Just wanted to let you guys know that I've been doing some research lately and I may be onto something that will probably greatly effect the way we all workout in tems of cardio: the adaptive overcompensatory response for aerobic exersice in the body may be in excess of 24 hrs... What that means for us is that it may be basically useless to run every day because the body isn't finished recovering and building up from the previous day's workout. What's more is that we may actually be doing ourselves a dissevice by running every day because our muscles don't get a chance to rebuild. We may get better gains in endurance by running every-other day. I will post more info as I get it. If you would like to help in this study with some in-the-trenches research, try giving yourself a day of rest between all runs/leg Workouts for two weeks and email me your observations.

That's actually what I've been doing for a month now and I can tell you, it pays off while making the runs 2x easier next time around (maybe not 2x; but you know what I mean). It takes at least 24 hours (from what I heard/read) for muscle tissue to heal, repair, get stronger and allow it to adapt to provid more energy. So while you are taking the day off from running, I suggest not working those muscle groups too much, and enjoy a nice day of swimming laps in the pool instead (no fins).

Just to reiterate, you will not have that option during the pipeline, taking days off that is. But you will get the cadre giving extra "motivation" for those who ask for a day off---

Read "Galloway's!" This is exactly what he says in the Introduction. The key to running farther AND faster is to (Ready?) run longer AND slower. There's no reason to run 7 times a week. He evev breaks it down somewhere in the book that shows approx. percentages of the gains you make when running a certain number of days per week. What it basically shows is the gains between 2 to 3 times is WOW! while the the gains for anything above 3 times is extrememly minimal. I even asked a guy that just completed his 24th Boston Marathon. He is a former SEAL, has never read "Galloway's," and is in his early to mid 50's. His training is almost to the letter of what Galloway suggests. The main difference is: he sometimes pushes TOO hard and has paid for it in the past. I am in the process of resting due to shin problems but as soon as I start this program, I'll update the progress that has been made. Oh, I almost forgot. The reason that I added this reply is that Galloway stresses that rest is a must. This means taking days off between runs, 2 days off after extremely hard or long runs, and even walking approx. a minute for every 10 minutes of running. I know the pipeline will not be like this at all but, during preparation, I'm not going to argue with a guy that runs sub-5 minute miles and runs continuously under 7 minutes for 26 miles. Read it!

The rule of specificity in training does not apply to your schedule - it applies to the kind of energy productions you require of your body as well as the kinds of motions those energies are applied through. I think I need to read Galloway's.