Training Load Calculations on Different Training Plans for Different Fitness Profiles
So yesterday, I took some time to sit down and review the calculations for training load from Stravistix/Elevate. I was finally able to figure out how to apply the "Fitness" and "Fatigue" calculations based on the 42 day time period and 7 day time period. I then attempted to use my own data set to see if I could determine the stress score for different types of runs on a per hour basis. While I can get a general range, it's not specific enough for me to be super accurate with it. But I decided to use those general ranges to evaluate some training plans for different fitness profiles to see how everything would shake out. Keep in mind, training load is another tool in the tool box. It is not the sole determinant of how fast someone is. The word "Fitness" in this does not mean one person is more fit than the other. Rather it means, one person has a higher/lower training load. There is a relationship between how much training load you have and how fast you are, but it is not the only reason, nor is it a sole determinant. Additionally, more so than cycling, I think periodization for skeletal/muscular recovery is important in running. Training load calculations don't completely capture the need for a drop down in training. With that being said, let's take a look.
So the methodology was simple.
-Choose a fitness profile (i.e. a 4 hour marathon runner, 5 hour marathon runner, or 6 hour marathon runner). This would be like it someone came to me with a 2:24 HM recent PR and I evaluated them and said let's train you for a 5 hour marathon based on the race equivalency calculation.
-Choose a training plan. For these examples, I used three different training plans.
A) runDisney Galloway Marathon Advanced
B) Hybrid Galloway Marathon Advanced, but make it 4 days per week with Sat/Sun, a 150 min LR max, and limited to 30 min weekdays.
C) Hansons Advanced
Then I inputted the fitness paces and the mileage prescribed by the different training plans to determine the stress score, fitness, and fatigue of a person running through the training plan. So in the screenshot below, you can see the days of the week, type of run, duration scheduled, pace, mileage, type score (which I determined as an average from my historical data), stress score, fitness, fatigue, and form (the difference between fitness and fatigue aiding in determining if a training load is "optimal"). Optimal training is defined by Stravistix/Elevate as a Form of -10 to -30. Fresh (race ready) is +5 to +25.
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So, let's see what we get!
A 4 hour and a 6 hour marathon runner who choose to use the Galloway Marathon Advanced
In this example, there are two different runners. One has a fitness assessment of a 4 hour marathon runner and the other is a 6 hour marathon runner. Both have chosen to use the same exact plan (Galloway Marathon Advanced). Since the weekdays are scheduled as 30min, then someone who is faster (4 hour marathon runner) will cover more miles than a slower fitness runner. But, since the weekend is mileage based, the slower runner will cover more duration during those runs because they take longer to cover the same distance. I started both of these runners off as completely without having run in the last 6 weeks.
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So in a comparison, the 4 hour runner will run 380 miles in 70:38 hours. Whereas, the 6 hour runner will cover 336 miles (less mileage) in 88:10 hours (more duration). Over the entire 28 week training plan, the 4 hour runner will spend 16 days (8%) in the optimal zone. The 6 hour runner will spend 35 days (18%). Only once does either runner venture into the overload/overtraining zone (6 hour runner after their 26 mile training run). At the end of the training, the 6 hour runner has a 27% increase in training load over the 4 hour runner. Both are in the "race ready" zone.
Conclusion: From this, we would say the Galloway Advanced Marathon plan is better for the 6 hour marathon runner than it is for the 4 hour marathon runner. They spend more time in optimal and yield a higher training load with barely overtraining.
A 4 hour marathon runner who chooses to use either the Galloway Marathon Advanced or a hybrid version with 4 days per week and back/backs
In this example, there is only one runner. This runner has a fitness assessment of a 4 hour marathon runner. This runner would choose to do either the standard Galloway Marathon Advanced or a hybrid plan. The hybrid plan adjusts the Galloway Marathon Advanced plan by making it 4 days per week with Sat/Sun, a 150 min LR max, and still limits to 30 min weekdays. I followed a training plan design I like to follow which is a (low, high, medium, high, repeat) for weekends. The Saturday never exceeds 90 min (8 miles) and the Sunday never exceeds 150 min (15 miles). I started this runner off as completely without having run in the last 6 weeks.
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So in a comparison, the 4 hour runner will run 380 miles in 70:38 hours for the standard plan. Whereas, the 4 hour runner will cover 529 miles (more mileage) in 90:49 hours (more duration) in the hybrid plan. Over the entire 28 week training plan, the 4 hour runner will spend 16 days (8%) in the optimal zone in the standard plan. The 4 hour runner will spend 31 days (16%) in the hybrid plan. Neither training plan has the runner venture into the overload/overtraining zone. At the end of the training, the hybrid training plan has a 37% increase in training load over the standard plan. Both are in the "race ready" zone.
