As a running coach, this is a question I have grappled with for some time. Historically in Australia most training groups would typically do 3 harder sessions a week and a long run. This is still quite prevalent today amongst many training groups. But we are now seeing many squads choosing to only do 2 harder sessions a week. This seems to be the general structure of most European and US based training squads as well. So, which is better, 2 or 3 hard running sessions a week?
Why Do 2 Hard Training Sessions A Week?
Typically, when asked why they would do 2 harder sessions a week over 3, most coaches would answer that they believe only doing 2 sessions a week reduces the injury risk and allows their athletes to do more within those 2 sessions to provide a greater training stimulus.
By reducing the frequency of intense sessions it also allows the opportunity to do more running volume within the week. This is because their recovery requirements are less from the reduced frequency of harder sessions. Total running volume within a week/month/year is seen as an important factor in achieving distance-running success.
What About 3 Hard Training Sessions A Week?
Squads that choose 3 sessions a week believe it allows them to work on a greater variety of energy systems. They believe that this contributes to distance running success. They feel they don’t need to have big sessions to achieve success. Instead, they rely on the consistency of training and regularly touching all the energy systems to help their athletes improve.
So what is the right answer?
Success has been achieved with both models of training so there cannot be a definite answer. The one that achieves the best results for yourself or your athletes is the one you should be choosing. This can only be determined by testing yourself or your athletes using different models of training, and seeing which one provides the best results.
Be Cautious About Changing Your Running Program
While it might be good to test different training programs, resist the temptation to change things up if you have an athlete who is very rarely injured and improving. Ultimately distance-running success is achieved with consistent training. Some athletes are more vulnerable to injury through higher training volumes while others are more susceptible to greater intensity. Until you have worked with an athlete for some time, or tried the different models yourself, you cannot be certain which is the correct one for you. At different periods in your life you may also respond to different training models.
Sydney Running Coach
Finding yourself a coach can assist you to make the best decision on your training model based on your individual circumstances. A qualified coach with plenty of experience can provide guidance and be able to modify the plan as required if they believe you are not responding to the training as expected.
At Central Performance, our unique Runright Running Coaching program consistently delivers great results to runners of all abilities. We help you improve your running gait, and get you on the training program that works best for you. We work with people who are new to running, those who have run for a while and now feel ready to push things more to see what they can do, and seasoned runners who want to squeeze the most out of their training to break into the sub-elite or elite level.
Ben Liddy – Head of Running Performance
Ben Liddy, the Head of Running Performance at our Running Centre in Surry Hills, is a very highly regarded coach with years of experience. He is one of the few Level 4 World Athletics Certified Coaches in Australia. Ben specialises in enhancing your running technique and structuring your runs to minimise injury risk while improving your performance. With an elite running background himself, he fully understands the demands of running and how to effectively program your training around target races, injury recovery and injury minimisation.
Ben has years of experience working with runners of all abilities, from recreational to elite athletes. He also coaches our invitation-only running squads (@centralperformancetrack) with athletes competing at state, national and international levels. Under his guidance you can expect to see significant improvements in your running efficiency and performance, no matter what your current level of running ability.
Running Physio – Sydney / Sury Hills / Darlinghurst
As well as running coaching, the Central Performance Running Centre brings you a team of dedicated and experienced running physios. We work with runners of all levels, from beginners to elite, to effectively diagnose and treat all running injuries. Keeping our clients running as much as possible as they recover, plus returning them to their full training program as quickly as possible, are always key priorities for us. For more information visit our running physio information page.
