Discussion: How do you "peak" in your training when training for a "season"?

I have a question about cardio training. My dad (an avid runner and marathoner for 30+ years) passed a book on to me by Galloway that provides great information on how train so that you peak for a specific race (establishing a base, then 4-5 weeks of hill work, then 4-5 weeks of speedwork; tapering; then racing)

But if you're training for a season of races (such as fall, my favorite time of year for orienteering), how do you "peak" in your training?

I have a couple ideas: first, train like Galloway to peak for the first meet, then go into a holding pattern with tempo and long runs;

second, pick a single meet as "the race" and train to peak for it, with other meets as practice for it.

Comments? Other ideas? Thanks.

Interesting question. I used to have "race of the season" approach. However I do have races I want to perform good in spring, summer and fall.

I used to skip races because I felt I was not at my best when race was approaching. I was kind of holding out for my ideal form. Then I realized if I'd wait for that perfect moment it might never happen. I might lay out plan at the beginning of the training season but then life forces adjustments - like injuries, illnesses or just late night at office.

It's good to have a plan for the season that you follow. I try not to get too discouraged when I am forced to skip certain things because of other commitments. Instead I adjust and re-plan considering factors that led me to stray from my original plan.

I do not expect that I will hit my ideal conditions for races anymore. I still hope I would. But it could be mentally distracting if you plan to hit your high peak for certain race and it does not happen. Instead - when I came to races these days I evaluate how I feel, in what condition I am in and I plan for that race according to my current condition. I do the best I can for that particular race regardless of my condition.

Because you are not running O events at maximum intensity, I haven't found that peaking for such meets does any good. A few easy days prior to the meet seem to be sufficient.

Two considerations: 1) racing is not the best training, so you need to work in a few decent sessions during the week. Also, I find the only way to get in a long run and still be adequately recovered for the next weekend's race, is to tack it onto the finish of the Sunday race.

2) Even with some quality during the week, you really can't build speed during a competition season. Therefore, I use the months preceding the racing season to do that. My summer schedule usually looks a lot like what Galloway or others would suggest leading up to a big event in September, but rather than taper for a specific event, I switch into the general competition mode described above. This is a lot like your "holding pattern" idea.

Note: if you want specifics, look at my training log from last summer. This year has been all turned around because the marathon changed the periods.

Gil and ebuckley. Thanks for the tips. Both entries give good food for thought.

Interesting that an O-meet wouldn't be done at maximum intensity. But if you vomit at the end, isn't that proof it has been and can be done at maximum intensity? ; ) Actually I'm guessing you mean that because O meets involve so much change of pace during the actual event, and that they require such a balance (and tension) between maximum physical intensity and maximum mental attention, you can't really run at maximum intensity and do well. (At least I can't.) If you mean something else, let me know. Thanks again.

But if you vomit at the end, isn't that proof it has been and can be done at maximum intensity?

(No I didn't miss the smiley, but it's actually a point worth taking seriously). While it's true that elite orienteers go very close to full speed through the forest, even they have to back it off just a bit to be able to think, plan, read the map, etc. "Peaking" is not the difference between an elite runner and someone in the middle of the pack. The elite runner can win that race the day after their long run. Peaking is an attempt to squeeze that very last bit of performance out for a race where a few seconds might matter. In orienteering, you're simply not up against your physical limits to the extent that peaking matters. Sure, you want to be rested and ready to race, but a full buildup and peak cycle is overkill and will compromise a lot of other races for some very dubious improvement in a single event.

I disagree but with the twist. It might be true that you are not running at your 100% physically through the orienteering course and you might hold back little bit physically to allow enough oxygen to your brain to make "intelligent" decisions. However better physical shape you are faster your "orienteering speed" is. Better physical shape you are - you don't have to worry about pushing as much yourself physically and you can concentrate on your mental game. Therefore if you single out your race of the season - I don't think there is anything wrong with peaking for that particular race.

All true, but not my point. What I was driving at was that the variance in results for orienteering events is much larger than the tiny edge that a full peak gives you. Given that you can only peak for a few races a year, you are more likely to get better results by simply achieving a high level of fitness and holding that across many races rather than sacrificing all those events to get the slight boost in a single race (where a 30-second nav error might completely negate the advantage, anyway).

Some new questions related to the question of preparing for "the" meet:

As someone who's never planned to race outside his own club, I'm curious to know, are there specific meets where regional or national champions are decided? (I'm assuming yes, such as the nationals in Quantico, but does such national ranking work like American football, where there's one deciding match (Superbowl) or like Nascar (where point totals over the year in specific events identify the year's winner)?

Does the Midwest have a regional championship race?

How are these championship races related to what I've heard called "A-Meets"?

tapering for and peaking for a race can get you a 3-6% gain in performance on race day. if you are racing any sport that is competitive... this matters. yes a nav mistake can take you back 30 seconds, but if you are more fit, or even peaking you will be able to make up for that mistake quicker than the athlete who's legs are tired from the previous race/training effort.

i say it depends how much a race means to you. if it means a lot and you want to do well, then really taper and nail it. if not then don't worry and have some fun doing a bunch of races.

US meets fall into 4 strata:

C-meets: local affairs with no sanctioning obligations except to obtain the insurance certificate.

B-meets: sort of a gentlemen's agreement to put on a decent meet, but USOF doesn't check up on it. These are relatively rare.

Non-championship A-meets: nationally sanctioned and to some extent quality controlled. Results are typically counted in the national rankings.

Championship A-meeets: award a national champion in 1 or more distances/categories.

A-meets may also be sanctioned as World Ranking Events (WRE), which subjects them to somewhat more rigorous quality control.

Thanks!