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Overdone it?
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The first 3 miles rise but you hardly notice because you are fresh, then you turn round and bomb down the same 3 miles and then last 7 are pancake flat.
The Cumbrian HM starts in a proper big castle and is undulating - they'd love that (NB although something in back of my mind tells me they might have changed route this year).
Loving the warm weather but it does make training a bit harder. Headed out yesterday planning to do 6*3 mins (which is near enough 6*800m for me) @5k pace but a minute into the first rep I was struggling to hit target pace. Decided to sack it off and swapped it for 10K at marathon HR, it was still a pretty tough session in the heat, the pace which came out was about 10 seconds per mile slower than when I was doing regular MP runs over the winter. Reckon it was a combination of the heat and a bit of a drop off in fitness.
Tommy, I did an mp session last week and it came out about 15 seconds short for me. Still, plenty of benefits if you can persevere and train through the hot weather, which given the 14 day forecast it appears there is little choice.
Did I see you ran the Torbay half last weekend?
Day 1 of my 15 week schedule for Yorkshire today. Hoping to get 5 x 800 in on the treadmill before my usual Monday night spin class.
11 miles up on Thursday split into 5k easy with 2x400m fast and then later on 4m of fast-ish intervals and hill sprints buffered by 2m of warmup and 2m cooldown.
Cross training Friday and then a parkrun at half effort on Saturday (18.17, but no barcode) followed by a recovery run in the afternoon. A group of Sikhs were doing parkrun inspired by the 107 year old Fauja Singh who was presented to us all.
I had a 10k race on Sunday (forecast to be the hottest day of the week of course) and while I felt a bit stiff from Saturday's efforts, I lined up at the start and got myself in a decent position in the group behind a chap that went haring off. However around 3k, at the top of a hill, my lace came undone which was a total schoolboy error and the group sped off on the downhill side and so I dropped quite a few places. I got back going and tried to make it back to the group, and picked off a few that were dropping off the back of a group of three. However by halfway I was feeling fatigued even though I hadn't raised the effort level above that of a half marathon and just settled for what I had. An out and back around 8km showed I wasn't going to lose a place so it was just a case of cruising to the finish turn then putting on a sprint for the crowd to finish in 6th in 37.52.
Sounds like you have had a speedy few days, Muddy! Racing would have been hard going no doubt on Sunday.
I heard that the Leamington spa inaugural half was tough going, particularly after gathering everyone on the start line ready for a 9am start only to delay by 45 minutes just before 9am.
I had a very light week ready to start my Yorkshire schedule. An easy 5 over lunch yesterday followed last night by 4 x 800 on treadmill. It was much nice running in a well air conditioned gym!
Today is 5 at mp over lunch which will be unduly hard work no doubt.
So decent week 1, almost complete despite the heat. The mp session came in 6.43 for 160bpm, so given that was run 1-2pm on a very hot and windy day I was happy.
I just need to get up and do 15 tomorrow morning for 50 for the week. I may be hungover sunday so keeping my options open without the need to actually do anything if im not up to it.
I managed around 48 miles last week. Recovery from the 10k took precedence so just jogged out most of the miles and felt my legs come back to me a bit towards the end of the week. Marshalled parkrun Saturday morning and got baked and bitten standing by a pond (I shouldn't moan as I love it) and had a little recovery trot round some trails afterwards ahead of my trail half on Sunday.
Wyre Forest Trail Half 2018
Saturday evening turned into a late one with a bit of drink involved but I didn't feel too shabby in the morning. Upon parking at the Forestry Commission Visitors Centre I noticed the chap next to me had some comfy looking NB shoes on and enquired if he was wearing road shoes. He said he'd had a recce the week before and all the trails were baked hard so he had gone for the comfy trail shoes. As I don't have any comfy trail shoes, I slipped on my light-ish Saucony Kinvara trail variants and had a quick jog around in them but the low drop and hard impact immediately started pinging my achilles, so I went back to the car for the road shoes and headed for the start line hoping for the best. I bumped into clubmates and a few running acquaintances along the way, so not much of a warm up considering the marathon training style mileage I was hoping to knock out. Anyway it was already very hot with a 10.30 start so that was probably for the best. Off we went, with some relief on my part as the sun was bearing down on the exposed start line and there was shade lying in wait tantalisingly down the hill.
