Reading Daniels' Running Formula - Chapter 10
Chapter 10: Season-Tailored Training
Notes & Quotes
After the buildup of information and Daniels-specific training run types, it seems like chapter 10 is the meat of the entire formula. There are other chapters after this, and I may do one final post on the cross country chapter for my own benefit. But this chapter gives the overall season-training philosophy Daniels suggests with the various training runs in phases for how and why to progress throughout a season.
"The less fit you are, the less intense the training has to be to benefit." (151)
Training for athletes should be relatively tailored, both to the fitness of the athlete, and the time available for training.
"First determine level of fitness based on current mileage and speeds of any workouts that make up training sessions, which allows runners to establish the proper VDOT value for all types of training." (152)
Phase Training
Daniels suggests breaking seasonal training down into phases:
- Phase I for base training with a focus on foundation and injury prevention
- Phase II for introducing initial quality runs
- Phase III for transitional quality runs
- Phase IV for peak performance/final quality runs
In order of importance, the phases are I, IV, II, III, so depending on the amount of time available, the phases should be prioritized roughly in this order, with at least three weeks given to each phase (in order) before moving to the next phase.
[Example: if given 9 weeks for training, 3 weeks should be delegated to phase I, followed by phase II, then phase IV. You would increase/decrease and/or add phase III if given more or less time.]
Another note, if a runner only has three weeks, there's no point in "throwing them into the deep end." Start them like you would any other runner, giving them solid base/foundational training rather than risking injury.
On the flip side, if a runner is already running regularly, you may be able to skip phase I or even phase II depending on the level of fitness.
If you have time for all four phases, the focus or added training type should be as follows:
- Phase I: All E, with a single L run. Adding light strides 3x weekly if you have more than 3 weeks for phase I
- Phase II: 1L, 2E, with 2 added R days. The reason for this is you are only adding one new stressor during the phase (so just adding "running fast"). This is when you'd start to use VDOT to determine training speeds.
- Phase III: 1L, 2E, 1R, 1I for shorter distances. 2I and no R if runners are racing more than 3K. This adds some distance to the speed running, dipping to lactate threshold rather than pure anaerobic running.
- Phase IV: 1L, 1 session with both T & R, 1 race, 2E. This adds the full aerobic pressure along with maintaining speed fitness.
"Races are part of training." (156)
^ so use them in place of an I run.
The first quality workout of the week should be considered the most important workout, regardless of the phase of training. If possible, it should be done on Monday or Tuesday (assuming the L run was on Sunday and race day is Saturday). We're shooting for 2-3 quality runs a week. (quality = T, I, and R sessions)
"The overall plan is designed to intoduce one new stress when moving from one phase of training to the next, and new phases will also provide for maintenance of benefits earned in each previous phase." (160)
Finally, he offers a chart that gives tables for determining speed v. endurance. Using this chart with a runner can help determine whether the runner is "better" at speed or endurance and where to focus during training. But, he also says:
"Try working on the weakness first, but if that doesn't bring positive results, concentrate on your strenght, and that may well improve both strength and weakness." (161)
Tagged: Daniels Running Formula, reading, notes,
