The Sharpening Phase

The Sharpening Phase

As with any program doing the final block of preparation for a goal event is key for optimal performance. Many refer (see references) to this period as the “sharpening phase” and it normally lasts for roughly 4 – 6 weeks depending on the race being undertaken. I truly believe this period is very important to really apply the principle of specificity to training and that this phase should most definitely be of a higher intensity than the build phase, but still a high training load.

Descending Scotsman Hill in King of the Mountain

My last 5 weeks have been about developing my fitness in the key areas for the Buffalo Stampede Ultra next weekend. I had a transition week and two fortnightly blocks that I used to really push my comfort levels in an attempt to get the final bit of conditioning I believe is required for me to complete such an event successfully. This method can be walking a fine line and once again I was very much aware of what I had done incorrectly in 2014 and was keen to not make similar errors that would lead to injury or wasted training.

I broke my program down into three areas; aerobic, anaerobic and strength. This was the focus of each session and I employed a particular methodology to my program. I will explain below how I attempted (see references) to develop each aspect over this period;

-       Aerobic: as an ultra race is on the cards my volume had to be high. I set aside a minimum of 4 runs that were specifically aimed being at least 60min and working between 50 – 75% max effort levels, including two longer specific runs weekly. I was allowing my body to be conditioned to the stress of Buffalo at an intensity level similar to that of what I will be operating at during the race. During my aerobic sessions I included steep, rocky and technical hills, both up and down to try and replicate the muscle memory needed on the climbs in a Skyrunning race.

-       Anaerobic: my anaerobic base was sound so I attempted to develop this threshold by including additional interval work and long higher intensity sessions. I began rep based track work, focused on a control run mid week and added a tempo/steady run of a longer duration to my program. This indicated my form and fitness and included three races of varying distance that all had very important elements similar to those that will be undertaken at Buffalo.

-       Strength: I had put a lot of work into my strength over Summer and was really keen to top this work off with some high impact strength sessions. I took part in some CrossFit 2795 sessions and began plyometric work as well as continuing with my balance based strength work. I felt that I was able to round out my regime with some good sessions allowing me to cut to race weight, engage my fast twitch muscle fibres and take the muscle through a greater range in each activity.

I was able to manage some very good training over this phase and am happy with where I am placed leading into my first goal of 2015. I have been able to train consistently well and avoid injury, this combined with a greater idea of what is required in the race allows me to move into my taper with confidence that I can develop a plan that will allow me to reach my goals. I have been looking at the race for five months now and while my focus has been all about Buffalo it is only now I will start to work the finer details for race day. I have my nutrition down after a couple of practice runs, my gear is now sorted and within the next few days my plan, splits, strategy, etc. will come into place.

On way to 2nd (blowing up) and 1st in
the series at STS

Nutrition (Supported by Hammer Nutrition)

-       Perpeteum – 1.5 scoops to 500ml water for 3hrs.

-       Gels – 1 each 45min or as needed.

-       Endurolytes – 1 each 30min

-       Fizz – 1 to 150ml water at each crewed aid station.

Gear

-       Shoes – Inov8 X-Talon 200

-       Shorts – Inov8 Race Elite 210 Trail Short

-       Shirt – Hammer Nutrition Race Tank

-       Visor – Hammer Nutrition Headsweat

-       Pack – Ultraspire Omega or Surge (weather pending) 1.5 litre bladder + 500ml soft flask.

-       Watch – Suunto Ambit Sport 3

I was happy to have been able to have a successful series of races during this period as well, my results are as follows;

-       Lithgow King of the Mountain: 2.2km 150m + 13:34 1^st Place.

-       STS Manly Dam Big Dam Run: 30km 750m + 2:22:44 2^nd Place.

-       Orange Volcanic MountainChallenge (NSW Mountain Champs): 11km 550m + 52:08 5^th Place.

* I also won the long Course Summer Series at STS placing 3^rd, 3^rd, 2^nd and 2^nd in the four events from December to March.

