Peak Mileage and Summer of Malmo

OK, Team.  We're 4 weeks into the summer and things are going WELL 

On the boys side, the majority of our BIG DOGS have ramped up their mileage close to their peaks for this training cycle.  On the girls side, we're working through some injuries and vacations, but things are starting to move in the right direction.  

Where do we go next? 

We go to peak mileage for the season (this applies to veterans only.  Newbies will continue to slowly build their volume for most of the rest of the season.  How do you get to peak mileage?  Just back off the intensity a little bit and run a little bit more.  It's that simple.  We've had a good 4 weeks of mileage and 3 weeks of practice, so it's time to bump it up.

How will this look?

You need to remember that after this Thursday, you guys will be on your own for the next 2.5 weeks.  This is a really good opportunity to dial into your own individual needs.  Please read the Summer of Malmo.  It should only take you about 5 minutes.  Summer of Malmo was written by former American Record Holder in the steeplechase, George Malley.  He is well known for having put in pretty big miles while still in high school and that leapfrogged him to a good college and professional career in the early 80s.  When Malley wrote this article, American distance running was in the dumps.  Times that seem pedestrian today were viewed as unobtainable back then.  Coaches and atheltes started readng this article, and adopting the principles.  I believe that this is one of the reasons that distance running in the US picked back up again starting in the late 90s and continuing today.  

How will this look? Part II

Some of you might be a little tired, having already built up to the mileage you're at.  If that is the case, you can take a down week this week, where you cut back by about 20%.  If you're still feeling good, you can keep building.

You have 6 weeks until we start practicing every day.  We'll only be meeting as a team for 3 of those weeks.  One of those weeks is camp, for the varsity group.  Let's use Shane as an example of how these next 6 weeks should look.

Shane the Bullet Train

Shane's goal for the summer is 700 miles, which means he needs to average 49 miles a week for the entireity of our 100 day period.  Shane just got to 50 miles, which means he's a little behind pace for 700.  This is the time for Shane to get AHEAD of the 700 pace.  So far, Shane has gone: 

• Week 1: 38.5
• Week 2: 45
• Week 3: 46
• Week 4: 50.

So, Shane has built up to what his average volume needs to be.  What does a catch up period look like?

• Week 5: 42 (if he was tired from the first month), 50 if not
• Week 6: (OYO) 55
• Week 7: (OYO) 60
• Week 8: 55 Back with the team
• Week 9: 60
• Week 10: 60 (OYO)
• Week 11: 45 (first week of organized practice) 

What about workouts?

On the weeks you run with the team, just do the workouts we do.  For the OYO weeks, do the workouts that you like the best.  Just make sure they fit in with what I've been teaching you.  The workouts should be controlled and you should not be blowing yourselves out.  Since you're running your biggest miles of the season (and probably of your lives) you can even go back to 1 actual workout on the OYO weeks....or simply follow Summer of Malmo for those weeks.  If you're planning to back off the workouts, grease the speed groove by running strides almost every day. 

I'm really excited about where we are at right now.  Let's make this season epic!