Racing too often/Not racing enough.

Itziger

I started thinking about this when I saw the results of a 27k trail race held here in Lux yesterday. There's this name I recognize (for good reason) and I was surprised to see him on the list.

Just to give people an idea. So far this year, this guy, 36 minute 10k bloke of about mid 30's, has done at least 6 races. They've ranged from 10k to yesterday's yoke, taking in a Half marathon and a few other trail type races.

In the last 4 weeks he's done 10k easy trail, 10k road (36.03), Half marathon(1.22.30), 10k road (37.xx) and yesterdays 27k urban trail.

Funny thing is, I've raced him 3 times this year and each time I've beaten him by 1 spot (twice) or 2 spots...... In between the 10k easy trail and the Half, both of which I did, he ran a 36 minute 10k. Then in between the Half, where he faded badly, he ran the 37 minute 10k.

I only know the guy to say, 'Good run', after we finish and obviously he can do what he bloody well likes race running wise. It just seems a bit much to me. I'd love to know if he trains between races!! Maybe he only runs on Sundays. I also kinda wonder what 10k time he'd run if he was better prepared/rested.

average_runner

Itziger wrote: »

I started thinking about this when I saw the results of a 27k trail race held here in Lux yesterday. There's this name I recognize (for good reason) and I was surprised to see him on the list.

Just to give people an idea. So far this year, this guy, 36 minute 10k bloke of about mid 30's, has done at least 6 races. They've ranged from 10k to yesterday's yoke, taking in a Half marathon and a few other trail type races.

In the last 4 weeks he's done 10k easy trail, 10k road (36.03), Half marathon(1.22.30), 10k road (37.xx) and yesterdays 27k urban trail.

Funny thing is, I've raced him 3 times this year and each time I've beaten him by 1 spot (twice) or 2 spots...... In between the 10k easy trail and the Half, both of which I did, he ran a 36 minute 10k. Then in between the Half, where he faded badly, he ran the 37 minute 10k.

I only know the guy to say, 'Good run', after we finish and obviously he can do what he bloody well likes race running wise. It just seems a bit much to me. I'd love to know if he trains between races!! Maybe he only runs on Sundays. I also kinda wonder what 10k time he'd run if he was better prepared/rested.

I fall into the category of not racing enough. You can race yourself into shape, but you need to do your other work also. Instead of your mid week tempo run you can use a race for this.

NetwerkErrer

Jaysus! That's a bit stalkerish itziger!:D

I think it's different for a lot of people. Personally, some of my best results have come in heavy blocks of racing.

In 2013, I probably ran close to 35 races or more and I pb'd everyone of them except one which was 8 days after a marathon. I took a lighter approach to racing last year, maybe 15 in total and only PB'd twice. I still can't get near some of my PB's from 2013. I was rolling on confidence the whole way through and taking chunks off PB's every week.

I remember 2 weeks in particular where on Friday evening, I ran a flat out 5k, the next Friday, I ran a flat out 13k and 38 hours later I ran a flat out half marathon and 5 days later, I ran a 4 mile race without taking the foot off the gas with midweek training. I would recover from efforts ridiculously quick. A day after the race, I felt like I hadn't even run hard.

Would I recommend that approach to someone else? Hell no! My body had adapted to the stress and I could handle it for the half marathon and below training and racing. The nail in my coffin was running 18 milers at MP week in and week out and after the DCM 2013, I was broken, I found myself in a deep hole of overtraining where I couldn't run within 5 minutes of my 10k PB for nearly 6 months. I couldn't maintain my Marathon pace for 3 miles.

I made some huge improvements in that 6 months of heavy racing. 45 minute 10k best at the start of March to a 1.26 half by early September and 3.15 marathon. Ultimately, My training load was unsustainable for me mixing heavy racing with heavy marathon training but I could see the benefits of a strong racing schedule mixed with smart training for me personally which is the game plan for this year.

Some people can sustain it and others can't. It all comes down to the individual. There is a guy around my area who ran 119 races Las year from 5k- ultramarathon. He is over 50 and is the most consistent guy I have seen to race. Routinely knocking out 35 minute 10k's. He can handle the training load.

ThisRegard

I'm not at the top end of the field at all, but I don't think the amount of races he ran is over the top.

Krusty_Clown

What's the question?

Finding the right race/training balance is a significant factor on the road to improvement. Too few races and you don't build a coping mechanism for race environments, you don't become 'race hardened'. Too many, and you become a little blunt/immune to the race experience and risk burnout (as generally speaking you can't push yourself to the extreme all of the time). But at the same time, few runners (beyond professional runners and serious amateurs) really push themselves into the extremes when racing, so the result of over-racing is probably more related to the impact on training (recovery)/risk of injury/and race bluntness. But we're largely all amateurs here (and I presume specimen #1 is also an amateur), so you've got to factor in a certain amount of 'do what you enjoy'.

I enjoy racing (I use the term loosely!) and probably run far too many races, but at the same time, I enjoy it, get a great training benefit from it and occasionally pick up an old man prize (which sometimes pays for the race (and at other times, toasts your sandwiches)), so why not? In April, I have a race nearly every week (and at times more than one race in a week). This is less than idea, but is just how the race calendar has panned out. Maybe the rest of the Lux race calendar is ****e?!

Itziger

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

What's the question?

Finding the right race/training balance is a significant factor on the road to improvement. Too few races and you don't build a coping mechanism for race environments, you don't become 'race hardened'. Too many, and you become a little blunt/immune to the race experience and risk burnout (as generally speaking you can't push yourself to the extreme all of the time). But at the same time, few runners (beyond professional runners and serious amateurs) really push themselves into the extremes when racing, so the result of over-racing is probably more related to the impact on training (recovery)/risk of injury/and race bluntness. But we're largely all amateurs here (and I presume specimen #1 is also an amateur), so you've got to factor in a certain amount of 'do what you enjoy'.

I enjoy racing (I use the term loosely!) and probably run far too many races, but at the same time, I enjoy it, get a great training benefit from it and occasionally pick up an old man prize (which sometimes pays for the race (and at other times, toasts your sandwiches)), so why not? In April, I have a race nearly every week (and at times more than one race in a week). This is less than idea, but is just how the race calendar has panned out. Maybe the rest of the Lux race calendar is ****e?!

This could be a factor for sure. A few years ago I would have been on the real extreme of 'not racing enough'. There was a year I think I did 3!! One 10k, one Half and one Marathon. Now, I'm happier with the number of races, though they'd still be on the low side I guess. Did 1 in Feb, 2 in March, have Half in April, a 10k in May, 2 in June..... so I'm improving a bit.

Vito Andolini

I'm the total other end of the scale, last year I raced once. I'd couple of injurys and never felt in decent form to race, any time I was coming into form I seem to have gotten injured.
The year before I only did 3or4 races. Have yet to race this year but will do a park run I a fornight or so to see how this block of training is progressing.