In this post, I shall look to bring us up to speed as to what is happening. We set-up the New Masters Training Forums and invited a few new users with whom I have planned to work to formulate the new Masters Training programs for 10km.
New Masters Training Forums created
The new forum for the Masters Training created, new users invited, accounts created and they added their new threads for feedback and assistance created.
The plan is for the user to provide feedback regarding what they currently doing, so that we can plan our forward progress.
One previous user, Phil, jumped in and he has been the most active. Phil had previously used the 10k programs and was looking to break 45 minutes via the sub 45 minute 10k training program. Phil mentioned that he kept breaking while attempting the program. This fits very much into what I have been talking about recently, trying to run as though we are younger and that the natural aerobic endurance we once relied on is no longer assisting.
What we have to do is to improve this area the most, this is the aerobic capacity and VO2 max is the measurement. Now before getting carried away with training to raise your VO2 score, it must be understood that we need to train with patience and to do everything correctly, train sensibly and with caution. Creating a pattern of consistency where we train in the specific zones that our heart monitors provide. Also note, that if you are starting from scratch, you don’t start in zone 3 but you do what is suitable to get your body accepting weight bearing again. So this is likely zone 1 and it can easily be achieved by walking. Zone 2 is the next level up. So, patience is needed to go through the zones before actually training in the aerobic capacity zone.
The heart rate zones
In my early years of coaching, we didn’t have heart rate monitors and we had to work off current fitness related to 10k or 5k, in 2000 when Time-to-Run went live I introduced the 4k time-trial, to gauge fitness (please note, that the 4k time-trial was used by me as assessment in the early 90’s). As mentioned elsewhere, the 4k was specific to my coaching and programs, and the reason it was used is so that their current 4k time-trial was their marker. The 10k programs provided apply all my coaching techniques learned over the years, however, after a number of years coaching ‘older’ athletes and further queries into what works for them and what doesn’t work, I have been able to apply these new thoughts and methods to Masters Training and hence the new forums and in the near future, the new masters programs while still using the original 10k framework but with adaptations aimed at the Master runner.
As mentioned above, aerobic capacity running is the ‘glue’ of everything. It is not a switch that we must train more long runs but more that we must run in that zone, which is zone 3. Before jumping to the HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) being the be all and end all, which provides the most significant change to the VO2 max score, please understand, we are not training specifically to change the VO2 max, we are training to improve the score by providing balance and consistency to the training.
Balance in everything
This is so important, finding the balance which works for you, the individual, and what I am able to do with the current group of athletes we are working with is to see what works for them and what doesn’t work for them. It is a lifestyle and balance is everything.
Please note: My major point of interest, is to see performance improvement related to vo2 max score. VO2 max does not rule performance, there is so much more to running and coaching. I do have my coaching philosophy but that is for another time and discussion.
Further articles to follow and hopefully a few more of the new forum users make the most of the opportunity provided to them
Till later
Author: Gavin Doyle aka TheEd