We’ve mentioned before about how many of what our contemporaries try and sell you sounds waaaayyyyyy too much!
“Train like an athlete, eat like a nutritionist” anyone?
No thank you.
Sounds really hard and not much fun.
I saw another good one the other day.
“Train like a champion” a local competitor suggested.
I presume it’s not just me that has the same reaction to that?
Here’s Mo Farrah’s training plan:
Monday
AM: 10-mile recovery run (6:00min/mile pace)
PM: 6-mile recovery run
Tuesday
AM: 4-mile warm-up run; 8-12mile tempo run anywhere from 4:40 to 5:00min/mile pace (depending on altitude and terrain); 3-mile cool-down run
NOON: Strength and conditioning session (1 hour)
PM: 6-mile recovery run
Wednesday
AM: 12-mile recovery run, followed by a massage.
PM: 5-mile recovery run
Thursday
AM: 11-mile recovery run
PM: 5-mile recovery run
Friday
AM: 4-mile warm-up jog; 10x200m intervals (with 200m recovery jogs) on grass in 29 seconds each rep; 10x200m hill sprints at equal effort, walk back down to recover; 4- mile cool-down run.
NOON: Strength and conditioning session (1 hour)
PM: 4-miles easy
Saturday
AM: 11-mile recovery run, massage
PM: 6-mile recovery run
Sunday
AM: 22-25 miles, no slower than marathon race pace + 1 minute (for Mo, this means 5:40min/mile)
I could google and find similar plans in for any champion athletes in various fields.
Now fair play to Mo for doing that.
But that’s his job.
He doesn’t have to fit in 40+ hours of work on top of that.
Is that feasible for 99.9% of the population?
Survey says: Uh uh!
Personally I generally train like an aging, injury riddled, very busy person with four kids who wants to get / stay in pretty good shape without sacrificing their social life.
And I should imagine you want similar (check myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting if you do and haven’t already).
Whilst I, and you, would, of course, be in better shape if we followed Mo and chums’ programmes…………..
Is it worth it?
The results don’t justify all that effort for most.
From our experience, the key for most people is to get the biggest bang for you buck.
The best returns on investment.
Pretty good results from as little a work as possible.
Get the key things in first.
1. Regular exercise that you enjoy (or at least find tolerable). With like minded people. In an intimidation free atmosphere (Survey says: Ding! –> myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting).
2. A weekly average approach to eating that takes you in the right direction (Ding ding! –> myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting).
3. Adopting a ‘slow down and speed up as circumstance dictates. But don’t stop!’ mindset (Ding ding ding! –> myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting).
You don’t need (or want) to “train like a champion”.
Much love,
Jon ‘The Wonderhorse’ Hall and Matt’s League’ Nicholson
