 or maybe 2weeks to have ME running workouts instead of having them in each week.
I recall Scott telling me about Luke Nelson’s unbelievably long ‘gains’ from the gym ME. They were seeing benefits in fatigue resistance for at least as long as he had done the gym ME block, which was 8weeks I believe. Scott will probably chime in with more…
-Seth
Great conversation. Seth is right on the combo of ME and hill sprints and you, Kevin, have experienced the gains first hand. With reference to Luke Nelson’s ME training before his top ten at the Tor d’Geant 300+km race: Luke did 13 of the gym ME workouts over the course of 16 weeks. Some work and training interruptions always happen. We then shifted to 1x/week of steep uphill intervals for 6 weeks before tapering. We used a hill that Luke has trained on and affectionately named “Stupid Steep” because the average gradient is 35% or so. Each of the 3 reps lasted about 15min when we started which already very close to Luke’s PR on that hill. Each session his time kept improving and by the end he was doing 3 reps all about 2min after than his old one rep PR. I chalk this up to the fact that as the weeks went on the lingering fatigue from the gym ME wore off.
Scott
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