There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding both the quality training approach and the quantity training approach. Many coaches take a hard line on one side or the other. In the short article (I posted below) Matt Fitzgerald does a nice job laying out the controversy. He concludes that every athlete is going to react differently to training and should therefore figure out what works best for them.
I agree with Fitzgerald's conclusion and I help the athlete's that I work with find what's best for them. That said, the majority of athletes I work with are pressed for time. For those who train less than 10 hours a week, every mile--slow or fast--is a quality mile. And when time is that limited, a training schedule becomes more complex. As a coach, it becomes more challenging to bring out the athlete's best performance and regulate the rest to stress ratio. I work very closely with the athletes that I coach to make sure they are making the most of that time. We make sure that the athlete is focusing on the things that will allow him or her to have the fastest overall finishing time.
If you (or a family member or a friend) are in the category of "I don't have a lot of time, how do I make the most of it?" please shoot me an e-mail. I'm looking to coach more athletes and I'm confident that I can help you get to the next level. E-mail me at jafecik@gmail.com.
Definitely check out this article:
"Is There a Such Thing as Junk Miles" by Matt Fitzgerald:
http://running.competitor.com/2013/08/training/is-there-a-such-thing-as-junk-miles_54006Image from: http://oneeyeland.com/photo_gallery/runner_in_the_fog_mikko_lagerstedt_48923
Jon Fecik
jafecik@gmail.com
717-368-7198
