Coach Atul Godbole answers your training related questions…

Q. Vijay asks: I am a triathlete but looking to train for an upcoming full marathon. Is the “Run Less Run Faster” a good plan to use for training?

A. The “Run Less Run Faster” (FIRST) plan calls for only 3 days of running. All 3 days are quality days – one interval, one tempo and one long run at a fast clip. it calls for a fair amount of cross training on the other days, and as such, for a triathlete who swims and bikes a lot, it is a suitable plan. However, those without an adequate multi-year endurance and aerobic base may find it a tough plan to follow. Its important that you set a reasonable target when following this plan so that you are able to hit the given workouts without leaving you blown to pieces.

Q. Smriti (also a triathlete) asks: My friend (pure runner) recently completed a 10K in ~46:00 minutes. How do you run at 4:4x pace?

A. That’s a tricky question. 4:40 pace does not come all of a sudden, more often than not, it comes with years of focused and structured training. It also depends on a variety of other factors like weight, diet, nutrition, etc. More importantly, your friend does not juggle 3 sports like a triathlete. While triathlon is no doubt fun, exciting and extremely rewarding, it is a path to becoming a “jack of all trades”. To improve running meaningfully, allocate a focused 4-6 month run block where swimming and biking is reduced or eliminated completely, train for some target races, and you will definitely see improvements in your run.

Runners and triathletes, have training, diet, nutrition related queries? Send email to askthecoach@motiv8coaching.com