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Scott Johnston
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Guys:
Sorry for your troubles using TP. I recommend contacting TP customer support so you can address specific details. I don’t know what the problems are that are causing you so much trouble but hundreds of people each month buy training plans and I have never heard these complaints. In the end this is way above my pay grade and all I can offer is to contact TP help. Do this by clicking on Training Peaks in the upper right hand corner of you calendar and submit a help ticket.
Scott
Mattias:
It is fine to mix max strength and ME in the same week as they have entirely different training effects. The max strength workouts should not be exhausting and could even involve some single leg lower body exercises like box step ups and Bulgarian Split Squat. Try that and see if you are recovering well. If not recovering drop the lower body max strength.
Scott
Natro:
Sorry got the slow reply. It has been rather busy around here with lots of guys in the final weeks of training before they are off to selection. If you have no alternative then for sure you can and should substitute exercises that you can do in your gym. Of course you won’t be able to load up the weight as much using KBs. But do the exercises as closely as you can.
Scott
The stair machine is a very effective and specific tool for increasing ME for going up hill. With the numbers you supplied you are already in zone 3 on these workouts. I think you will find them more effective if done with weight. Try 10% BW at first. I predict you will see a lower HR at the onset of that “burn”.
Scott
Sorry for the slow reply to your very good questions.
Do the AnT on the terrain that simulates your goal event. For most mountain runners we have used 15% to 30% depending on the athlete level and having access to an incline trainer. For mixing terrain you may need to do both the AeT and AnT tests on flattish and steep grades. Some people will find these thresholds to be the same for steep and flat. But, others will see a big difference depending on grade.
We suggest the steeper incline for the AnT test because it simulates the terrain and grades where most mountain runners are hitting their limit.
Scott
Hey Steve:
Thanks for the questions and sorry for the slow reply.
Read this article that specifically addresses your issue. https://evokeendurance.com/resources/aerobic-deficiency-syndrome-ads/
But you are not alone. In fact the vast majority of folks that come to us are in the same boat as you find yourself when they do not have a solid aerobic base. We see this especially with the Special Ops guys we work with. You have already begun to see an improvement in your running vs walking time. We use that run/walk progression often. It will take months to build this aerobic base and you must be patient. In the 25 years we’ve been preaching this method we have never encountered a non-responder to this type of training. We often see folks move from the 13-14min/mile range of running pace to 9min/mile in 6 months to a year. This improvement depends exclusively on the volume of this low intensity work.
Scott
Hey Andrew:
Thanks for writing in with your great question. Below is the easy implement into the training of several world class mountain runners.
- The slow/heavy stair machine/incline trainer carries come quite early in the building phase. This is because as you note they are the least specific because of the slow turnover. However, they are a good base for what we then layer on top. The progression is to climb more steps in the hour 15%BW is enough runners. We often use 1kg ankle weights in this phase which lasts about 6 weeks during which the other focuses are on increasing running volume and strength work.
- Then we move outside to hills that are 15-20%. Start with 3×10 run up with 3min recovery between. At the top, drop the weight, water works best and run down fast. Can be progressed to 3x20min as you adapt. Ankle weights can be added.
- This is done in conjunction with special steep 25% incline trainer run/hike workouts that include poles or ski erg mounted in front of the treadmill.
I hope this helps,
Scott
Zac:
Thanks for to comments. We are in the process of updating all our plans. This should be done in a few weeks. We will be adding notes like you suggest to make things more clear. The next time you apply this plan to your TP calendar you get the updated version.
Scott
with those goals I would recommend shifting to the intro to ultra plan. The ME workouts will be super valuable in prepping you for longer runs. You could easily add a general strength session in the week although I would go a bit light on the leg work in it as the ME will be a pretty big leg load and you don’t want to have the strength work result in needing to decrease your running volume.
Scott
Nick;
Very interesting dilemma you are presenting us with. I can’t say with any certainty why your lactates were so high in the first test. You have thought of all the factors that might have influenced it: A stay at sea level and a sugar water drink during the test could both impact the reading. Another could have been dehydration. Since we are measuring the concentration of lactate mMol/liter of plasma volume, if plasma volume drops due to dehydration, lactate levels will be higher.
Hopefully, all your subsequent tests will be more like the second one you just performed.
Scott
Zac:
Sorry for your confusion. This is a topic we have covered in our books, podcasts, and articles, so we sometimes forget that not everyone has seen, heard, or read this info. Do not worry about HR dropping out of Z2 on the downhills. We will make notes of this in the plan so as to not miss anyone.
Scott
I warmed up for 25 minutes and then lapped my watch at 25 minutes right as I made my final speed and incline adjustments.
If I understand you correctly, this might be the source of the large drift from 130-137 in the first half of the test. You started your test just as you made an adjustment to the pace and grade. You should be finding a pace and grade near the second half of the warm-up, where your HR stabilizes. Then start the watch.
Scott
Luka:
Unfortunately, you can’t compare a flat-running AeT test to a steep uphill hiking test. The AeT test in that plan recommends you do your test hiking steeply on a treadmill since your goal is mountaineering. Be that as it may, let’s get you stored out. Do the uphill hiking AnT test with no pack weight. It can be outside or on a steep treadmill.
If possible shift at least some of your Z2 aerobic base training to hiking uphill.
I hope this gets to you in time for your test this week.
Sorry, we have been slammed.
ScottAlex:
Unfortunately, 3 weeks is not enough time to make significant changes in your aerobic capacity. I recommend using 132 for the top of Z2 and training as much volume as you can manage in the 120-132 range in the next few weeks. Do this on a steep treadmill or stair machine if you do not have access to really hilly terrain. Cut your Crossfit to 1x/week and use that time for more aerobic volume.
Scott
