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Friday 27 April 2007
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Pammie - something to work on there
Podro - the socks meant that the calves I had had issues with a couple of weeks back behaved themselves at FLM.
Wow - training related question are like buses - none for ages then 2 turn up at once!
TmR - at hilly's club in Dorset they showed little interest in using her L1 qualification to develop structured training as it was more a social club.
How about online coaching, or are you looking for a more direct input face to face? There are loads of beginners around on the forum who would benefit from your experience and knowledge.
Re. physiology I know exactly where my LT and VO2 max are just by feel in a race and can control 10ks and HM very well, turning in even splits. However in marathons in the past I've either gone off too quickly or been erratic in the first half before fading somewhere in the last 10k. The only blip in this catalogue of woe was when I did plenty of MP to MP + 40 secs/mile running in the Hadd era. It was like I had to train myself to work on my weak physiological areas whilst my 10k racing ability seemed to come back straight away.
It also raises the question about goals. One way of looking at it would be for someone like me to stop working on chipping away at a marathon time and concentrate on what I can do well in. The other would be to work on weaknesses rather than strengths to be a more rounded runner.
A golfer would work on his weaknesses to improve his all round game. However a defender in football might not spend lots of time working on his shooting skills but rather concentrate on what would make him a better defender.
A wicketkeeper would not spend time developing his leg spin as it would be redundant for the role he has in the team.
Oh yes...
5k - 16:36 (5:20m/m)
10k - 33:41 (5:25m/m)
HM - 73:40 (5:38m/m)
Mar - 2:42 (6:11m/m)
Note the 33 secs / mile difference between my HM and Mpaces compared to hilly's 19 secs / mile.
So shall I play to my strengths or work on my weaknesses?
Without doing any specific training for the shorter distances, my PBs for 3 miles, 10k, 10 miles and half-marathon are all within a second or two of 7.25mm pace, whereas my marathon PB is nowhere near - just under 9mm pace.
I've never run a marathon really hard and I've also never done proper structured speedwork, so I don't know whether the most productive approach would be to work on stringing together more 7.25-minute-miles or consistently being able to do mile intervals in under 7 minutes.
on physiology - Doesn't it depend on goals and also what you enjoy doing? I don't enjoy 5k's, not worth getting sweaty over. Love lonnngg runs, cycles and paddles. Don't care analyse what the strengths say, but then I'm not in it just to be competitive. If competitive was my only goal then don't the sages say 'build on your strengths and ignore or minimise the effects of your weaknesses'?
For what they are worth (to give a slow benchmark!)..
5km 22:20 7:30m/m
10km 49:10 7:52m/m
HM 1:47 8:10m/m
Mar 3:50 8:47m/m
IW - good work on your PB. I HATE racing short distances so value PBs over them all the more.
I'll dig out my 5, 10, half etc stats later on - I think I set my 5 and 10k PBs during a half mara though!!
Poppy - I had shoe inserts for a bit (coz of bunions - v sexy) and you very quickly get used to your shoes feeling shallow. I found it best to put the insoles under the existing shoe insoles rather than on top.
Scoobs, you are hilarious.
Miles makes smiles.
Progression