Is It Time to Change Your Training Model?

From how you measure volume to how you strength train, new thinking might get you to your goals quicker. [View in browser]( [PodiumRunner] [Training]( | [Gear]( | [Culture]( | [Nutrition]([MEMBERSHIP]( Adapt to Grow I've measured my fitness in miles for all of my adult life. I know that I start to feel like a runner when I'm doing at least 20 miles a week, so that I'm out on the road more days than not. I need 30–35 per week to feel fully like myself: putting in fast and smooth daily miles supported by the strength of a weekly long run. And, to be race fit for any distance less than a half marathon, I thrive on 40–50 miles, enough to have the [aerobic power]( to support race pace and make the distance not a significant factor. While these mile markers are simple, they leave no room for anything but running in my equation. Which, for years, has been fine with me. I am a runner; if I do, say, go for a bike ride, it's rare, and just for fun. This year, however, a knee injury and age have put me in the position of many others: I'm having trouble running enough to be as fit as I want to feel. While I'm carefully building back miles, it is excruciatingly slow, and every time I get in a week where I start feeling that familiar strength, my knee sends me back a level or two. I still have running aspirations, but can't yet see my way to the bottom rung of what used to feel "normal," where I'm ready to start thinking about training and racing. So I found [Matt Fitzgerald's column]( particularly interesting this week. In it, he gives examples of himself and others who have had success mixing running and other endurance training, and cites studies that suggest what percentage of our training volume we can cross-train and still progress as runners. For the first time in my life I'm considering taking training on my bike, ElliptiGO and NordicTrack cycle seriously — not just as something I do when I can't run, but as part of the path toward being the runner I want to be. One of the first steps toward this adjustment is figuring out how it fits into my definition of training volume. I'm going to have to convert from miles to minutes (it's probably past time I did that anyway, as Fitzgerald [argued in a previous column](). And, I'll have to figure out how much mixed volume equals my tried and trusted mileage cut-offs. If nothing else, it gives me new puzzles to solve and plans to craft and execute as I emerge from the hiatus of both injury and pandemic. I started yesterday, doing a 20 minute spin before my after-work run, with the added benefit of giving me time to watch the women's [D1 NCAA Cross Country Championships](, which reminded me of an excitement and love for the sport (particularly cross country) that I had all but forgotten in the past year. Look no further if you want to be reminded of [all that is good in the sport]( and be inspired to "win your race," as BYU coaches Diljeet Taylor and Ed Eyestone say. — Jonathan Beverly, Editor Join us next Wednesday evening when we'll discuss all sorts of topic around training volume with exercise physiologist Shawn Bearden and elite marathoner Becky Wade. [Register here.]( [mileage webinar with Shawn Bearden and Becky Wade]( TRAINING [Matt Fitzgerald on the ElliptiGO]( [How Close Can Cross-Training Take You to Your Running Goals?]( What percentage of your running volume can you replace with other types of exercise and not have to adjust your goals? Matt Fitzgerald [kettlebell strength training]( [Not Your Father’s Weight Training: New Rules for Runners]( Gone are the days of simple lifts with lots of reps. Today's weight training is about complex and integrative strength exercises. Richard A. Lovett [Ellie Purrier setting American 2 Mile record ]( [How Ellie Purrier Trained to Run the American 2-Mile Record]( Purrier and Coach Mark Coogan explain the strategy and workouts they use to build aerobic power. Timothy J. Moore CULTURE [Ethiopian runners training]( [New Book Explores and Explains Ethiopian Distance Running Success]( The author of Out of Thin Air lived and trained with Ethiopian distance runners for 15 months and gives us an insider look at their lifestyle and culture. Amby Burfoot INJURY PREVENTION [return to running table]( [A Return to Running Plan]( Post-injury, follow this step-by-step plan with guidelines to evaluate what pain is okay to run through and what is not. Sarah Barker [ToolsforRecovery]( [Incorporating Body Maintenance Exercises into Your Routine Is a Tangible Form of Self-Care]( Doing the work of even the smallest maintenance exercises does wonders for both body and mind. Lisa Jhung GEAR [altra rivera side view]( [Shoe of the Week: Altra Rivera]( The all new Altra Rivera represents modern minimalism at its finest, providing a light, flexible, stable, cushioned and responsive ride. Adam Chase [AMP Human VitaminDLotion_products]( [First Look: D+ Lotion]( This innovative topical supplement allows you to boost your daily intake of vitamin D. AMP Human [READ MORE]( [You are currently subscribed as Podium Runner]( You received this email because you are subscribed to PodiumRunner Weekly Newsletter. Update your [email preferences]( to choose the types of emails you receive. [PodiumRunner is an Outside brand](#) PodiumRunner is an Outside brand. Outside | 5720 Flatiron Parkway | Boulder | Colorado | 80301 | USA [Privacy Policy](