Running strategy - play to strengths or work on weaknesses?

ecoli

Interested in how people approach there running and there plan for a season

I see some people who feel they have no speed so immediately go to distances above and beyond because they feel that is where they can run there best.

Likewise I see people who throw in a few over distance races to build strength or who stick to shorter distances because they dont do the work to compete in the longer distances and feel they are naturally better at the shorter distances.

Just interested in how people approach their running. Is it better to stick to what you think you are good at or challenge yourself at distances where you struggle in order to have a benefit at your target distance?

On a related topic how do you decide what your best event is? Is it simply your fastest equivalent time regardless of previous training or do you pick one you like to race regardless how you do?

RayCun

Two things combined this year for me -
I was told that the 3 hour training runs every weekend had to stop (which is fair enough)
I didn't feel like going through another 18 weeks where all running was subordinated to the marathon goal at the end
5-10k races mean less tapering and recovery, less planning in general - I don't have to worry about whether the training I do at the club is relevant to my race goal.

Pisco Sour

Play to my strengths myself. 21 minute 5k's, 45 minute 10k's, 1 hour 49 half marathon and 4.07 marathons really do not compare to a sub 60 400m, and I really wish I hadn't spent so much time doing distances which I wasn't naturally as good at. Sure, if I trained mroe efficiently the times would be better but I also found the training very boring, which was another problem.

I see what you are saying about going after your weaknesses to challenge yourself, but I'd really want to be running mid 17's for 5K, sub 3 hours for a marathon to justify doing them at this stage, and 1) I don't think I am capable of it, and 2) I don't enjoy the training for distance running.

Anyway there are always challenges in this sport, regardless of what distance you chose.

smmoore79

My strategy for the last year has been to focus on the middle distances 5km right up to 13.1 miles. Personally this has paid off as Ive gotten big pb's last year in most middle distance events. If and when I get back to doing a marathon (1 or 2 years time) I will be much stronger physically and my speed threshold will have increased considerably.

average_runner

RayCun wrote: »

Two things combined this year for me -
I was told that the 3 hour training runs every weekend had to stop (which is fair enough)
I didn't feel like going through another 18 weeks where all running was subordinated to the marathon goal at the end
5-10k races mean less tapering and recovery, less planning in general - I don't have to worry about whether the training I do at the club is relevant to my race goal.

Have to agree with Ray here. Planning a whole 18 weeks towards a marathon is annoying in that you are limited to certain races etc, sometimes that takes the fun out of it.

I have no plans for a marathon this year but instead plan on doing a race a month over various distances.