WHY YOU MAY NEED A COACH / TRAINING PLAN (OR NOT!) | SAGE CANADAY RUNNING TIPS

"What is the purpose of this workout?" -any good Coach should be able to answer this question right away! Considerations in training plans, getting a coach (or not) etc.

[@kev8557]

I just ran a BQ (2:56:30) at my first full yesterday following your BQ plan! Hard work pays off. Thank you Sage! I'll for sure follow your specific Boston marathon plan for 2020!

[@kev8557]

@kabaka MUSWATI You're probably right. I should quit running right now.

[@f2f923]

@MUSWATI FITNESS Sage created a specific program to qualify for Boston. To avoid injury, he suggests you have a strong running (high volume) running background.

[@kofuzi]

so happy to hear that you two are both at full capacity in terms of the athletes you are coaching!

[@TheFODRunner]

Been on plans for nearly 2 1/2 years now, wouldn’t do a training cycle without one now... I’m someone who definitely needs structure!

[@jenniferwithrow5512]

Sandy, I felt you were talking to me. I have had the same coach for a few years now. Sometimes I lose my buy in. I decide I want to progress faster or grab a race out of the blue. Everytime I do, I end up realizing I should've listened. I can imagine from the coach shoes it must be frustrating. From the trainee side, I think those times of doubt which lead to failure have ultimately built the confidence I have in my coach. I really appreciate everything she has taught and done for me. Anyway, great video from both you and Sage. Always enjoy your expertise!

[@marniemadsen4994]

Love this channel. You have a ton of videos. Man, if I had a coach or even other people to run with I would greatly benefit.

[@fv2149]

Sage I just got my new Boni 6 for the Chicago marathon 👍great shoe , feels amazing on the road

[@stevocanuck]

I need a coach to tell me if i'm over training. This month, I ran 38 miles in eleven days with two of those being key workouts (long run and 4x400m) while the rest were easy runs. And i'm talking 8-9 minute mile paces.. Couple days after my speed workout, I suffered my second achillies injury that has recovered after a week and a half.Prior to this, I had made a 2 month recovery from runners knee. Since then i decided to finally purchase a resistance band to get the legs stronger

[@VagabondShoes]

Hi Sage. I've been following Sandi and your videos for about two years now. Some great stuff for hardworking newbie amateurs like myself. Would you consider doing a video on training for the Comrades up run? After running a comfortable Bill Rowan in this year's down run (the first one is always a PB!), I'm hoping to aim for a pie-in-the-sky silver next year. My provisional plan involves hills, hills, hills and a decent amount of road biking/bicycle commuting - about 125km/week running (mostly easy) + 50km to 250km/week on the bike + the very occasional swim. Düsseldorf, where I live, is as flat as a pancake, but we have some low hills about 10km away.

[@KarenReep]

You guys are great, thanks for sharing your time with us!😀

[@STARNPRODUCTIONS]

Great video! Im doing the sangre de cristo 50k next month! Exciting! First one in the mountains! Yay

[@kirtansingh3462]

I have a question regards to training during race season. I have a half marathon coming up in the start of May 2019 and would like to crack the 1:40:00, however, will be running other races throughout the summer, before my cross country starts in September. You have talked about peaking for a race at the right time. However, if I plan to compete after May until October, how do I schedule my training such that I don't get burnt out before the start of the season but still reach my goals. Also, with respect to increasing mileage during the race season, what is your take on that? Thanks :)

[@crazyvasey7053]

Bravo Sandi and Sage

[@IanLoughead]

As a small time coach, I think that it is important to set an example of good training practices. Buy you also have to be willing to experiment a little to discover if there are new or alternate ways of training that might work better for some athletes. I mostly coach 40+ year olds, so aim for lower milage plans but occasionally get one of those bullet proof runners that can take a beating. No one style of coaching is best, though a coach should develop their own take on things based on their experiences.

[@kathleenbaschen2215]

Hey Sage! Thanks for all of the great tips, love the videos! Question: for someone who has a full time job, how would you prioritize your training? I’m training for a 50k now and am having trouble getting all of the miles in during the week (outside of a long run on the weekend) due to a lack of time. Do you think doing hill or speed workouts can effectively replace a longer run?

[@stucarson2314]

My tip - get up early. As early as you need to to get your run in. Sure, it may mean a lot of dark time, and early to bed, but there's nothing like getting the run nailed first thing.

[@austineaton8038]

Bless you Sage!

[@jcizzlepiano]

I have a coaching question: do you think doing 2 "formal" workouts a week, 1 easy long(ish) run, and a race is too much for 1 week? Or maybe what, in general, is your preferred amount of workouts/week including long runs?

[@Vo2maxProductions]

no generally not. of course it depends on race distance and long run distance (esp relative to your weekly mileage total for that week) and where you are in a training block. Generally most structured training weeks are going to have at least 2 "quality/formal" workouts. Maybe its a Tempo Run or 2-mile repeats and then 400m repeats on another day; another week it may be a harder Long Run and a Vo2max session of 1km repeats (for example). Other times during an Aerobic Base building phase it may just be a day of strides (after an Easy Run) and then a moderate Longer Run on the weekend.

[@jcizzlepiano]

Well I'm asking because this is the format that my coach (high school) tends to go by, we are in our cross country season and have a race almost every week. All of our races this season (except one 2 mile) are 5km. I'm running higher millage than most of the team so the long runs are more of medium long runs for me, and in general I try to keep them pretty relaxed since we usually have a workout/race the day before or after.

[@jcizzlepiano]

So are you saying no it's not too much? Or no as on it is too much. Thanks for the help!

