Question
How do you determine the amount to progress the client when using a two-week cycle for training?
Answer
If we are looking at the running population as an example, we can look at changing the length of their longest run every second week. For example, if they are under an hour’s worth of running, I will progress them 10 minutes every couple of weeks on the longest run. So for example, if my longest run this week was 30 minutes, in two weeks I would progress to 40; in two weeks I would progress to 50; in two weeks I could progress to an hour. From there, over above an hour, I will typically go up in 15 to 20-minute increments. So if I am training an hour, I could go to an hour and 15; two weeks later I could go to an hour and 30; two weeks later I could go to an hour and 45. Ultimately that gives them a nice progression towards a half marathon or full marathon.
As far as their interval work, typically that is based around the output or the pace at which they are running and if they can accomplish a certain length of interval at that pace. For example, 10K runners doing their interval work at their 5K pace. If they can do a certain distance at that pace, then we increase the distance at the same pace. For example, if the running 400s, then they go up to running 600s. If they are running 600s and are able to complete them, then they start doing 800s. If they are doing 800s, then they go up to 1000s. There should be a very methodical and stepwise progression in their interval work as well.