So Buffalo is now just around the corner and I am looking forward to putting into play all the training I have completed over the last 25 weeks. I am genuinely excited to see how Bright comes alive for this massive weekend of running and getting to race alongside some of the best local and international athletes. The atmosphere will be rad!

I am also looking forward to watching Kel take part in the 26er. She has been doing it tough lately, being diagnosed recently with an endocrine disorder after 5 months of unknown illness which has greatly affected her running and overall wellbeing.  Hopefully this race can be a springboard to her having a great back end of the year.  Over winter there will be some change required to my training to accommodate more support and balance to my family life, and I am looking forward to simplifying things even more and enjoying time with my family just that bit extra and a nice holiday over the cooler months.

With Womans winner, Megan Reeves, who
was 2nd to the top of the hill!!!!

References

Lactate Threshold Concepts. Faude, Kindermann & Mayer, 2009

Lactate  - A signal of coordinating cell and systemic function. Philip, MacDonald & Watt, 2005

The Impact of Rest Duration on Work Intenisty and RPE during Interval Training. Seiler & Hetleid, 2005

Relationship Between Repeated Sprint Performance and both Aerobic and Anaerobic Fitness. Dardouri, et al., 2014

Effects of Plyometric Training on Endurance and Explosive Strength Performance in Competitive Middle and Long-Distance Runners. Rami-Rez-Campillo, et al., 2013

Essentials of Exercise Physiology. McArtile, Katch & Katch, 2000

Photo Credit

Lithgow Mercury - Fairfax Media

Geosnap Shot

The Build Phase

The Build Phase

This time last year I had read a lot into running, trying to source as much knowledge as I could to improve my own running. From journals to texts to magazines to blogs to websites, everything that stood out I read it, some in more detail, others just a glance. From there I felt ready to approach my training with knowledge to burn, a program loaded of macro-cycles, micro-cycles, phases of training, target races, key runs and so on, it looked very pretty on paper. But I got injured and it all went wrong.

Knapsack - my only focus race for
the Summer

So I dropped it all and ran to feel aiming to build my fitness by listening to my body’s response to the load and allowing enough recovery to get the adaptations. I still was planning and programming but not like earlier, I targeted a fortnight at a time based upon what was coming up and it was working for me. I made some good choices and some bad ones in 2014 and had a year that reflected this. I wanted 2015 to be better, I had knowledge and experience in my programming and the realistic attitude to approach running as both a runner and coach with my views and theories.

I have been helping Brendan Davies with his new business UP Coaching and have been fortunate to be able to coach people individually and in a group. I was lucky when Brendan decided to help me in 2012 and now working alongside him has been brilliant. It is great to be able to continue to be associated with such a great athlete who with time will continue to succeed as a coach if he has the same attitude and focus for his coaching as his running.

But this has also worked on my views on coaching, programming and training, views that I plan on developing over time with further study, training and practice. These views take time to develop and like my own running I must be patient and allow the experience to come, not go chasing after it.

So my build phase over summer is now in transition with this week a shift occurring towards the month of March and in line with my racing plans a much different month of training awaits in the lead up to the Buffalo Stampede in April. I have been able to meet all key objectives over the build period and having seen others in the same mode of training. I have been learning so much more than through just reading. Both the theory and practice have been beneficial to me on many levels and this with a real effort to try and achieve a better training, family and work balance. I am feeling fit and ready for the year ahead.

The build phase is a vital component of any distance runner and from reading (Lore of Running, Little et al. 2010) there are many approaches towards this model of training. My experience has led me towards the view that the build phase is vital for the following reasons;

• It allows long and gradual conditioning of the cardiovascular, muscular and skeletal systems. These adaptations take time and can not be rushed, so the view for development aerobically should be over years not months, with the build phase being the ground work for this each year.
• By operating at a lower intensity there is greater requirement for additional time to be focused upon strength and conditioning as well as lowering the likelihood of injury.
• The training completed in this phase should not only build the athlete physically but also allow gains in mental development. It is a good opportunity to run your longest distance, longest time or biggest climb without the pressure of doing it quickly.

