112 Days of Summer: Hybrid – Generalist Fitness Plan after the Pig

Flying Pig 4-Way Challenge
Dates: May 2-4, 2025
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio (State #19)
Races: West 50 Mile, Toyota 10K, Queen City 5K, Flying Pig Marathon
Times: 7:16, 58:18, 25:56, 4:48:54

I hit mile 21 in Cincinnati and I thought: “what if I ran a mile under 9 minutes right now?”  And, in an amazing event, I ran the next two miles under 9 minutes after averaging 11-12 minutes for the first 21.  I probably did hammer drop two miles too early because miles 25 & 26 were closer to 10 minute miles – blerg.  

I had done the 4 Way with Extra Cheese Challenge at Flying Pig (Friday – 50 West Mile; Sat – Toyota 10K and Queen City 5K; Sun – Flying Pig Marathon) so miles 25 & 26 were really miles 35 & 36 and I had done some racing or just under race pace throughout the weekend. 

This told me two things:

1) Half ass training for a long time gets some results (Between both Philly and Flying Pig, I had 6-7 months of half ass training);

2) Some more engaged training could be more effective

Coming off the Flying Pig Marathon, I wanted to get “into shape” which I have not been for several years now.  My estimate was to create a plan that could get me healthier and fitter in a five month / 20 week window.  Such a program would need to walk the line between effectiveness and fatigue managing. I was drawn to “hybrid training” where strength and cardio trainings are balanced.  In some ways I had been sorta doing this for a while. 

Hybrid Training

What is hybrid training? Simply speaking it is training to balance cardio and strength.  But it is a bit more complicated than that.  Fergus Crawley who competes at the age group level in Ironman and powerlifting has said that it is not simply doing an ironman plan and a powerlifting plan simultaneously.  You need to find a balance that mitigates fatigue and allows successful training of both modalities. 

This seems simple enough.  It is “simple” but also difficult for someone who is used to engaging in multiple activities.  Templates for the Hybrid Athlete are often designed on getting ready for say a marathon and a powerlifting meet simultaneously.  Nick Bare - who is a hybrid athlete and supplement company owner – argues that most of us should probably wave between say marathon focused training with lifting to powerlifting  focused training with running on the side.  This is more realistic to an average person; Fergus Crawley is an exceptional elite athlete: his feats of lifting 1500lbs on the same day he runs a 3 hour marathon are not for the rest of us. 

Now, I can already hear the folks from the 1980s and 1990s with their challenges.  “You can’t get stronger if you are running.” And “Cardio kills gains.”  Meta analysis has disproven this bro-science: “Concurrent aerobic and strength training does not compromisemuscle hypertrophy and maximal strength development. However, explosivestrength gains may be attenuated, especially when aerobic and strength trainingare performed in the same session.” But what do you expect from the people who still claim eating soy products feminizes men.

Generalism

I have not specific goals other than dragon boating for the summer, so this leads me to be able to be more general in my training.  What would generalism look like? Last year I wrote: “My training leading to this has failed because I was trying to get too deep into training of too many things.” The past year has seen me going too shallow into too few things. However, maybe I needed that.  I just was generally moving.  And based on 4:48 at Flying Pig after a weekend of racing – it showed general results.  But, now I think I want to get in better general shape – cardio, strength, strength endurance and mobility.

The Hybrid -Generalist Training

This comes to the 112 Days of Summer plan:  16 weeks – 4 blocks, each with 2 microcyles (2 weeks each).  The goal is try to do increase each of the above attributes.  I will schedule 10 workouts each week and hope to make 8 of them. I also want to have each block increase in intensity.  Powerbuilding – balancing strength and hypertrophy – and Dragon Boating will be the anchors of these blocks: 4+ paddling workouts and 5 + powerbuilding workouts.  Add to this 9-11 cardio workouts – running, cycling with “others” (kayak, rowing machine, etc.)  The generalist will schedule cardio workouts but will allow for changes based on weather, schedule, convenience and fatigue.  Each block will increase intensity on lifting, one intensity cardio workout and volume per cardio workout. 

Block A – 5/19 – 6/15

Block B – 6/16 – 7/13

Block C – 7/14 – 8/10

Block D – 8/11 – 9/7

Taper – 9/8 – 9/21

 

Outline of Microcycle

	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
1A			Harvard Stadium		Hills	Run Long	Run Easy
1B		Dragon Boat	Bench	Dragon Boat	Squat		Hypertrophy
2A	Overhead Press		Harvard Stadium			Long Bike	Run Easy
2B	Run Easy	Dragon Boat	Deadlift	Dragon Boat			Row Erg