Clearly there are a few handy runners at the front of the race and so I'm glad I'm not getting myself into a race. My plan is to stick to marathon effort but to give myself some leeway to get up to threshold effort on the tougher climbs. I've done this race several times before and it has a super fast start with the first 3 miles snaking downhill with the odd rise here and there. The only events here are comical and involve me stopping to tie my shoelaces on three occasions. Must learn to double knot. All the stop starting sends me back through the field unfortunately.
The first real climb of the course hits you hard and continues to sock it to you all the way through to 6 miles or so where it becomes so steep you just have to walk. I stick to the mostly mara effort plan and gain a handful of places back and the field thins out. 2nd lady up ahead seems to maintain her lead but I have something in reserve for the uphill sections and creep closer as she overtakes another chap. We all draw level as we stop to take on water at the 7 mile water station where, given the heat, I ask for a double. The station volunteers remark that everyone seems to be stopping to have a chat with them today.
Off we go again in the order we arrive and gone are the rutted trails, replaced by a gravelly track for a couple of miles which allows me to settle my effort and continue the chase after 2nd lady again. However the chap overtaken near the water station steams past both of us at a clearly unsustainable effort and at the end of the track another hill climb awaits and I am able to ease past them both and reach the 11 mile water station well ahead just as another chap is leaving. He trudges uphill looking absolutely spent so I order another double then set off in pursuit. I am wary of trying to make up the ground too rapidly as we now face the return to the start. What was an exhilarating twisting turning downhill becomes a seemingly never-ending uphill where each turn of a corner presents another section of climb. Within half a mile or so I am in front of the tired chap (turns out I know him vaguely via work circuit Strava segments) and have a decent gap. With no one else in sight I don't have to push myself too hard through this tough section and can glide through to the finish.
All in all a pretty strong workout with the average effort just tipping above marathon effort though the road shoes on hard rutted trails left my feet and ankles feeling bruised and battered. As a bonus I was 6th place (in 1.29.42) and picked up a bottle of cider and a £10 voucher for 1st v45. A huge salted caramel ice cream in the cafe afterwards went down a treat
well done, Muddy. Doesn't sound like much fun with a 10.30 start in that heat.
Plodding through things this week. MLR of 11 miles Monday and treadmill session Tuesday night, followed by a recovery run yesterday. I am currently too hungover to contemplate much today, which is a shame as there appear to be the best running conditions in week out there today. Planning 5 at mp ish tomorrow and a 20 first thing Saturday.
I'm assuming everyone has overdone it???
I've been ticking along. 51 miles last week with a decent tempo and intervals session and a disastrous first 20 on Saturday.
This week looking set to be high 50's if it all goes to plan with intervals done and a tempo tomorrow.
7m marathon effort-ish the other night after 5x400m fast at lunchtime. Recovery 5m yesterday. Today has proved difficult to get out at lunchtime due to work so all mileage plans are off.
Holidays with Muddy Jr. Esq. start tomorrow for a fortnight.
Muddy, ours don't finish until Friday and my wife is off first 3 weeks.
DT nice mileage there and no doubt the 20 will have you good even if it was hard going.
Muddy am I right in thinking you are doing the York 10k? I'm entered so will no doubt see you there if so.
I've not overdone it. I've jut not been doing much, been busy with work and other stuff. Currently on secondment to our Auckland office so hoping to get a race in whilst I'm over here. I made it to the local parkrun on Saturday, which started and finished at the zoo. For some reason they start at 8am over here which is too early for me to be running a fast 5k. Plenty of volcanoes to run up close to my flat which will make for some good hill training.
Tommy, that sounds exciting. How long is that for? I had read that parkruns start there at 8am. Hopefully you can find out why that is?
21 miles for me yesterday morning gave me 60 for the week. A much easier run than the previous sunday. Bit of a taper/cutback this week as I have a 10k Saturday morning and it may well be my only proper go at a 10k this year. Whilst I am not in pb shape, I would like to post a solid sub 39 time down.
Skinny, yes planning on getting out and seeing as much of the country as possible whilst I'm here. I did come here for 3 weeks, 10 years ago whilst backpacking, but it was very much a whistle-stop tour. Hoping to see more and at a less frenetic pace this time.
How's the recovery going?
DT - I'm here for a month initially but probably will be coming back in September for a couple more months I think. I think parkruns in Australia start at 8 (or even 7) to avoid the heat, although that isn't a particular problem here. Whilst researching NZ races I looked at the Auckland marathon and half marathon which are at the end of October; the marathon starts start's at 6am and the half marathon starts at 06:50...
I think you're sandbagging a bit with your 10k prediction, I think you'll easily be low 38 without too much trouble.
