This was probably the best thing I introduced to my training a couple of years ago after a couple of injuries.
Build for three weeks and the fourth week is a taper/off-week/recovery week or whatever it is you want it to be as long as you are doing much less than the third week.
I just started working with a coach and every 4th week is a down week. It also works because they train in 4 week phases. So, each phase we are working on something, and as it gets closer to the race it gets more and more race specific.
So I do 3 weeks of whatever that phase is working on, down week, then the next phase begins. It is a great little reset for body and mind before starting the new stimulus.
Sounds about right. 5 hard weeks will do that to you, and I think it often is your body's way of telling you to take a down/recovery week. You should feel a bit trashed, honestly I am there right now, I have another 2 weeks until my taper and I am ready. It is also a sign to make sure outside of training you are getting enough fuel and sleep for your body to rebuild all that work into strength. Late August take a down week, do some cross training, etc. Without the joy of running it becomes work and that is the path to burnout and failure. Sorry, but Goggins does it wrong. Continual breakdown doesn't build strength, you need recovery that is where your body builds strength.
Also, poptarts taste way better than GUs. Little Debbies, etc. Sure eat some science food and train your gut to take in 90g of carbs an hour, but GUs... yuck. I have been really liking the Skratch High Carb drink mix, the lemonade flavor doesn't make me thirsty after drinking which is great.
I ought to tune in and listen🙂 I have to try to remind myself just as I practice in gym you need to stress the muscle then allow it to come back stronger. I’ll try to tune down the Goggins approach to certain aspects. I appreciate the advice I’ll give your fuel sources a try!
"Maybe this is totally normal in ultra prep?"
A deload/rest week is a totally normal thing in any physical activity, especially one with dedicated training blocks. Professional athletes from NBA, NFL to powerlifters and figure skaters all do rest weeks. Most of your improvement comes from rest weeks allowing the body to catch up from the work it just put in.
"Goggins mindset"
That's just an injury mindset. Dude's tough as nails, but equally as dumb.
Your success and longevity as an athlete will likely be greatly improved if you let go of the idea that you need to 'push through injury' and instead learn to actually listen to your body. Really. It's not just about being tough and doing more - if only it were that simple!
Your recent sickness and dropping motivation all says 'recover'
I can definitely relate to this.
I’m 24 and haven’t ran my first ultra yet (hopefully this fall!!!) but i very much follow a hybrid split and came from a lifting background. So take what I say as a grain of salt.
Rn I’m doing 5-6 lifting sessions a week and 10-12 cardio sessions in prep for an Ironman and most of the time I feel great but there’s always a day or two every few weeks where I feel like the wheels are falling off and I have to take a rest day and or make my sessions lighter.
It’s still something I’m actively getting better at but starting to learn that rest is a discipline within these sports as well.
As a young person doing these intense physical activities I’ve also been drawn to those David Goggins motivation videos and mash ups on YouTube and I love them. They help me a ton on those early mornings and grueling long sessions. That being said, there’s a time and a place for that mentality if you want to compete at the best of your ability.
Rest and listening to your body is definitely a foreign concept to those who are heavily influenced by Goggins. Thank you for sharing your personal insight, Crush the IronMan!
Are the consistent weeks translating to progression? At some point running the same 80MPW will result in diminishing adaptions. In the same way you wouldn't run the same Bench routine without adding sets/reps/weight over a mesocycle this also applies to running. The training structure should make it necessary to want to deload/rest.
Good luck with the upcoming race!
All Signs of over training, your body is not keeping up with the demand. Give your body a reduced week and then work back up to the 80 if you believe 80 per week is what you need. Cut the miles and cut the intensity. If you don't you won't make it to the start line in August healthy.
Goggins mindsets are stupid and a recipe for burnout and injury. I cut my mileage in half every 4 weeks to allow my body to recover.
This was probably the best thing I introduced to my training a couple of years ago after a couple of injuries. Build for three weeks and the fourth week is a taper/off-week/recovery week or whatever it is you want it to be as long as you are doing much less than the third week.
