If you do regular endurance training, you probably do some "junk miles." You know, the runs/rides where you simply gothrough the motions and do not really train very hard. You probably know these sessions are not that effective, but you have to do something, right?
Consider a couple of alternative training ideas that actually can increase your performance such as:
1. Mobility sessions
Take a half-hour and do various dynamic mobility movements. These sessions can help avoid overtraining from excessive mileage and improve mobility that may decrease from repetitive movement patterns. Both of these factors can lessen your chance of injury and keep you running or riding rather than sitting on the sidelines with another injury.
2. Power training
Power training can improve your running economy. Running economy is a basic component of running/riding faster.
Med ball sessions, fast stair climbing, and jumping exercises are great and simple power options.
Most runners/riders never train power and so it decreases over time. Schedule a couple days of power training and see your running times improve.
Jeff
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Jeff - I would actually disagree with the philosophy that "junk" miles are actually junk:
1. Great blog post regarding why focus on quality over quantity has affected US elite performance: here: http://chuckiev.blogspot.com/2008/02/miles-make-champions.html.
2. Also a great article in last month's Running Times about how one of the best college teams changed their training to longer, slower workouts when they weren't doing quality work, and it led to overall better performance.
3. Short easy run the day after a long or hard workout is great recovery and helps flush the lactic acid out of your system.
4. The only significant change in my own training between last marathon and this one is the junk miles (running 10-15 extra easy miles per week) and my performances have improved.
That's not to say that your training suggestions aren't good. They should be done IN ADDITION to "junk" miles.
Oh, and I'd probably advocate for calling me "easy" miles rather than "junk" miles, as they are definitely not junk.
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