Enjoyed a 7 miler along the coast last night and at about 12 degrees it was much more comfortable than it has been running in the UK recently. Will hopefully make it out for another easy run after work today.
I also have a frozen shoulder at the moment (I'm falling to bits!) so some of the exercises I'm supposed to be doing I can't do but generally heading in right direction I think.
Also 21 miles on a hot Sunday by DT also counts as overdoing it. Sheesh. The long term forecast has us pinned around 25-33 degrees through August too.
I had 2 hours to play with on Sunday so managed 15 miles in the heat carrying a hangover (with stops for a slush puppie and water) and just about made 50 miles for the week.
Good stuff, Skinny (I think!!). Do you still have longer term ambitions of getting back near where you were?
Tommy, I spent the best part of 3 weeks travelling the South Island a few years ago and didn't think the weather was much different to the UK. When I told someone that they got a bit offended. I was told however that there is a big hole in the ozone layer over NZ and so the sun is much more dangerous even at cooler levels. I suppose its winter there now though.
In terms of Saturday, you may be right. My 3 recent races I managed 39.46 on a very hilly 10k in May having spent all day Friday and much of the Saturday drinking, then in June I ran a 7.2 mile leg in the Welsh Castles with a 2pm start on a very warm day and went through 10k in around 38.40. At the end of June I went through 10k in 38.52 in the Wilmslow half on another warm day. It's just for some reason I don't feel very fit in training, perhaps because I am fighting the temperatures as well.
I came across this thread after a quick google and have spent the last 2-3 days reading when I can at work/on the tube etc. I'm only up to page 20. I have learnt so much in those 20 pages and it has made me realise that my current training plan is just not sustainable.
In brief, 3 out of my 4 sessions are crammed into the hour and a bit I have for a lunch break whilst at work. I go hard because I think that going hard is the best (and only) way to get faster. Clearly I was wrong. I need to spend more time building up my weekly mileage with some quality sessions every week.
To give you an idea of where I am currently. I'm at around 21 minutes for 5k. I have gone sub 20 a few times but that was a few years ago. Longest runs currently are 6-7 miles at roughly 7:25-7:30 p/m. I have dabbled with interval training but things now need to change.
I have been successful in entering the London Landmarks Half Marathon in March. I would really like to achieve a decent time and make it worth doing. Sub 1:40 is the current aim given where I am currently and is, i think, a realistic time.
I have my next few training sessions roughly planned out starting with an easy 7 miles today (times were 8:27, 8:12, 8:17, 8:10,:8:26, 8:16, 7:28 for the last .88 miles and could have kept going but was then going to be running away from work!) It was ridiculously hot out there!
Would you guys be able to give me some pointers about how I can best achieve this goal? I will look at the times Skinny was given and try to work out steady, tempo and easy paces. I can dedicate myself to four sessions per week (Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun?).
Thanks in advance for the guidance.
Oh by the way Skinny, what injury did you sustain and when did it happen? Sorry to hear it.
David
well it'll be a while before I get respite as im off on holiday for nearly 2 weeks, in about 10 days!
Hi David. You have made a good start in recognising that easy running is important. my half pace is around 6.20mm and some 80% of my mileage is rarely faster than 8mm but then I am running higher mileage than you are so need to be a little more careful. You wont see much evidence of flat out intervals here!
You don't mention your age?
Your 5k pace is currently about 6.50mm so anything around 8.15-9mm is fair game for easy pace. You need of course for a half to get the miles in to make a decent job of it. I would certainly make 2 of your runs a long run and a semi long run. If you have the time when you go out, it is worth trying to get your long run to 15 miles. You have plenty of time to sensibly build that up as the race isn't until March.
It's probably worth you spending some 8 weeks or so running things almost exclusively easy to build up your mileage and to accommodate for the heat (assuming your target is purely the Landmarks half) and the starting to introduce some paces after that.
I have just turned 35 so believe there is plenty in the tank yet :smile:
I like the idea of keeping things easy for the time being and just upping the mileage week on week but I have struggled in the past to slow things down to 8:30. Today's run was better in that the average was 8:20. 6.20m/m is pretty damn impressive.
More than happy to ditch the intervals and swap those sessions for longer tempo runs though!
You're right in that my only target at the moment is the LLHM. I haven't ruled out entering some 10k races to use as markers and practicing strategies/getting used to nerves etc.
Thanks again
DT... the clue was in the username
Although I thought he was actually 83
Ahem, as you all were, David, you'll find a good home amongst this gang.