Less Means Success
For many years, researchers have known that there is a limit to how much an athlete can train before it adversely affects performance. Many studies have shown that, compared to athletes who train with much more volume, lower-volume trained athletes can perform as well, if not better. The majority of your physical benefits received from training may occur in the first ten weeks or so of the training cycle. For example, if your competitive season ends in November, then go on to build an aerobic base from December through mid-April, since the training benefits obtained in those early months, including those in the brain, muscles, and metabolism, can be maintained very easily. Afterward, you can then reduce your total workout time to make room in your schedule for anaerobic training as well as racing. By early July, you can slowly raise your aerobic training during the remaining summer months again—without the stress of anaerobic workouts or racing—before cutting back again in mid September for more anaerobic training and competition.
All this, of course, should be based on one’s individual needs and conditioning. Some athletes won’t use anaerobic training but instead add a couple of short races at the end of their base building, then begin a racing season. Others will not increase outdoor training time in the summer months if the weather is too hot.
