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Rob, I'd start talking to you about statistical terms like Standard Deviation, but to a Yorkshireman, that might mean something altogether different, probably involving whippets in your trouser pockets.
Don't you have something likean SSF (Self Satisfaction Factor) at the end of a race? How do you judge you ran according to the conditions and your feelings before and after? If you wanted to be anal about it, you could devise a matrix, say with 5 criteria, and score each one from one to ten, thus giving a SSF out of 50.
Factors could include: 1) How good you felt before a race compared to afterwards, 2) Overall race placement, 3) How far you were +/- your expected race time, 4) your impression of how many people you overtook in the race, 5) perception about how much effort you put in. Or something like that...?
Hmmmm, interesting thoughts TD. I'm just after some way of comparing progress between races of different lengths, in different conditions, along different routes. Ideally I'd like something straightforward that gives me a number but there's too many variables that can't be quantified.
Overall though I think I'm just going to take it that yesterday's run (like the 10k the week before) would have been a PB if ran on a flat road course.
Besides which, I was 40 seconds slower than the PB for 10 miles but yesterday's run had over 1000ft more ascent and descent than the road 10 mile and was a net ascent of 120ft against a descent of 10ft. Thats got to be worth 41 seconds in anyone's book.
Rob: absolutely, of course it is (not quite sure what I'm agreeing with though)
TD: knew you'd give rob a sensible answer - whippets 'n all!
Thoughtt as much
.
TD: any more speedy work tips, now have pb's for 10km (officially 58mins 43 secs), pacing etc? All ideas welcome
Princess... You are doing the speedwork, your endurance is good, flexibility is great. One thing you lack....
Type A fast twitch muscles. They don't easily develop from the kind of longer distance running we tend to do. I also assume that doing weights session in a gym is not very appealing. So I have one word for you. Plyometrics.
Explosive, bounding actions. Standing long jumps, hopping and skipping, fast striding, fast feet with high knees (imagine running over burning coals), from knees bent hands on the ground, jump as high as you can with both arms in the air. Jumping on the spot bringing both knees to your chest. Do all of these for 15 mins after one or two sessions a week and you will notice a change in your legs that will ultimately give you more power, better speed and more comfort for really long endurance races.
TD: don't know whether to thank you or not for the above!! Funnily enough do 3x 1 min sections yesterday of high knees - fast feet, made my hamstings feel really good for some perverse reason!! The reason I did them was siatica had started to play up and this allieviates it! Will try them next week - along the seafront something else to make the drivers and people dog walking laugh at!!! Will thank you properly next week after the sessions!! Can't say the word Plyometrics, should be interesting if I can do them
- am certain the answer will be a big fat no, but will try. Thank you any way.
I've found the 2 midweek runs difficult to get myself out for this week - when dark, cold and on one night raining - but, of course, loved them when I'm out there. Two running club nights a week are a definite help for me.
Between them being relatively intense (7 hilly miles @ 7.54mm & 7 hilly miles @ 7.40mm) and having a race most Sundays I've cut down on the number of running days from 5 to 3 in the last 3 weeks but upping it to 4 this week and back up to 5 from next, just by adding in 2 very short recovery runs a week - 3/4 mile jogs. That should give me 8 weeks back at 5 a week before Paris training starts.
Really looking to minimise the step up for Paris. If I don't add any extra days in and the mileage doesn't really increase for the first 4 weeks of the programme the shock shouldn't be as great, the injury risk lower and the likelihood of my being able to stick at the training level appropriate to the time I'm targeting far higher.That's the plan anyway.Talking of plans...I wan't to get a draft of mine this weekend. Theres 2 races I've already entered that I need to build in and 2 other possibles later in the programme, but I want to make sure I can fit them in easilly.
Hi
Not checked in for a while, so thought I would say hi! Everyone still sounds well into their running, which is great. I am going to sign up for some more races too...I think you are doing one of them Rob...that half in Nov?
I know what you mean about getting out there on a night in this weather, this was my downfall for Paris, I hate it, but like you 2 club nights are a great incentive...hell, I even turned out on Tuesday night when it was chucking it down, and hardly anyone else did
! i REALLY did not want to go, but felt so good afterwards. It has to be done, because it's only going to get colder.....and darker!
I am on a kind of taper now for Abingdon marathon next Sunday...not that I have a clue what I should be doing really, I am just kinda making it up. I have struggled this week with any kind of running...I have been fine since Berlin, but was really fatigued over 14 miles yesterday and had to stop 4 times, and the club run on Tuesday was awful, for the same reasons. It's probably all just catching up with me. Anyway, I won't be doing huge amounts of running between now and then, so hopefully I will get my zest back by then!
Good luck to people racing this weekend. Some of you have that Royal Parks half don't you? Will be interested to see how you go.
Jo
xx
Pri - Fi : when you have the option of cracking the Christmas nut selections using only your firm, muscley buttocks, you can post a thank you then!!
Forgive me if I decline the offer of a handful of shelled Brazils though!
