Lactate on the fence

"But what is appropriate physiological training? It is not volume or else those who put in the most hours/miles would be the winners. It is not intensity or else those who pushed themselves the hardest would be the winners. It is not someone's favorite workout or else everyone would be copying the magic workout or training pace. It turns out that each individual has their own way of adapting and any smart training plan must recognize this. This is a fact of life. Each has to find his or her own way to the proper balance of the energy systems and peak conditioning on the day that counts, race day." Lactate.com

Even if you don't put quite the same emphasis on race day as do the authors of the above quotation, you must admit that they hint at the crux of the issue. The train called the big picture.
Old number 7. Roarin' down the tracks. Almost right on time. The training train.

It's not volume, although volume plays a part.
It's not intensity, although intensity plays a part.
There is no magic formula.

It is about, and I will raise both volume and intensity to make it dramatic, the PROPER BALANCE OF ENERGY SYSTEMS to ensure peak conditioning.

We came a little closer this morning as individuals and as a group in our relentless quest of this magic formula. We rose, as roosters (and Marines) slept silently, to make the 0530 HIT spin session in the HoM. Bob tackled the 15 miles of the CompuTrainer course as the LaMond platoon went about their business. Frequent visits to Max and a rollicking soundtrack produced some pretty quick lactic accumulations. We dealt with that. An hour later, after Bob turned in an outstanding 42.17 (2.6) effort, we wound it down, stretched and headed for the showers. On the way I thought I heard someone shout 'colors' as a cock crowed thrice.

After many (many) years of training I have come to accept that the perfect balance of this energy system means beginning every day with a workout. A hard one. Past the point of lactic acid accumulation. Adding consistency to this regimen dramatically increases the systems ability to use lactate as friend, not foe. Let's make the hard efforts hard, and the easy, recovery ones, easy.

On your off days, please sleep in and recover like a Pro.

When it's comforting to know that the Marines are out there on the fence and the hens are happy.

Photo: Clo on her way to setting a new HoM Womens record, 44:17 (2.6). I will have the video piece featuring Eric Bean up tomorrow. By six, because it's a rest day.