On Track or Off?

I saw an advertisement the other day for a training program which offered to "help you lose weight, improve your 5K times, or help you get ready for Country Music Marathon." Setting aside for the moment that these are very diverse goals with different strategies to meet them, I was particularly struck that one of the weekly workouts (two per week, actually) is a track workout.

There is no reason to be run training on the track right now.

The simpliest argument is this simple metaphor: Speedwork is the icing on the cake. You don't have cake yet.

Moreover, no one does and no one should right now. This is the OFF-SEASON. You should be doing the correct, periodized activities for this time of year. This applies if you are doing any races (running, triathlon, marathon, cycling) during the normal competitive season (Feb-November!) If your A-race for the year is the Boulevard Bolt, Jingle Bells 5K, or New Years Day 5K, then maybe you should be doing a track workout.

What are the correct activities to do right now? By and large the vast majority of endurance athletes should be in an off-season. This might mean total time off (I don't recommend more than a couple weeks of this.) Next you should inititate and commit to a strength and stretch program, appropriate for your sport. Also you should be doing some endurance training. If you are a multi-sporter, you might do a single-sport season, which is a good way to spruce up a pesky limiter. Or do some fun cross training activities, such as mountain biking, trail running, or hiking.

I will go as far as to say that ANY running on the track should be done with the greatest of reservations. When people step on the track their common sense goes out the window. They try to race their friends and inevitably run way too fast, with soreness and injury likely. I use track workouts judiciously, but most of the time I prefer fartleks or mile repeats on the road. This is much more realistic and specific to road running races.

Put your efforts into activities that will promote your long term health, and produce real results in your next racing campaign. Not the short term endorphin buzz of high intensity speedwork at exactly the wrong time of the year.

Recommended:
Strength and Stretch (weights, ab lab, aerogility, yoga, pilates, stretching)
Fun Endurance Training (Mountain Bike, Road Bike (no aero bars), trail running)
Single sport (improving a limiter)
Drills

Avoid:
Training like you do during the main part of the season
High intensity intervals
Sedentary time off and bad eating (more than two weeks), resulting in excessive weight gain