RP - champion, you're doing Lancaster? Spot on about getting out now. If we get in the habit now we'll carry it on but missing runs in early October is a recipe for plenty of missed ones later in the winter.
Hi Rob
Yes, I really fancy the Lancaster one, it's pretty good timing too, so hope to see you there? I have not applied yet, but will do soon.
Yes, you are so right...the more you miss, the harder it gets. Take tonight for example.....It is pissing it down out there (!), and I have arranged to go to club, if I had not there is NO way I would be out on my own, no way!....especially given that it is Friday night!!
havent run since last saturday a week ago. Tried to get out for 18 this saturday just gone but only managed to do 8 slow struggly miles.
What can I do to try and get something going this week before complete wind down next week? Panic setting in. This resting of the legs bit isnt working as the longer I am off and the less miles I do the harder I find it to run at my usual pace and with much greater effort. I believe resting the legs only works if you have put them under pressure. Mine have barely done anything apart from the odd isolated run for the last month-6 weeks.
I struggled a bit yesterday - which is a worry ahead of a half next week.
I did 14 miles yesterday at a deliberately slow pace of 8.53 (marathon training LSR pace) and found it really hard work after 10 miles - not terrible just tough enough to feel a bit of a struggle - like a marathon LSR.
I think its down to the training I've done.
I've done ten runs of 10 miles or more in the last 14 weeks, but before yesterday only 3 had been of half marathon distance or above and of those only one was over 13.1 miles. Effectively I've been concentrating on speed and endurance for 10 mile races without the time to fit in any over distance runs for the half but had the assumption that if I can race 10 miles I can run 13.1.
That's true - I can - but I think my endurance is lacking for the last 3.1 in terms of keeping up any sort of pace.
I also think that going slowly and further yesterday was a shock for me in terms of time on my feet. My legs, and knees espescially, felt stiff immediately afterwards. Feel fine today though.
I think next week will be a case of running the first 10 miles at target pace - I know I can do that - and then hamg on as best I can. One benefit may be that a faster pace will mean alot less time on my feet.
Rob: I did my longest run yesterday, 15.5 miles. Was really pleased as legs feel fine this morning and even did high knees on the last .5 mile home!! Makes me laugh though your lsr pace, I'd love to run the whole marathon at that pace. Average pace of 9.20 for me yesterday, but at the end could have gone on!!
Hopefully I'll have mastered the cracking of nuts by christmas for my after lunch party trick!!!!!
did some of the Plyometrics on friday - in the garden - reg thought It was a great game, very hard work!!
Ha ha - good one NGUG. Christmas is coming after all. A few sherries and every one will be marvelling Fi.
FizzioFinn - I'd suggest go for a bike ride instead of running. You can keep the heart rate up high, you get the benefit of all the same endorphins but it can be a really rigourous, cardio-vascular trip. Keeps away that feeling of falling back with the fitness levels.
I bet it wouldn't have been that long ago that you'd have been marvelling at running 8 miles in the time you just did. Progress isn't linear. Two steps forward, ½step back. That's 1½ steps of fine progress so don't worry too much.
Just spotted your post. Must not have scrolled high enough lst view.
I dont have a bike but I did manage to do 2 short runs since and a 10M on saturday which left me stiff on sunday
. Methinks I will have to drop back to the 4.30 group unless this last bout of muscle stiffness is my legs trying to get some sort of last minute fitness. On a total food binge and I have put up half a stone, so really in peak condition for the local marathon,
Will just have to sign up for another one to try and sort myself better for next year.
Will take ATM and try to sort her out for next year. Dublin endurance training for her
Making progress, though...
Fizz..You're doing Seville? Wooooooow!
Have booked for Seville €15. but having difficulty getting a flight there so will wait until closer to the day and see how I am fixed. Wouldnt be a big hit to take if I couldnt get there.
Not sure what to do next year. The year of my SUB 4. Need to ramp it up after a bit of a disastrous finish to this year. Will train over the winter and then try a few. Aim to have my sub 4 before end of August. If I can wait until after the 18th I will be in the age 45 category and if I go sub 4 I would qualify for Boston. So that is always a possibility.
Hi Fizz (and everyone else)....Good luck for Dublin!!!! Nothing exciting from this end...I have a half on 8th Nov, but otherwise just ticking over. Am trying (and struggling) to keep motivated, and it will be worse still when the clocks change!
Just spied this and may well give it a go:
http://www.grancanariamaraton.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=4&lang=en
I enjoy a bit of Winter sun, and Jan is a nice time to escape the bleak Winter...it should be good prep for any Spring marathons. Just checking into flights etc. Anyway, best of luck to you all if racing this weekend!
xx
Is this the first time they have held this? I havent seen it on marathonguide.com?
Will also check flights. Seville is also 20 degrees on the valentines day marathon but it might be cheaper or easier to get to the canaries.
You fancy it too ATM?? A nice bit of Winter sun?!! Food is nice over there too......so is the wine!
Would be great if a few fancied it, even for a long weekend or something??