Functional Overreaching Block Training

There is a constant debate on what is the right mix of volume and intensity.  Some are believers of reduction in volume replaced by high intensity workouts with recovery and a larger mix of anaerobic workouts vs aerobic workouts.  Others believe in enormous volume to improve aerobic base and sustained speed will be a byproduct of aerobic fitness.

I have tried doing each of these approaches over the past years with some success but probably no big surprise here, you need to have both volume and intensity in your training to really build sustainable speed for long distance racing.  

The intensity approach tends to really fatigue the body and mind which increases recovery requirements and decrease the focus on aerobic fitness.  With this approach, I tend to generate speed but lose some of that overall fitness required for sustainable power over long races.

The volume approach tends to build habits of just getting workouts done without any focus on quality.  I end up just focusing on getting it in and not really any process of building a combination of speed and quality.  I will tend to sacrifice my intensity workouts for adding volume. 

I believe the best approach that has worked for me over the past 10 years has been “functional overreaching” (training through heavy fatigue).   Be warned, that this a higher risk approach that could lead to overtraining if you don’t time it correctly.  I think this works best for athletes that have a strong aerobic base from years of volume training and may have reached a plateau in performance.  

Here is how “functional overreaching” works. 

Set the base
Start with a 4-8 week block of consistent training in each discipline.  You may have to work up to this based on your fitness level (pre-base training).  Set the base with a minimum of 3 swims, 3 runs, 3 bikes.  One easy aerobic, one tempo, and one anaerobic workout for each discipline.  Do the same workouts for 4-8 weeks.   Don’t increase volume or length of intensity during base setting.  Base may vary based on your current fitness and volume levels but just keep it the same for 4-8 weeks.

Overreaching blocks
Now it is time to push into the overreaching zone.  Start with only increases in volume for the first few blocks.  Increasing intensity can be tricking because it is harder to control exactly how much fatigue you get and you risk turning some of your aerobic workouts into anaerobic ones.   Start with increasing volume across all disciplines by 15% in week 1.  If you are struggling to recover after the 1^st week, then maintain this increase for the next 2 weeks.  If you feel normal, increase volume by another 10%.  As soon as you start to feel unusually fatigued hold that volume for 2 weeks.  

Recovery week
The biggest mistake that is made in overreaching is not using the recovery week correctly.  Many people just go back to the base week that was set during our first 4-8 weeks.   You really want to drop back 60% off your base week with a lot of sleep.  If you have completed the overreaching block correctly, the body should be fatigued and needs this rest to rebuild.  If you still feel bad after the recovery week.  Take another week at about 40% off the base week and then do another  overreaching block starting where you left off with volume for the previous block. 

Monitoring Fatigue
Include a 5-6 mile run when you are setting your base training that you will run every week right below threshold.  Run this at the same heart rate each week.  At the end of the run, time how long it takes you to get below 125 bpm.  If you see sudden increases in recovery time, you have reached fatigue and the overreaching zone, continue your overreaching block for 2 weeks.

I am looking forward to implementing this starting with base through December and January and then into some overreaching blocks.  I will keep you updated on how this works.