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Sunday, 17 November 2013 00:10

Anatomy of a Lousy Season...

By Devon Palmer (palmertri.wordpress.com)

2013 will be a season to forget. I went into the year more focused than ever before on my training and racing. I had done far more work and far more workouts than ever before so how did it wind being a lousy season?

Training

The most interesting thing I, and maybe others, can learn from my experience this year is that even if you are racking up good numbers it is still possible for that work to be counterproductive. This was the first year I sustained 25-30 hours ...

a week for a long time. Last year I’d done over 20 hours most of the year with many weeks in the mid and high 20 hour range and this year was a step forward from that volume. 20 hours felt like nothing. My running mileage was mid 50 miles/week to low 60 miles/week through much of the winter and spring leading into the season. I’d never previously sustained higher than mid 40s to mid 50s.

It wasn’t just volume. I did intense sessions in cycling, running and swimming like never before. Through much of the winter I was assigned 2-3 intense speed sessions on the treadmill each week. Some of these were sustained efforts as long as 30-45 minutes but most were intervals, some quite short at and below 5 minute pace and some 3-6 minute intervals closer to 5:20-5:40. I smashed my bike workouts in the basement all winter and spring. I spent more time than ever before above 300 watts and faster than 6 minute/mile pace. Also more time at and below 1:05 pace for 100 yards in the pool. READ MORE