The phase also has its negative or danger points. These are purely from my experience and only limited reading (Lore of Running);

• You can lose track of time-spent training. I had a moment where I reflected upon waking feeling particularly ordinary, I checked my 7 day progress and I had trained for a total of 21.5hr with big kms (167km) and 6100m elevation included in that. It was there I decided that in the build phase I needed to be more aware of my training log and listen to the body, so yes I took the day off.
• There is definitely room for too much similar training, too many long slow hills, too many easy paced runs and so on. I have been making a point of including a weekly interval session that is fartlek based for 30min and with this some middle paced runs to keep the muscles guessing and gaining.
• The timing of the build phase is tough, how long is enough? When to change and transition? And what to do? These are questions we all have. I have been running with fortnightly blocks checking off set runs in that period with a gradual build for 3 weeks followed by a de-load week, it has helped but is it right?

So the build phase is something that we all do as distance runners. Some are more planned and prepared, others more ad-lib or ad hock. Some of us run more and some run less. I have looked towards other coaches’ methods and they all have their particular way of training athletes, this I am sure has come from time, experience and practice. I feel that we all are different and no person should do the same thing in training, we can complete similar training but it must be specific to the individual, their goals and their ability.

My own views on my training and coaching are definitely growing as I push myself further into running. I am by no means close to being ready as a ultra runner or running coach, I’m still very new to this area and understand that what I wish to do in the long term is still a long way away. What I know is that I am willing to learn, listen, evolve, adapt and grow, with this I can continue to grow and hopefully assist others with their growth as well.

My thoughts re my latest phase are simple – be consistent, be prepared, be committed and be reactive.

References

Lore of Running 4th Edition, T. Noakes, 2003

Run For Your Life Magazine, Various issues/articles/authors 2013/14/15.

Billat, L.V. 2001. Interval training for performance: A scientific and empirical practice. Special recommendations for middle- and long-distance running. Part I: aerobic interval training. Sports Medicine, 31 (1), 13-31.

Daussin, F.N., et al. 2008. Effect of interval versus continuous training on cardiorespiratory and mitochondrial functions: relationship to aerobic performance improvements in sedentary subjects. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 295, R264-72.

Helgerud, J., et al. 2007. Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39 (4), 665-71.

Joyner, M.J. 1991. Modeling: Optimal marathon performance on the basis of physiological factors. Journal of Applied Physiology, 70 (2), 683-87.

Joyner, M.J., & Coyle, E.F. 2008. Endurance exercise performance: The physiology of champions. Journal of Physiology, 586 (1), 35-44.

Kubukeli, Z.N., Noakes, T.D., & Dennis, S.C. 2002. Training techniques to improve endurance exercise performances. Sports Medicine, 32 (8), 489-509.

Laursen, P.B. 2010. Training for intense exercise performance: High-intensity or high-volume training? Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 20 (Suppl. 2), 1-10.

www.ultra168.com

home.trainingpeaks.com

Coaches of Influences

Brendan Davies - UP Coaching, www.upcoaching.com.au

He has mentored and coached me since December 2012. I have learnt so much from him and value his input and feedback on both my running and coaching.

Andy DuBois - Mile 27, www.mile27.com.au

I have had limited interaction with Andy but I value everything he has to offer.

Hanny Allston - Find Your Feet, www.findyourfeet.com.au

Similar to Andy, Hanny offers a unique and educated approach to coaching.

Others that have had an influence;

Sean Williams - Sweat
Matty Abel - DBA Project
Charlie, Dan and Jess - Believe Bootcamps Bathurst

For those interested in my build data it is below, I began 17th December and finished 27 February.

Quality Elevation was a focus.

More time based than distance based training.