620 Running

[Alan Couzens @Alan_Couzens]

Say it with me...

No matter how much you want it to be true..

Intensity is not a substitute for volume.

If you really want to be fit, you have to put in the time.

[Alan Couzens @Alan_Couzens]

On tech…

The real purpose of lactate meters, metabolic carts, HR monitors, etc?

To tell you:

“Yes… you really do need to train that easy.”

Without it, most athletes never figure that out.

[Alan Couzens @Alan_Couzens]

What amateur runners think the "Norwegian method" looks like before buying a lactate tester:

* 3x per week of hard, long, threshold sessions at the track added to the program.

What amateur runners realize the "Norwegian method" looks like after buying a lactate tester:

* 3x per week your normal "easy" runs (which were actually hard runs all along - you just didn't know it!) at ~2.5-3 mmol/L

* The addition of lots of actual easy training as close to 1mmol/L as you can get (likely walking initially, but it will improve over time)

[Alan Couzens @Alan_Couzens]

My last post on modeling "half lives" works here as well.

For example, an athlete with a Tau1 of 30 days has a fitness "half life" of ~20 days.

This means they get...

50% of the potential fitness benefit of a given load 20 days in.

75% of the potential fitness 40 days in.

87.5% fitness 60 days in, etc.

Larger point being...

Your fitness will continue to improve for multiple months with ZERO change in training load!

Don't underestimate the benefit of rolling the exact same ol' training week over long timeframes!

[Alan Couzens @Alan_Couzens]

Fitness lags behind training, and the impatient athlete will never realize it.

[Alan Couzens @Alan_Couzens]

Most athletes ruin their season the same way:

They increase volume AND intensity at the same time.

Rule #1 of season planning:
Pick one.

Volume first.
Intensity later.

And “later” is usually much later than your ego thinks.

[Steve Magness @stevemagness]

The 24-hour rule:

Enjoy success or grieve the loss, but soon after get back to the craft.

You can celebrate or be upset after, but when you wake up the next morning, it's time to move on. Basking in the glory or wallowing in the pain for too long lead to negative outcomes.

[Viper Racing @viperxcnation]

Congrats to Hudson Haley on winning @statesman Boys XC Runner of the Year!

[Viper Racing @viperxcnation]

We are proud to announce that Caitlin Garrett will be continuing her academic and athletic career at Johns Hopkins University! Join us on 5/1 during PIT for the final VHS Signing Day!

[Viper Racing @viperxcnation]

Congratulations to VXC Captain Brayden Schick on his commitment to continue his academic and athletic career at TCU! Brayden will take part in our May1st Signing Day during PIT!

[Carroll XC @CarrollCXC]

**TDF Weather Update**

1 hour delay start for girls 1600. Any further weather delays will result in races being eliminated to stay on the schedule posted below. Bibs will be sold beginning at 4:30.

[Alan Couzens @Alan_Couzens]

What everyone should know about volume & intensity:

⬆️ Intensity: Fitness improves very quickly & plateaus very quickly.

⬆️ Volume: Fitness improves more slowly but plateaus *much* more slowly.

Choose wisely.

[Columbia Lions XC/TF @CULionsXCTF]

Jordan Mathis leads the way for the Lions at the Stony Brook Invite.

So good to be back out and running again!

#RoarLionRoar

https://t.co/N9Ztj3IBTC

[Steve Magness @stevemagness]

Working out in the heat and humidity sucks.

It is much easier to go over the edge and overtrain.

Here's how to train in the heat, gain fitness, and not overtrain from someone who ran 100 mile weeks in the summer heat of Houston, TX:

[Steve Magness @stevemagness]

One of the best skills you can develop: Reframing

How can you see the disappointment, loss, or pain in a different light?

Nerves as a sign your body is prepared for action

Fatigue a sign you are exploring your limits

Disappointment a sign that you care deeply about your craft

[Steve Magness @stevemagness]

Good results take consistency, not heroic efforts.

A focus on outcomes pushes us towards heroic efforts. The big workout, launch, or sales push. But success is not determined by a great day. It comes from stacking month after month of solid days.

Consistency compounds.

[Steve Magness @stevemagness]

The "real feel" heat index is 107 in Houston at 9am:

Runners. A few tips:
-Hydrate
-Go by feel. Forget pace. When I was in peak shape, I'd sometimes run 8:30 miles in the heat
-Go by time (If you normally run 8mi in an hour, just run an hour)
-Don't try to anything hard or long

[Steve Magness @stevemagness]

Stop practicing dying in practice.

Too often in sport, we train people to fall apart.

We put them in a fatigue hole, so all they are doing in surviving.

That isn't helpful. Train them how to handle fatigue well. Stop practicing dying.

[Alamo City Mile and Relays @AlamoCityMile]

Heat sheets have been posted.
https://t.co/JzDXuv0S87

[vandytrack @vandytrack]

Congratulations to Dylan, Jaden, Landon and Kevin on their Texas Relays DMR win!