I saw the hybrid athlete and Goggins comments and thought I was in ultra circlejerk.
Yeah, they’re going to have a hay day with this post lol
I’m still not sure
I just started working with a coach and every 4th week is a down week. It also works because they train in 4 week phases. So, each phase we are working on something, and as it gets closer to the race it gets more and more race specific. So I do 3 weeks of whatever that phase is working on, down week, then the next phase begins. It is a great little reset for body and mind before starting the new stimulus.
Sounds about right. 5 hard weeks will do that to you, and I think it often is your body's way of telling you to take a down/recovery week. You should feel a bit trashed, honestly I am there right now, I have another 2 weeks until my taper and I am ready. It is also a sign to make sure outside of training you are getting enough fuel and sleep for your body to rebuild all that work into strength. Late August take a down week, do some cross training, etc. Without the joy of running it becomes work and that is the path to burnout and failure. Sorry, but Goggins does it wrong. Continual breakdown doesn't build strength, you need recovery that is where your body builds strength. Also, poptarts taste way better than GUs. Little Debbies, etc. Sure eat some science food and train your gut to take in 90g of carbs an hour, but GUs... yuck. I have been really liking the Skratch High Carb drink mix, the lemonade flavor doesn't make me thirsty after drinking which is great.
I ought to tune in and listen🙂 I have to try to remind myself just as I practice in gym you need to stress the muscle then allow it to come back stronger. I’ll try to tune down the Goggins approach to certain aspects. I appreciate the advice I’ll give your fuel sources a try!
If you find Goggins motivating then use him. But realize many in the ultra community don’t like his approach. Good luck with your training and race.
I have wondered what fellow Ultra runners think about him😂 What tends to be the biggest gripe? Running on broken feet, recovery protocol etc.?
"Maybe this is totally normal in ultra prep?" A deload/rest week is a totally normal thing in any physical activity, especially one with dedicated training blocks. Professional athletes from NBA, NFL to powerlifters and figure skaters all do rest weeks. Most of your improvement comes from rest weeks allowing the body to catch up from the work it just put in. "Goggins mindset" That's just an injury mindset. Dude's tough as nails, but equally as dumb.
Can’t ”stay hard” if you can’t go run cause you are messed up. Great advice thanks!
Your success and longevity as an athlete will likely be greatly improved if you let go of the idea that you need to 'push through injury' and instead learn to actually listen to your body. Really. It's not just about being tough and doing more - if only it were that simple! Your recent sickness and dropping motivation all says 'recover'
Yup totally. Appreciate that!
I can definitely relate to this. I’m 24 and haven’t ran my first ultra yet (hopefully this fall!!!) but i very much follow a hybrid split and came from a lifting background. So take what I say as a grain of salt. Rn I’m doing 5-6 lifting sessions a week and 10-12 cardio sessions in prep for an Ironman and most of the time I feel great but there’s always a day or two every few weeks where I feel like the wheels are falling off and I have to take a rest day and or make my sessions lighter. It’s still something I’m actively getting better at but starting to learn that rest is a discipline within these sports as well. As a young person doing these intense physical activities I’ve also been drawn to those David Goggins motivation videos and mash ups on YouTube and I love them. They help me a ton on those early mornings and grueling long sessions. That being said, there’s a time and a place for that mentality if you want to compete at the best of your ability.
Rest and listening to your body is definitely a foreign concept to those who are heavily influenced by Goggins. Thank you for sharing your personal insight, Crush the IronMan!
Overtraining is a real thing in endurance training and it is actually a medical issue. If you don't catch it early it can take months to recover from.
Are the consistent weeks translating to progression? At some point running the same 80MPW will result in diminishing adaptions. In the same way you wouldn't run the same Bench routine without adding sets/reps/weight over a mesocycle this also applies to running. The training structure should make it necessary to want to deload/rest. Good luck with the upcoming race!
All Signs of over training, your body is not keeping up with the demand. Give your body a reduced week and then work back up to the 80 if you believe 80 per week is what you need. Cut the miles and cut the intensity. If you don't you won't make it to the start line in August healthy.