Since I started strength training in February, I’ve taken an independent approach with it and my running. While that was fine at first, as my running increased alongside the weight on the bar, I increasingly felt them hindering each other and leaving me feel ragged.
The Plan
I train on a Jack Daniels training cycle with four phases. For my next training cycle I’m trying to align the strength training with my running phases. Thinking about Phase IV’s needs unlocked the rest of it. Phase IV definitely needs to reduce, so Phase I needs to try to regain as much ground as possible. With a strong influence from Starting Strength (particularly Practical Programming for Strength Training).
I’ve landed on this general plan:
- Increase Volume and Intensity
- Power and Intensity
- Maintain Intensity with a slight reduction in Volume
- Reduce for Recovery
Phase I: Increase Volume and Intensity
Coming off of a previous training cycle’s Phase IV reduction in Volume and Intensity, Phase I needs to try to regain lost ground. Running in Phase I is all easy running, and, since this phase is the farthest from race fitness, this is the prime time to focus on strength.
I plan to start this phase with the Starting Strength Novice Linear Program which increases weight every session. After a few weeks I plan to adjust to The Texas Method which gives a lighter day between a volume day and an intensity day.
Phase II: Power and Intensity
Phase II introduces running workouts, usually R-pace workouts which introduces anaerobic speed. In the gym I plan to eke out a little more Intensity in this phase while introducing Power work and a slight decrease in Volume.
For the Intensity, I plan to increase weight through a cycle of a set of 3-, 2-, and 1- reps. For the Power, I plan to swap the Volume day with what’s referred to as Dynamic Effort in Practical Programming. Dynamic Effort are 10 or so sets of 2-3 reps at a lighter weight, focusing on rep speed. The middle workout remains a light day.
Phase III: Maintain
Phase III running is the most intense of the entire training cycle. It generally focuses on VO2max workouts, which are slower than Phase II’s anaerobic work, but aerobically taxing. From a strength perspective, I plan to maintain Intensity and Power, but back off on the Volume to accommodate my running requirements.
I won’t add any weight to the bar this phase. I’ll repeat my Intensity days from the end of Phase II. The Intensity is already a single set of low reps, so I plan to get my Volume reduction from Dynamic Effort sets. I plan to go from Phase II’s 10 sets to 8 and then 6 over the course of Phase III.
Phase IV: Reduce for Recovery
Phase IV is all about sharpening and peaking for racing. I plan to reduce both Intensity and Volume in this phase. I plan to go from two hard days and one light day to two light days and one hard day.
I plan to keep the Intensity day as a set of three reps, but reduce the weight by 5%, and then reduce it again halfway through the phase. I plan to drop the Dynamic Effort day for the second light day. For my final week when I’m tapering for my primary race, I’ll do two light days.
Questions and Unknowns
One might ask “why not a running-specific strength plan?” This is a fair question, but I like the idea of trying to fit pure strength work with my running instead of the typical bodyweight stuff I see in strength training targeted at running.
I’m on the fence on keeping the Intensity day instead of Dynamic Effort in Phase IV. Dynamic Effort might have better sharpening for running, but ultimately I keep remembering a line from The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40 saying that as we get older we become more dependent on intensity and more sensitive to volume. So for this first try, I’ve decided to keep the Intensity. Perhaps I’ll try a training cycle keeping the Dynamic Effort in Phase IV. I think the most important consequence would be how it leaves me at the start of the next training cycle. I want to be sure to get stronger over successive training cycles.
I’m hopeful the relatively early switch to incorporating a light lifting day will help with the fatigue I’ve experienced, but I’m also wondering if I should just reduce squat frequency to accommodate that. I reduced my lifting frequency from 3 days to 2 days per week and that helped with the fatigue, but my bench and overhead press suffered as a result. Because of that, I want to get back to 3 days per week. If this next training cycle wears me out even with the light lifting day, I’ll look at reducing squat frequency.
Regardless, I’m excited about giving this approach a try, and excitement is an important part of training.