Pushing and Pulling

I have had most success in approaching endurance training by pushing fitness up from below until I can no longer push it up anymore, before pulling it up the last bit from there. There are far more pronouns than my English teacher Mrs. Gerek would ever permit, so I'll be more clear.

I believe in first pushing threshold power and pace to higher levels by first beginning below threshold until gains at threshold cease. I have found that as an athlete approaches about 90% of VO2 max, threshold ceases to rise. I then raise the ceiling, or VO2 max in the given sport by pushing output at VO2 max up from just below VO2 max. It's what I typically witness while raising the ceiling that has convinced me to push whenever possible and only pull as the races close in. As VO2 max power or pace rises during a VO2 focused push, threshold ether stays put or, goes up slightly. If I start to pull up on VO2 by either focusing on AWC or simply by racing a lot & continuing to train hard mid-week, fitness soars after 4-6 weeks, reaches a crescendo, and if I then switch to a schedule in which the athlete essentially races, rests and opens before the next race, this can go on for a few to several weeks (3-6...depending primarily on 'base' fitness and years training, yata, yata), but then threshold drops and then so does VO2 max. Only by pulling too long or hard on an individual in an attempt to tweak 'em that last 1% have I realized the signs of pulling too hard.

Those familiar with endurance training will recognize the former situation as peaking. Those who have left their best legs out on the track or on the road training will recognize the latter.