Hi folks, it’s Kelvin here.
We Run coach for Leeds and surrounding areas as well as online coaching.
In this video, I’m going to speak about four fundamental layers of run training.
The reason I’m covering this subject at the moment is that a lot of people are rolling into more race specific work,
ready for races in the spring and summertime, and maybe even some people that are racing a bit later in the season are
starting to think about getting on it.
Quite often, these people have some huge holes in their training that need filling. A way to see what those holes are
is to visit four fundamental layers of training.
Layer 1 – Stress Plus Recovery Equals Training Growth
The first layer is stress plus recovery equals training growth, and we need to find a balance between those two.
The stress is frequency, intensity, time and type of exercise. Recovery is hydration, nutrition and sleep.
We need to check in that there’s a balance there to make sure that the stress is right for us. We must give enough
recovery for that stress to manifest itself as fitness further down the line.
Layer 2 – Long Term Periodisation
The second layer is periodisation.
Over longer periods of time, like 6, 12, 18 or 24 months, we should be doing different things at different times and
making sure that we are not neglecting our weaknesses as runners.
Some of that will be guided by events. Some of that will involve looking at our weaknesses. The rest is about bridging
the gap between phases and understanding what comes next.
Layer 3 – Progressive Overload Year on Year
The third layer is progressive overload year on year.
The body needs a reason to adapt, and that reason is the training stress that we apply.
If last year’s stress looked very similar to this year and you had not changed any other variables like your recovery
and your periodisation, even if it is a little bit more stress, it is unlikely that the body will really respond to
that.
We need to look at what we are doing over longer periods of time and make sure that we are applying more stress if we
want to improve as runners.
That might not be more volume. It might be more intense within that volume.
Layer 4 – The 80 20 Enjoyment Rule
The fourth layer is what I call the 80 20 rule, which is a little bit different to the 80 20 rule that you might have
heard of.
Eighty per cent of the time we should be enjoying our training. Then maybe there is that twenty per cent of the time
that ranges from it is kind of all right to I really did not want to get out today.
Most of the time, we should be enjoying our training.
Quick Recap
The first layer is stress plus recovery equals training growth.
The second layer is longer term periodisation.
The third layer is progressive overload over longer periods of time.
The fourth layer is that eighty per cent of the time we should be enjoying our training.
If you have got any questions, please pop them in the comments below.
For now, happy running.
