Whlist i definitely agree with this principle, i do think it still has to be measured. You can’t just go out on a smashfest every run/ride and you need to really carefully balance it with some disciplined work. I think this is especially true for standalone mara training, as you’ll just be digging yourself into a massive hole.
So use those quicker people on the planned ‘workouts’ but stay true to your programme on the other stuff. That’s where the less visible gains sneak in over time.
My running went up massively when i joined a club. When i’m doing my track or hill reps session, i can’t get anywhere near the times/efforts when i’m running solo as when i’m pushing with mates. Even if i’m the one on the front, having someone breathing down my neck is enough to keep me honest. In my opinion, you just can’t push yourself that hard on your own (unless you’re really tough mentally).
Slightly lighter week for no particular reason, just the real world getting in the way.
3 Rows - 90mins
3 Bikes - 101km - 4:12
3 Runs - 22km - 2:15 (1 Brick)
8 hours total.
Agree, you can’t do a smashfest every run/ride. However, my experience with riding is similar to yours with running, by running or riding with better people, you up your game an extra level.
This is one of the reasons why I think that the Team Time Trial is so good, from what others are saying, people are putting in massive effort to keep up with the team. If I am riding 80-85%, I am getting a great workout at the same time helping others push themselves to 100%
No big hours for me last week, even with a few walks thrown in. Started back with Op Stonehench; putting our surplus pennant stones and rocks to use. Think I may have put a little bit of muscle weight on already Wife is back home, so will be able to get away from the house alone again now
Looking at the Strava league table last week, people are putting in some big hours again, @Poet must be getting super fit
For me, its consistency followed by a little more consistency. Run volume is back to around 60km per week, around 350km on the bike and 6km swimming, around 16 hours total per week
Ironman VR and more running is pushing my CTL a bit, now at 155
I think that these efforts can do a ‘reset’ of RPE that normally stops you going harder subconsciously. After them everything has ticked up a little bit, by working to numbers the majority of the time the RPE gets framed around them and they can become a limiter in themselves. I have no science to back this up just my perception/ideas.
I had an OK week. Did do a 100km ride including Holme Moss within ~1700m of climbing yesterday but got a bit grumpy towards the end as what shold have been a 4:15 ride at most was a 4:35 hour ride with my stopped time being 1:10 hr. Too much faffing and waiting at the top of climbs was getting annoying.
ETA: Foot seems to cope fine with anything up to 8km or so but 13km was too far.
Quite a tough ride yesterday, nothing like some of you guys have posted but still a 2 hour+ “stamina” ride over Dorset hills.
Stiff legged recovery run this morning. Set my watch to display only time elapsed and HR and ran on grass for an hour at 125bpm average. Did not feel easy, or hard- something in between- but legs feel a lot better for it. At the end of the hour I realised I had only covered 10.9km. Usually a steady aerobic run for me is 12-13kmh. For me this is when HR training comes into its own- had I run by pace I would have probably pushed too hard, had a miserable hour & may even have bailed.
3 x up the Alpe (helmet twice and then gloves ) all done as 2x20 (either sst or slightly easier tempo)
2 hour group endurance ride and a 1 hour social ride
2nd open water swim. Massive improvement from last week - 1.9km Averaging 1:50/100 - I’m putting the gains all on the new Zone3 Aspire. Seems nice and snug. Tough to get on but easy to get off.
Planned trip to the beach on Friday so will hopefully get two swims this week.
Seem to be maintaining 100 ctl and 600/700 tss per week which feels relatively easy. Didn’t manage to ride outside though
But I feel dandy!
Reduced running, no stupid silly alarm clocks to get up for a swim, 8 hours sleep per night and zero stress from work is massively helpful
The question was based more about what the base the Z2 stuff around if I’m following the 80:20
approach
Pre lockdown had some faster swimming (those wonderful 100s) faster running (Parkrun smackdown) and some shorter intervals on the bike, but it was more the bulk of the training,
I would have been moving into more of a build, but then the lockdown came.
Biking is slightly easier, especially on the turbo, as the power can the guide and kept pretty constant, but as you’ve highlighted, running is harder given the external factors.
As for training with people faster as @Matthew_Spooner mentioned, I did used to use do a lot more group stuff, however, for a lot of it, I found it counterproductive due to a lot of penis waving. Swim sets would be Vo2 max work, but no real recovery. Group rides would always have that guy who wanted to half wheel everyone and as soon as the road hit an incline (much like our TTT) I’d be out the back
As I’ve got 15 weeks until the VLM, a) if that goes ahead b) that will still be in the ninja suit, so time not the biggest factor and 54 weeks (give or take) until IM Frankfurt, I was really going to try and nail the biggest aerobic efficiency I could, hence the original question
Again, just musing and curious to what might be the better approach
Yes, I would be worried if I was doing three sports and still running, but as it’s mainly cycling, supplemented with easy jogs, I’m not too fussed (he says…)
Wife is back home, so will be able to get away from the house alone again now 
) all done as 2x20 (either sst or slightly easier tempo)
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