The Power of Recovery Weeks when Marathon Training
When was the last time you challenged yourself in a new way?
On Sunday, I tried something I never did before.
I ran in my first ever 3000m race at the USATF Masters East Region Championships!
As a high school coach, my teenage athletes compete over 3K regularly from December to May. But as adult athletes, this is a distance we almost never get the chance to run in.
So when the opportunity arose, I knew I had to take it.
I ran my usual style of race that has been working for me all winter…
I started off conservatively, then moved up from 4th to 1st place over the first 1000m. After that, I had to hold onto the 1st place position for the final 2K.
My friend James gave me a scare in the final 200m with a massive kick from behind me. I had to look back three times and really pick it up, but I managed to hold onto my position and cross the finish line in 1st place with a time of 9:47.
I won a gold medal and am now the USATF Masters Region Champion for 3000m!
Note: I’m only 35, but masters starts much younger for indoor track than it does for other sports. I hope to still be competing like this though when I’m 40, 50, and 60+. It’s so inspiring seeing all the senior athletes competing and the attention they give to “doing all the little things right.”
Today, I have new podcast to share with you about the power of recovery weeks.
Adopting the tactics I explain in this podcast will help keep you healthy and enjoying running as you steadily improve from season to season.
Check it out below!
– Coach Chris
– Episode 193 –
The Marathon Running Podcast
The Power of the 3-Week Build, 1 Week Recovery Cycle
with Coach Chris Knighton
Tune in to unlock the secrets behind the “3-Week Build, 1-Week Recovery Cycle” in marathon training with Coach Chris Knighton — a packed episode with practical insights for elevating your marathon training experience.
Topics we discuss include:
Understanding Periodization
Importance of Recovery Weeks
Personalizing Recovery Weeks
Body Adaptations and Injury Prevention
Optimizing Mileage Reduction
Comprehensive Approach to Recovery
Monitoring Progress and Adjusting Plans
Click Here to Listen on Apple Podcasts
Click Here to Listen on Spotify