[@Vo2maxProductions]

Hmmm you must be in the US school system with that kind of xc racing schedule? I was there too. It is a tough balance with lots of racing 5km xc every week. You must have just started the season though? Without knowing your full schedule (paces, weekly mileage, etc.) it is hard to say. I actually just realized you meant you are doing 2 additional quality workouts on top of the Long Run and the weekend race? That is a lot for some weeks...it really depends on what those workouts are though (speed/pace and relative intensity as well as total volume). You probably want to take that Long Run pretty easy if it is the day after a race. I got around that in high school because we won't have practice on Sunday. Early season races...sometimes I ran those a bit on the easier side (before tapering weekly mileage/volume). Then some mid-week workouts I'd make sure to hold back on. Of course if you are running for a school team and have a coach you are kind of stuck with what they want you to do....

[@jcizzlepiano]

Your assumptions are correct (except races are Wednesday most weeks) A sample week for our team would look something like this: 40-45 mpw(for me-got up to around 60/week over the summer, lowered it for racing season)- Monday - track workout, could be. anything from 200m reps to 2km reps Tuesday - recovery run (I take my recovery runs very easy) Wed. - 5km race Thurs.- recovery run Friday - usually we do some type of fartleck/tempo, or hill reps Saturday- no practice but usually our coach tells us to do a long run of about 20-25% of our weekly volume Sunday- rest

[@paulcook7426]

Depends what your motivation for doing all those specific races together is or isn't. And why you would - as a coach - say not to. If you want to do them, then the question is more "why not" rather than "why". Perhaps you might not get your best performance by mixing certain races up, but most people aren't ever going to win races, and for those people there's no reason to go against motivation. And for those who might win, I suppose there's always the option of one as a training race, or as a back-up / secondary target.

[@kumite1984]

Do you think a coach is needed if someone watched all the training talks of yours, and also read all kinds of running articles? I mean, someone who """know""" (heavy quotation marks) the basics: easy pace, lactatethreshold, temporuns, intervals, repetitions, periodization, trains by hr, knows to gradually and carefully increment load and/or distance and/or paces etcetc? Do you think that there's enough knowledge on this channel, or on the internet on different forums for a recreational runner (wannabe sub40 10ker) to reach their goal(s) ?

[@clebergomesdasilva2369]

Great topic! Both explain good points

[@er33t]

So I am currently working with a coach, she was the female coach at the college I went to. I know she is pretty busy with college and a running club, so I don't expect her to be super detailed on me. However I wanted to ask you: what are things I can ask my coach? How can I use my coach more efficiently? Currently she has been giving me weekly workouts and I have been providing feedback on how the runs go. But how can I get more/"squeeze" more out of her?

[@er33t]

So that is one thing, and another thing is this: how can I go about whether or not I should ask my coach for more mileage? For example she had had me maxing at about 36 miles for about a year now. There was a 2 month period where I could not train at all from mid jan to mid march. However I have been feeling much much better now than I felt last year. I do not know if I should ask her for more or if I should just trust it. And if I should, how do I go about it?

[@TheMoonSeesMe]

Best sound ever!

[@macdab55]

Personally, I haven't worked with a coach for long time (only a month or so), previously a year or so of 'self-coaching'(basically running training for fun, and entering a couple of runs). And I have to say that now, I feel like I have more motivation to do better in races, and I feel like the training motivation is also higher for me, especially during 'speed training'.

[@roustabout4fun]

Sandy is Dandy. Sage advise..all good stuff.

[@deathlytwig2557]

Do you plan on coming to South Africa 🇿🇦 for Comrades Marathon (89k)? If so when?

[@GlenJHB]

He was out here last year as far as I remember.

[@Vo2maxProductions]

I do! I ran Comrades on an "up year" in 2015 and struggled (it was too close after the Boston Marathon)...I was the top American in the race though. I'd love to come back and also try Two Oceans and maybe even some trail running.

[@VagabondShoes]

Thoroughly enjoyed your race report.

[@PaDutchRunner]

South Africa sounds like it is in political turmoil right now...but perhaps that’s just the American media.

[@coreyhill7058]

How do you recommend training while also lifting (im training my legs twice a week)

[@tc-3]

Having a coach is great if you have a tendency to overdo it like I do. It is hard to be objective when it comes to yourself.

[@treytonsuncle]

What are the average cost for running plans? I know it depends on a lot of things but can you give me a ballpark figure?

[@nicksaveka5078]

When u day bad idea is it because you did it to soon back to back event’s?

[@austin3790]

Well done buddy. I have a free training plan for you that would be perfect early season for you that would put an emphasis on speed, and would be free 99 for you bud.

[@benny3004]

I don't need a coach. I have you Coach Sage :D

[@WaverlyCOGOP]

Bless you!

[@quinnrafferty4635]

Bless you

[@GonutsHFX]

this was great

[@shahrinhashim9033]

Nice shirt

[@martincampbell6017]

Me too 😃

[@Lion_McLionhead]

Takes a lot of ambition to do that. Most of us just don't want to look like the single women.

[@JamesValentineBaja1000]

That's too bad you don't coach Super-Elites. I assume it's because at tht level most all are not open to outside input. Sad on their part

[@connor7568]

I'm one of the first viewers!!

[@teuton8363]

free cookie for you

[@Jinx-ig1fz]

Genes and genetics - i don't know about that. Its all about hard work. Putting in the work is what separates people. No secret sauce or special pill. Hard work and perseverance.

[@tuesdaysrunner4038]

Nice training talk Bullwinkle. You have been doing well in your running Bullwinkle. Last few races were great. Hm...got a great coaching idea. Pay me money. Then do what you want. No rigid structure...totally virtual coaching!

[@FTStratLP]

Idiot!