Scheduling the long run

Hi Guys,
I am currently having an issue scheduling my "long" run on the weekends. I primarily train and race off road, and we doing our long endurance mt bike rides on either Saturday or Sunday weather permitting.

That would mean doing my longer run either the day before or the day after. Before and my legs are tired for the ride and after and my legs are tired from the ride.

Is there any reason I can't do a longer run during the week when my legs are fresher? Is it normally scheduled on a weekend because that is when most people have time to schedule it, or is there some training benefit from doing it that way.

I am currently doing run and bike intervals on Tuesday and swim intervals on Wed with a recovery run on Thursday. Any reason that Thursday could not be a longer run???

Thanks in advance,

Ruth

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Originally Posted by rocknrollgirl

That would mean doing my longer run either the day before or the day after. Before and my legs are tired for the ride and after and my legs are tired from the ride.

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A former pro whose seminar I attended recommended doing the long run on Saturday. He said as amateurs, we are simply not strong enough (and risk hurting ourselves running on weak, tired legs) to take the run on top of the bike if you do the bike on Sat. You decide if that is true for you.

I don't have a definite answer to the alternative - long run during the week.

I am only a beginning runner but Sat and Sunday didn't workout for me either w/ working in longer recovery days.

I scheduled my long run for Tuesdays.

I don't see why you can't do them any day you choose - I think they are scheduled weekends because that is when most people have the block of time to do them.

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Originally Posted by eclectic

I am only a beginning runner but Sat and Sunday didn't workout for me either w/ working in longer recovery days.

I scheduled my long run for Tuesdays.

I don't see why you can't do them any day you choose - I think they are scheduled weekends because that is when most people have the block of time to do them.

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What she says! I'm gonna be in the same boat soon.

It is best for training effect to cluster the long workouts together so I would suggest either Sat or Mon. It's part of periodizing the week and having better recovery overall.

If it's important to you to be fresh on the bike I would go for Monday. If timing is an issue and or fatigue you can do a split workout and get very good results. For eg, your long run is 8 miles, you could do 4 in the AM and 4 in the PM. I actually prefer a 5 and 3 split AM to PM.

If you are OK with a drop in performance on the bike. I would chose Saturday over Monday.

Hope that helps.

Thanks guys. I knew there had to be some reason that all of the training programs have the long workouts together other than it is just easier to schedule.

I guess I am going to have to suck it up and do it the day before our w/e ride. I was just starting to feel really good on my bike too.

Oh well, if this is my big problem of the day, I will count myself lucky and shut up!:)

I'm glad to hear you say that Yoda - that's how it has been working out for me, with the long ride on Sundays and long run either Monday or Tuesday. It was feeling right, but I'd been wondering.

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Originally Posted by Wahine

It is best for training effect to cluster the long workouts together so I would suggest either Sat or Mon. It's part of periodizing the week and having better recovery overall.

If it's important to you to be fresh on the bike I would go for Monday. If timing is an issue and or fatigue you can do a split workout and get very good results. For eg, your long run is 8 miles, you could do 4 in the AM and 4 in the PM. I actually prefer a 5 and 3 split AM to PM.

If you are OK with a drop in performance on the bike. I would chose Saturday over Monday.

Hope that helps.

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DUH ! I was only taking run training into consideration, not training for a triathlon! Hello (bonk on head)

Wahine that is interesting about splitting the runs up. does a person get the same benefit doing it that way vs doing all 8 miles at the same time?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wahine

It is best for training effect to cluster the long workouts together so I would suggest either Sat or Mon. It's part of periodizing the week and having better recovery overall.

If it's important to you to be fresh on the bike I would go for Monday. If timing is an issue and or fatigue you can do a split workout and get very good results. For eg, your long run is 8 miles, you could do 4 in the AM and 4 in the PM. I actually prefer a 5 and 3 split AM to PM.

If you are OK with a drop in performance on the bike. I would chose Saturday over Monday.

Hope that helps.

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I appreciate the concept of clustering the long ride with the long run for long-term training. However, would it make sense to first get yourself up to the distance the those workouts further part?

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Originally Posted by eclectic

DUH ! I was only taking run training into consideration, not training for a triathlon! Hello (bonk on head)

Wahine that is interesting about splitting the runs up. does a person get the same benefit doing it that way vs doing all 8 miles at the same time?

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Theoretically/physiologically yes. And it helps to prevent injury if you're finding yourself really plodding through the long runs. So ultimately, it may be more effective if you feel like you're getting beat up on your run.

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Originally Posted by MDHillSlug

I appreciate the concept of clustering the long ride with the long run for long-term training. However, would it make sense to first get yourself up to the distance the those workouts further part?

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That's harder to answer because it depends a lot on the individual. If distance is a challenge and you're not doing any other specific workouts during the week that are based in intensity (eg hills or speed work). I would say that a novice might benefit from spreading things out. If you've got an athlete with base that is trying to get in at least one other demanding workout a week it doesn't really work. If you have an athlete that has a big base in one discipline, sometimes what I'll do is have them only do one or two easier workouts in one discipline while they work hard on building distance in another by not only doing long workouts but increasing frequency of workouts until the overall mileage for a week is up, keep them there and then bring the other discipline back in and increase distance there. Even then, I still prefer to see the long workouts clustered.

The main reason for the clustering is to load the system and recover over a day or two, then load the system again and recover. Recovery is more effective that way over the long term than spreading things out too much. Then you end up with one challenging workout every day and never really get a full recovery day. It feels good in the short run but in the long run is more likely to lead to overtraining and burnout.

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Originally Posted by Wahine

The main reason for the clustering is to load the system and recover over a day or two, then load the system again and recover. Recovery is more effective that way over the long term than spreading things out too much. Then you end up with one challenging workout every day and never really get a full recovery day. It feels good in the short run but in the long run is more likely to lead to overtraining and burnout.

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This works great for me for my interval training during the week. Hard run, hard bike, hard swim and lift all clustered in to two days, and then a recovery day. It makes it easier mentally too because I know that I just have those two tough days and I get a break.