Base training did I get it wrong.

SWL

I spoke with a qualified running coach in September, he discussed building a base and the highlighted its benefits, building a base is something I have never done, certainly never done with a single purpose, when he highlighted its benefits I thought fantastic this will develop my running and may finally be the training stimulus I will respond too (I had tried many different programs with no success). So I started to base train which included 2 tempo runs a week no races, no speed work etc. the tempo runs were up to one hour based on specific HR zones. Everything was going great more miles, losing fat, felt stronger and the during tempo runs felt strong and could see the progress in my times nothing amazing but progress, the coach did say that progress is not linear and one day I will see the breakthrough.

Training as follows:

2 tempo runs per week building to one hour at a specified HR
I lsr 10-12 miles per week
The rest easy running to 75% hr usually 8-9 miles

Now for the But…

Last week I ran a local XC as a tempo run to break up the boredom of training, I do it every year same course, I was 1.00 minute slower than my time last year, ran pretty hard up to average 90% of my HR, but didn’t suffer as I did last year, and here is the but… last year I had returned to running after a 4.5 month lay off no running what so ever due to a back injury, I was slowing getting back to it but I had no where near the mileage or training I had for this year, in fact the past 6 months my weekly mileage has doubled and training has been consistent and going better than ever, yet both this and a previous XC have been slower that last year’s both of which were run without the benefit of speed work.

I had hoped to be much faster at this stage of my training and when I added speed work I would take off but this is not happening. I have noticed certain development in my training like I can hold a conversation at 90% of my HR; previously I could just get words out, but that is irrelevant if I am going backwards.

My threshold levels have increased as has my easy running pace, but this is not transferring to my “races”. I don’t know whether my aerobic base is better than I give it credit for.

Any opinions? Did I misunderstand the base training phase?

Krusty_Clown

Were the race conditions similar? E.g. same route/length? Same amount of mud, similar level of competitiveness? Wind? Harder to compare two XC performances, as there are so many more variables, like length, mud etc.

pconn062

Base work is just that, the base phase of any training plan. It is designed primarily to increase your aerobic base, to set new mileage goals and to get you ready for actual training. It would be fairly common to feel a bit stale in base phase, and I wouldn't be overly concerned about the race. The fact that you felt pretty good throughout the race while running at a decent effort is a good thing, it shows an increased level of aerobic fitness. The real gains should come in the next phase, when you start adding some quality work (and maintaining the mileage levels you set during the base phase). I would be slightly surprised that you did no faster running at all during base phase. Did the coach have you do strides, hill sprints, fartlek running? They would all be fairly common in base phase, to keep in touch with some basic leg speed. Without, I wouldn't be surprised that you under-performed a little today.

What distance/race are you training for?

BeepBeep67

Sometimes a base phase can dampen your performance, but this nothing to be concerned about. Once you start adding phase 2 and phase 3 specific training you should see performance and the ability to push in races improve.

rom

IMHO Base training = improving aerobic ability so I would say your doing great. Most training is a layered approach so once you do more race specific training you will see the improvements.

If your base is higher to begin with which it looks like it is from what you are suggesting then the pyramid will be taller in the long run once those phases of training kick in. At the moment due to your base training you probably are detrained a little in the top part of the pyramid.

Whats you A goal?

PS you are making a taller cake than last year :P

menoscemo

As an aside there was a great description of Lydiard Base training (from 51 minutes on) on this week's marathon talk

http://www.marathontalk.com/podcast/episode_262_lorraine_moller_part_one.php

jebuz

I'm just transitioning from a base phase myself and I similarly felt the same effects, felt stronger, recovered well an and overall sense of progression and feeling fitter. But to echo a comment above, base training is exactly what it says on the tin. You're not going to automatically race well off base training, it's just one piece of the puzzle. The ultimate goal of base training is to maximize your aerobic capacity but racing XC will inevitably dip into your anaerobic energy system which at this stage will not be firing on all cylinders.

I wouldn't be too worried at all, you know yourself the base training went well and you've listed all the tangible improvements so job done on the base training. Now just be patient, work back up the intensity with sessions and when it all comes together you'll probably surprise yourself.

+1 on the marathon podcast, had a listen this morning and there's a good discussion of Lydiard style base training from a runner who's been there and done it all

SWL

Thanks for the replies, the XC race is run on hard ground/ice same course, same conditions every year, given the months of training I had expected to run a little faster, I put a lot of time into running but so far the returns are minimal the good news is I am on the right track, now to dust of my Jack Daniels book for phase 2 and knock out some PR

rom

SWL wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, the XC race is run on hard ground/ice same course, same conditions every year, given the months of training I had expected to run a little faster, I put a lot of time into running but so far the returns are minimal the good news is I am on the right track, now to dust of my Jack Daniels book for phase 2 and knock out some PR

I had the exact same experience in a 4M race yesterday. The time wasn't great but I felt very good doing it.

dekbhoy

maybe you had put in too much mileage before race and your legs where a little tired... i sometimes have to take a week off training due to work commitments etc and find when i start back my times are very surprising probably due to the rest i got.