Conclusion: From this, we would say the hybrid plan allows the 4 hour marathon runner to never have to exceed 150 min LR and still have a 37% increase in training load without ever going into overload. The hybrid plan while lesser of a long run max, seems to allow the runner to be in "optimal training" more often with a higher training load at the end.
A 6 hour marathon runner who chooses to use either the Galloway Marathon Advanced or a hybrid version with 4 days per week and back/backs
In this example, there is only one runner. This runner has a fitness assessment of a 6 hour marathon runner. This runner would choose to do either the standard Galloway Marathon Advanced or a hybrid plan. The hybrid plan adjusts the Galloway Marathon Advanced plan by making it 4 days per week with Sat/Sun, a 150 min LR max, and still limits to 30 min weekdays. I followed a training plan design I like to follow which is a (low, high, medium, high, repeat) for weekends. The Saturday never exceeds 90 min (6 miles) and the Sunday never exceeds 150 min (10 miles). I started this runner off as completely without having run in the last 6 weeks.
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So in a comparison, the 6 hour runner will run 336 miles in 88:10 hours for the standard plan. Whereas, the 6 hour runner will cover 365 miles (more mileage) in 93:47 hours (more duration) in the hybrid plan. Over the entire 28 week training plan, the 6 hour runner will spend 35 days (18%) in the optimal zone in the standard plan. The 6 hour runner will spend 35 days (18%) in the optimal zone in the hybrid plan. Only once does the runner venture into overtraining on either plan (standard plan after 26 miles). At the end of the training, the hybrid training plan has an 11% increase in training load over the standard plan. Both are in the "race ready" zone.
Conclusion: From this, we would say the hybrid plan allows the 6 hour marathon runner to never have to exceed 150 min LR and still have an 11% increase in training load without ever going into overload. The hybrid plan while lesser of a long run max (10 miles vs 26 miles), seems to allow the runner to be in "optimal training" as often with a higher training load at the end than the standard plan. But the difference is pretty close between these two plans. So for a 6 hour marathon runner, these two options would appear to be pretty close. The decision would be, do I want to do a maximal 6:50 hour training run, or a 1.5+2.5 hour training run 3 weeks prior (and before obviously too)?
A 4 hour and a 5 hour marathon runner who choose to use the Hansons Advanced Marathon Plan
In this example, there are two different runners. One has a fitness assessment of a 4 hour marathon runner and the other is a 5 hour marathon runner. Both have chosen to use the same exact plan (Hansons Advanced). Since the plan is mileage based, the slower runner will cover more duration during those runs because they take longer to cover the same distance. I started both of these runners off as having a small running base prior to starting of 20 points each (we'll get to this in the next example).
@mankle30 should review the next few examples.
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So in a comparison, the 4 hour runner will run 898 miles in 155:47 hours in Hansons Advanced. Whereas, the 5 hour runner will cover 898 miles (same mileage) in 194:44 hours (more duration) in the same plan. Over the entire 18 (shorter plan than Galloway) week training plan, the 4 hour runner will spend 100 days (79%) in the optimal zone. Whereas, the 5 hour runner will spend 87 days (69%) in the optimal zone. The 4 hour runner never goes into overload, but the 5 hour runner spends 24 days in overload (in the first 6 weeks the runner is almost exclusively in overload). At the end of the training, the 5 hour marathon runner has a 25% increase in training load over the 4 hour runner. Both are in the "race ready" zone.
Conclusion: From this, we would say the Hansons Advanced plan is more balanced for a 4 hour runner than a 5 hour runner when both come in with an equal training load prior. The 5 hour marathon runner when following the Hansons Advanced plan almost immediately goes into overload training and maintains that state for almost 6 straight weeks. The 5 hour marathon runner will likely become injured or severely fatigued very early on in the training plan preventing them from likely finishing the plan out. If a 4 hour runner and 5 hour runner have equal training load coming in, the 4 hour runner could do Hansons Advanced, but it wouldn't be wise for the 5 hour marathon runner to attempt it.
A 4 hour and a 5 hour marathon runner who choose to use the Hansons Advanced Marathon Plan but have a different base fitness at start (What is needed?)
