Re: RC: Re: RE: Interval Training

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/17/00 11:10:37 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
hn.heather@wanadoo.fr writes:

<< > Right at about 3 weeks out, you should start to taper back--gradually cut
 the mileage (don't stop, just taper) and gradually go shorter, sharper. Last
 hard work tend days out. Short and sharp.
 
 Do you mean the total mileage, ie trail mileage as well, or are you just
 talking IT mileage?>

Total mileage. IT and LSD. In terms of absolute mileage, the LSD will 
decrease a lot more.
 
 >Can you give me an example of "short and sharp"?>

5 K at 160 HR. 10K at that HR for horses farther along.
 
 > At your sharpest, 160 HR sustained would be a good target, but you have to
 be careful on that track. Look for a hill.
 
 160HR sustained for how long?  For the length (15 mins) of my resistance
 sessions?>

This all depends on what went before in the individual horse. If he's had 
difficulty sustaining 150 HR for 30 minutes, then you would be pushing it to 
ask him for 20 minutes of 160. But 15 minutes at that intensity might be just 
the thing to get him "over the hump" At any rate, everything is 
incremental--bring on everything, including mileage, a slice at a time. 

With racehorses, we never change both speed and intensity in a workout on the 
same day. We take a horse longer, and a little slow, first, then tightent the 
intensity at the new volume load.
 
 >I mentioned that normally I would build towards a total of 2 hours
 resistance training in one session, mixed with the sprints & the recovery
 periods.  Is this OK?>

Don't call it resistance training. That would be hill work or pulling a 
braked jog bike. Instead, what you are doing is bursts of more intense 
work--a Fartlek (speed play) workout--a form of interval training. Full blown 
interval training has periods of absolute rest (walking) between somewhat 
extended bouts of higher intensity work. As in, a reasonable quick mile, 
followed by a ten minutue walk/trot rest interval, followed again by another, 
faster mile--and that workout going on for maybe an hour.

Or, at slower rates, 5 miles, a 20 minute walk, a faster five miles, another 
20 minute walk, etc. Eventually, you can get so you mimic an actual ride and 
deliver the work intervals faster than actual racing pace.
 
> I read that Ben Salou left France ready to do 160kms and then spent a month
 doing 3 hours a day six days a week.  What sort of distances and what sort
 of HR?>

This was done by his French Trainer in Dubai. I don't think he kept HR 
records, and we didn't get any records from him. But it was a taper from what 
he had been doing previously. That was one hard-working horse! It was not 
unusual for him to do a 100 to 120 K workout!
 
 >None of the rides my horse is scheduled to do are flat rides so I'm not
 seeking to emulate this sort of training routine.  Would just like if
 possible to adapt my training so he can go faster for longer, particularly
 up the hills.>

Fitness is fitness. And, unfortunately, specificity is specificity. To train 
for hills, you have to train at high heartrates, at the very least. Consider 
breaking him to a braked jog bike--know as Power Carts and sold by Big D out 
of Cleveland. That way, you're really doing resistance exercise, but not 
making dangerous speeds on that track.
 
 
 > We've used as much as 4 oz every hour--don't forget the
 electrolytes--should probably be about half that amount at the same
 frequency--possibly more.
 
 Would you restrict use of carbs to 100 mile rides or would you use them on
 shorter distances?>

All distances. We use them racing 1K. 
 
 <Thanks again for your help.
 
 Heather>

No Prob.

ti
  >>