Comments on: huge gains

By: Dawn - Pink Chick

Dawn - Pink Chick — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 01:27:41 +0000

Way to go Mark. I hope I can say the same a few weeks into my training.

By: Susan

Susan — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 20:49:11 +0000

I’m impressed (and very jealous). I need a plan. I need to find something. I bought that POSE video like a year ago . . . I guess I should stick it in the DVD player. Is it really that good?

By: Aaron

Aaron — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 05:29:51 +0000

Mark,

WOW! You are a true inspiration – your dedication and effort are incredible!

I’m working on putting together a base building program for the new year and I’m looking closely at what you have been doing. Any tips you can send my way are appreciated…

Aaron

By: jeanne

jeanne — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 21:31:28 +0000

damn, i’m impressed! Andrew especially gives me hope.

By: 21stCenturyMom

21stCenturyMom — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 18:42:16 +0000

Congratulations on your progress. What a great way to start the new year!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:03:12 +0000

Those miles do pay big dividends. It is the one training component – beyond speed, tempo, hills, etc. – that will grants the greatest improvement. I know it’s called ‘base’ building and sometimes that implies a sense of unimportance. Nothing further from the truth. Without the base, nothing can stand. Speed, tempo, hills, strength, form, etc. will not deliver without something to stand on.

Base building is hard. And it’s nice to see improvements but as you know, it takes a little while. But unlike speed sessions, this improvement won’t go away. Get injured, it stays with you. Take a holiday, it stays with you. High mileage runners even look good in their caskets.

It doesn’t surprise me that the HR is coming down and the speed is going up. It’s only physics. New capacity is being created in terms of oxygen consumption, transportation, and utilization. (Lungs, heart, legs).

While high mileage is the key, your schedule allows for recovery and works all your leg fibers. For a good discussion on leg fibers see . Running hard then easy at aerobic efforts creates enough balance to keep you relatively injury free.

Keep up the great work.