In this example, there are two different runners. One has a fitness assessment of a 4 hour marathon runner and the other is a 5 hour marathon runner. Both have chosen to use the same exact plan (Hansons Advanced). Since the plan is mileage based, the slower runner will cover more duration during those runs because they take longer to cover the same distance. The key difference between this example and the one prior was a desire to see what kind of base is required for each runner to go into the plan with and safely stay out of the "overload" training while spending a majority of the time in "optimal".
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In this very small screenshot above, you can see the daily running data of the 4 hour runner (left) and 5 hour runner (right). The blue line represents the start of Hansons Advanced.
-In order for the 4 hour marathon runner to be prepared to start Hansons Advanced as written, then they need to have 4 weeks of running about 60 min per day for 6 days per week. This would be about 5.5 hours and 31 miles per week for 4 weeks.
-However, in order for the 6 hour marathon runner to be prepared to start Hansons Advanced as written, then they need to have 10 weeks of running about 60 min per day for 6 days per week. This would be about 5.5 hours and 25 miles per week for 10 weeks.
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As you can see, the 4 hour runner will now cover 1023 miles in 178 hours over the course of 22 weeks. The 5 hour runner will cover 1146 miles in 250 hours in 28 weeks. The 4 hour runner now has 130 days (84%) in optimal without ever overtraining and the 5 hour runner now has 168 days (86%) in optimal with overtraining on only 1 day with 11 weeks to go.
Conclusion: From this, we would say the Hansons Advanced plan can be used by both a 4 hour marathon runner and 5 hour marathon runner. However, the 5 hour marathon runner needs to be doing about 5.5 hours and 25 miles per week on 6 days a week training for 10 total weeks prior to starting the Hansons plan. The 4 hour marathon runner needs only 4 weeks at the same volume (5.5 hours and 31 miles per week). The conclusion would be, a different suitable base is required for the two different runners to follow the Hansons Advanced plan as written in the book.
A 4 hour and a 5 hour marathon runner who choose to use the Hansons Advanced Marathon Plan, but want to adjust without the need for an extended base
In this example, there are two different runners. One has a fitness assessment of a 4 hour marathon runner and the other is a 5 hour marathon runner. Both have chosen to use the same exact plan (Hansons Advanced). However, the 5 hour marathon runner changes the plan as written to do the same duration as the 4 hour runner but not the same mileage. This is a potential second way to edit the plan. First was to increase the training base entering the plan. And second is this method of changing the durations of the workouts to lessen the training load overall.
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From this small screenshot above, you can see the durations of the workouts are equal, however the mileage of the 5 hour runner (right) is adjusted based on pace.
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As you can see, the 4 hour runner will cover 898 miles in 155 hours over the course of 18 weeks. The 5 hour runner will cover 718 miles in 155 hours in 18 weeks. The 4 hour runner now has 100 days (79%) in optimal without ever overtraining and the 5 hour runner now has 100 days (79%) in optimal also now without ever overtraining.
Conclusion: From this, we would say the Hansons Advanced plan can be used by both a 4 hour marathon runner and 5 hour marathon runner if the 5 hour marathon runner adjusts the durations of their workouts. The two runners can enter the plan with the same training load prior to starting. The conclusion would be changing the mileage based plan to duration based on a 4 hour runner, makes the plan suitable for a 5 hour marathon runner as well.
Conclusions from all examples:
-An unadjusted Galloway Advanced Marathon plan is likely better for a 6 hour runner than a 4 hour runner.
-An adjusted Galloway plan (with back/backs and 150 min LR limit) is a better option for a 4 hour runner and an equal option for a 6 hour runner.
-Hansons Advanced for a 5 hour marathon runner with a non-suitable base will yield overtraining very quickly and likely leave them injured or severely fatigued very early in the plan. A 4 hour marathon runner can suitably complete Hansons Advanced as written with little necessary base adjustments.
-The 4 hour runner needs about 4 weeks of 6 days per week, 60 per day, to be ready for Hansons. The 5 hour runner needs about 10 weeks of 6 days per week, 60 per day, to be ready for Hansons.
-The other conclusion one can see is that with a suitable base, the Hansons Advanced plan yields a significant amount of time in "optimal" training when compared to the Galloway plan. If a 5, 6 or 7 hour marathon runner were to either increase their base, or alter the durations of workouts to match that of the 4 hour runner, then the Hansons Advanced plan would yield an increase in optimal training from around 20% of days to 80-90% of days over Galloway plans.
Hope that was a thought provoking read for you. It surely was a good exercise for me to go through. I'm interested to hear what you think. Did I miss the mark somewhere? Is there some consideration I should have taken into account differently? Is there a different comparison you'd like to see done?
. And thanks for the interesting analysis above about the different training plans. That was really interesting.
