Crash Training (summary)

A bit of background to begin with.  I first came across the idea of crash training when reading various articles written by the successful coach Frank Horwill - the one about crash training can be found at http://www.serpentine.org.uk/pages/advice_frank19.html

Of course I realised that, like all training, it shouldn't be just copied blindly without adapting it to my specific needs/strengths/weaknesses/goals/etc.  I have used it successfully though at least three times in the past and have no reason to doubt it's continued usefulness as a part of my overall training schedule.

This is how I use it:  first of all I plan the training, write the schedule, etc without thinking once about crash training - at that early stage it's totally irrelevant.

Then, when I'm happy with the schedule and everything has been included (speedwork, long runs, hillwork, tempo running, cycling, strength and flexibility work) I look at the week immediately before my taper.  That's the one I use for crash training.

Whatever I have planned for that week - I do twice.  Everything, doubled.  But for ONE WEEK ONLY and I'm confident my body can cope because the following week is the beginning of my tapering phase ... and to make sure I fully recover from the extra hard week I make this extra easy by halving everything.  That means, for example, only 30 miles (48 km) instead of the planned 60 (97 km).

One final point - I am very careful about injuries as it is only a few weeks to the competition.  I am fully prepared to cut short the crash training period if necessary.

My crash training week this year comprised:
- two races
- three long runs (25 miles or more)
- three speedwork sessions
- one tempo run
- 14 sessions of stretching
- four cycling sessions
- lots of strength work with weights

This was broken down as:

day 1 ... over 5h 28 minutes

day 2 ... over 5h 29 minutes

day 3 ... over 4h 48 minutes

day 4 ... over 5h 4 minutes

day 5 ... over 5h 12 minutes

day 6 ... over 5h 10 minutes

day 7 ... over 5h 10 minutes

Those times obviously do not include things such as showering, changing, moving equipment, etc

Written another way the week's training was:

running ... over 23h 33 minutes

cycling ... over 3h 27 minutes

stretching ... over 5h 1 minute

strength work ... over 4h 23 minutes

total training ... over 36h 25 minutes

I do realise that I have to change my normal daily routine for a week to accommodate all this training.  I'm lucky in that I'm a freelance writer who can quite easily take time out for this.

Fay has also mentioned this week that there is far more laundry than usual.  I pointed out that as I do 90% of the household chores anyway it won't affect her at all ...

crash training (day 7)

7.10am ... stretching

8.25am ... just over 7 miles steady at my usual pace

11.45am ... strength work (legs)

12.55pm ... cycling

1.55pm ... strength work (upper body & core)

6.05pm ... stretching

6.35pm ... just over 10 miles incorporating 25 x 30s with 60s recovery.  Excellent run this evening - the fast bursts were quite a bit quicker than last nights 3k race.

No training at all tomorrow.  After seven days of hard training it's time for a well earned day's rest and recovery.

Tomorrow's post will be a summary of all that I've done over the past seven days.

crash training (day 6)

7.30am ... stretching

8.20am ... just over 15 miles steady (at my usual pace - no problem)

1.05pm ... cycling

2.05pm ... strength work (upper body, core and legs)

5.50pm ... stretching

7.45pm ... Otley AC 3000m track race.  I ran unofficially 11:16 which I'm very pleased with considering it came near the end of a very big training week.

crash training (day 5)

7.05am ... stretching

8.30am ... about 12.5 miles steady

1.40pm ... cycling

2.40pm ... strength work (upper body & legs)

6.25pm ... stretching

7.10pm ... 6 miles tempo.  Glad to say I completed that on schedule in 41:30

Also glad to report that my overall running pace doesn't appear to have dropped at all during the course of the week.  This morning's steady run was no slower than expected (actually it was a minute quicker).

crash training (day 4)

7.05am ... stretching

8.25am ... just over 17 miles (incorporating 10 x 30s fast with 60s recovery)

2.50pm ... strength work (core and legs)

6.05pm ... stretching

7.25pm ... about 10k mainly off road with Otley AC.  Hilly, and a bit quick at times, but it was good to run with a group for a change.

crash training (day 3)

8.05am ... stretching

8.45am ... long run - 25 miles - last one before the Commonwealth Championships.  Felt good even though the weather was still windy (and cold this morning).

3.45pm ... strength work (upper body)

8.05pm ... stretching

Having For Goodness Shakes drinks to aid recovery between sessions is definitely helping (and so is the compression clothing I seem to be wearing almost continually at the moment !!!)

crash training (day 2)

8.30am ... stretching

10.05am ... just over 27 miles - fartlek.  Another good run but it was very hard work with strong winds, hills and showers.

3.35pm ... strength work (core)

6.35pm ... stretching

7.05pm ... cycling

Feeling good and not unduly tired yet.  Looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully better weather [it is August !!!]

crash training (day 1)

7.35am ... just over 25 miles including a 5k race in Lister Park, Bradford.  I completed the race in 19:48 and finished 5th out of 82.  Pleased with that as it was an improvement of over a minute in three months.

2.05pm ... stretching

6.00pm ... just over four miles at a reasonable pace (7:30 per mile)

7.20pm ... stretching

A good day which included a very good 25 miles.