The Four Week Cycle

Typically, summer training, or off season training is considered a base building session. What this means is building up your miles and number of times you run over a period of time. Building a base is essential to maximizing your potential. It prepares you for harder workouts during your racing season, and will help prevent injuries a great deal. A good base building session will last approximatly one season (like the summer).

What is the best way to build a base? One of the better ways to do this is what is called a four week cycle. In a four week cycle, you look at your weekly mileage and slowly build it up. For the most part, all miles done during the base building period are done at or below training pace. You can mix this up at times with some road races and uptempo runs, but you should avoid the track or speed workouts. The way the four week cycle works is as follows: The first three weeks of the cycle you increase your mileage. On the fourth week, you either plateau off or step backwards in mileage. We recommend that the younger or newer runners take a step back.

So what does this mean exactly? Well, let use an example. Let's say you were ran 30 miles this week. Next week you might run 35 and the following week run 40 miles. You have now done three weeks of increasing your mileage, so you would need to take a step back. This enables your body to have a little bit of a break. You would now step back to 35 miles for the week. The next three weeks would be increases...possibly 40, 45 and 50 miles respectively.

If you were to graph these miles, it would look more like a gradual uphill. This is an important concept. With basebuilding or any training you do, you want to avoid the "peaks" and the "valleys". A peak would be when you have a large increase in mileage, while a valley would be a large decrease in mileage. This is added stress to your body, and you want to avoid these. Graphing your weekly mileage can really help you keep track of it. Each week, you will be able to see a given range that you want to stay within to avoid these peaks and valleys.

How much should I increase my mileage each week during the first 3 weeks of the cycle? Rule of thumb is always no more then 10%. Its probably easier to think of it this way. When your at the lower mileage, do increases of 3 miles (less then 25 or 30 miles lets say). As you work your way up, move towards 5 mile increase, but never more then 5 miles. More experienced runners may just use 5 miles as a standard. Because of the experience their bodies have with base building they are able to do this without any real added stress to their muscles. The more experience you get with running, the closer you may get to this 5 mile increase.

How many miles should I run the first week of this training period? Best advice is to run what is comfortable at a comfortable pace. Everybody is different. The first week, just go out and run what feels good to do. For some that may be running 3 mile runs, 4 times that week. Someone else may run 4 miles, just 3 times that week. Just be comfortable that first week, and use that number as your base now.

It is also important not to try and make up for a bad week. At some point, we all have a week where we don't get the miles we wanted. Maybe we go on vacation with the family. You may have wanted to run 34 miles that week, but you only got 20 because of a hectic schedule. Or maybe you got sick or had an injury to attend to. Remember, don't make up for the low mileage the following week. Just assume that this week was the fourth week of the cycle, a step back, and now your ready for three steps of increase.

Always remember that you want to avoid as many peaks and valleys as possible (with the exception of injuries, but thats a whole new topic). This goes back to that range we talked about with the graphs. If you go on vacation, tell yourself a range that you would like to get. For instance, if you went into vacation running 25 miles, your range might be 20 to 30 miles. Try to run at least 20 miles, because running less will set you farther back.

The four week cycle is a great way to build a base, and even better get to higher mileage safely. This cycle can also be effective during racing seasons also, but now you would incorporate speed workouts also. For now, we will just understand the huge benefits it has to that base building session.

ERR runs well at Second CMAC Race held at Liberty

Once again ERR had a large turnout for the second of six races in the CMAC series. Many members are keeping themselves eligible for the free towel that the WRRC gives to any individual who runs in five of the six CMAC races. ERR members Mark Smith, Bobby Ward, Kevin Burdinski and Mike Meadows all attended their second race of the series.

Eldersburg Rogue Runners send 15 to first CMAC Race

The club has a huge showing at the first CMAC race, which will give all money earned from race to the school that has the most show up to the 6 races in the series. Ten athletes from Liberty participated. Club member Bobby Ward teammed up with Jill Krebs to win the relay race. This was also a WRRC sponsored race and was the 4th race of the year won by an Eldersburg Rogue Runner.

ERR organizes Rogue Race for Labor Day Weekend

Joe Riebau, Pete Lester, Dan Jones and Bobby Ward have been laying the groundwork for a road race in Eldersburg on September 6th. We have already received sponsorship from various groups such as The Bagel Cafe, Chiquita, Freedom Digital Media and D'Argenio & Associates. For information, check out the links on this site at www.errun.org/LaborDay5K.asp. ERR is in search of sponsors, as well as volunteers. If you can help in any way, please contact Joe Riebau (labordayrace@errun.org) or Pete Lester (president@errun.org).

Summer Running Begins

The daily summer running program has begun. ERR is now meeting 7 days a week. In the first week already good numbers are showing with middle schoolers, high schoolers, college runners, and even a few of us out of college now. We have had a few walkers also come to join us. Groups have been forming running various distances from 2 to 6 miles so far. With school ending, a large number of kids have come out, increasing the number of runners to 29 in only the second Monday of the summer running series, and over 30 later that week.

Membership Dues

Remember to turn in your membership dues as well as sign the waiver if you have't' done so already. Students dues are $5, while adults are $15. There are currently over 30 members of ERR. Race Registrations for the Labor Day Rogue Race are also being accepted now.

SUMMER RUNNING RETREAT
July 23, 24 & 25

Don't forget to sign up for the retreat. This will be a great time for the Varsity runners to get to know their new teammates and the coaches. The retreat costs $120 and will be held at Snowshoe, in West Virginia. Bring a friend and join in the fun. Click Here to download a Reservation Form.