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JJ, things are going well - you recovered pretty quickly from being very fatigued after Friday's run, which is great. Injury from overtraining is sooo easy to do for older / late starters (like me), and we really want to avoid that if possible. So it's a constant balance between enough / too much effort. This week should feel pretty easy, next week will ramp up again but should not feel as tough covering the same distances / paces as before. The following week will be a tougher one again
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The overall pattern will be to slowly build distance, consolidate, then start more aggressively going after speed over the distance. Want to build the endurance / stamina infrastructure first. Time trial is in a couple of weeks time, that will give actual performance data for comparison.
Of course I'll keep up the coaching, happy to do it...actually it helps me be more disciplined with my own plan because I can't shout at you if I don't get out and do my own runs
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Cheers LG
I am going to do this - https://www.facebook.com/RunInTheDarkOfficial
It will depend on my sisters toe as she has broken it lol.
With it being 13th Nov (Wednesday) and a scheduled tempo run and around the time i will need to do another time trial, can we build this in to the training schedule do you think?
I will let you know next week if i am definately going to do it.
JJ, will absolutely build it in. Give me a day or so to figure it all out. Do you want to try for a fast time or treat as a Tempo run? Risks of injury in the dark? - do have an idea of the course / potential pitfalls?
How were your intervals by the way - too easy?
I am speaking to my sister on Sunday about the race, so will let you know after that if I am doing it, I don't want to do it on my own really but may do if no one else steps up to the plate.
I think it would be nice to try to get a PB and beat the 57:26, even if I only knock 10-15 seconds off the time.
Usually I run at night anyway, and I know the roads are flat so think I will be ok from that point of view with only a couple of shallow bridges over the water. Field I expect would be small so not too many to barge out of the way.
Intervals yes how were they. Very mixed to be honest. I had a bit of a cold so not on full form but managed 3 sets of 3x400m plus 100m walk each time. My times were constant 4.58 to 5.05 with only one outside of this at 5.19.
It was easier than the first time I did the 400m runs but the cold put a little extra strain on me, but I wanted to do it rather than miss out on a run. So I was happy with it.
Tempo tonight.
OK good, I know where to pitch pace for the moment then. Keep me posted, enjoy the tempo run.
Tempo was good tonight :-
6:59 / 6:11 / 6:07 / 6:10 / 6:02 / 5.49 / 5:59 / 7:21
Possibly not fast enough but not far out.
Great, tomorrow's 13 should be a piece of cake. Resist the temptation to overdo it even if you are feeling strong....If you feel VERY good, up the pace for the last 3-4 kilometres and finish on a sprint, followed by a short cool off.
I presume you are stretching / know what needs to stretch after each session? If not let me know and we can discuss.
In all honesty, i am doing the core work but stretching after my runs is something i am not religiously doing. i tend to stretch my calfs against the wall and dip my heals down on the stairs, but i dont do much else to be honest. I however have a nice warm bath to try to sooth the muscles much like i did all those years ago after football.
Oh no i am going to get told off now !!!
I have entered the Run in the Dark 10km run on the 13th Nov. Sister is not doing it. Hope to get a PB (57.26 to beat).
13KM LSR done, all between 6.48 and 6.58 pace with the final 3km at 6.05:6.25 and 6:20.
Ok, thanks, will rework next couple of week to focus on 10k pb. Back soon...
OK, we have a plan. Next week will be quite intense, following week cutting back from Wednesday onwards. Here's the plan from 28 Oct - 3 November:
Monday – Intervals – 3 x 3 by 600m repeats with 100m jog
Wednesday – Tempo – 8k of which 6k @ 6:00
Friday – LSR – 16k
Sunday – Easy – 10k
very similar to previous week; try to go steady on the intervals. Next week the interval distance should be 800m - do you have a nice straight even bit of road or track to do these on?
On the stretching subject - not going to shout at you, but recommend that if stretching immediately after a run is not really working, try to build some into your core work routine. Gentle, systematic - its also a good way of detecting niggles and strains. Don't stretch to the point of pain.
Thanks, did the 10km easy tonight at 6:26 pace, it felt as though i was quick but i wasnt really tired, just a little bit out of puff by the finish, main issue with these runs is my legs aching rather than being out of breath. I think i may need to get another massage in on my calfs.
Thanks for this weeks plan, i measured some road tonight that is very straight and even surface but is slightly on a curved slope, nothing major but enough to add to the strain on the uphill runs. It is 720m long so not quite the 800m. It is a wide cycle / house access road at the side of a main road so perfectly straight (in fact it was used in WW2 as an emergency runway, not that you needed to know that lol).
"I think i may need to get another massage in on my calves." Hmmmm. Or even stretch them a bit more after runs....?
- but good news that the pace is comfortable. Don't be misled because you are not out of breath, you shouldn't be after an easy run. These runs are all about building up muscles / tendons / bones / vascular system so that you can call on them when you need them.
For the intervals, if one is uphill and the other (obviously) downhill, try to keep the effort even - so the pace will be a bit higher for the downhill.
Start looking out for a longer stretch - eventually you will need to be doing 1500 metre repeats. Also keep your eyes open for a reasonable stretch of more challenging hill, we'll be needing that soon too
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I have a stretch that is around 1400m but it has a set of traffic lights in the middle (this is where I do my current intervals of 600 with 750 on the other side with 50m in the middle road junction) usually I get through them ok though without stopping.
As for a hill I have a monster of a hill about 1.5km from me that I can run to as a warm up. The hill is around 300m long - it is quite steep. I have done intervals up it before, managed 4 runs up with walking down but that was about 3 months ago.
That's fine - don't need them just yet anyway. Let's get this 10k done and see where we are.
Just got back from the intervals.
It went well, 3 x sets of 3x600 + 100.
All intervals were between 4.56 and 5.06. Really pleased with it. The middle set seemed to be the hardest for some reason as well as the final run when i wanted to go quicker but couldnt. Jogged home. The 100m was walking though not jogging.
Louise, I am going to have to switch my wed/sun runs around as I have other stuff to do now on Friday evenings so cant afford 2 hours out running, but 1 hour is ok. so my revised plan will be :-
Monday – Intervals – 3 x 3 by 600m repeats with 100m jog @ 5:00
Wednesday – LSR - 16km @ 7:00 to 7:30
Friday – Tempo – 8k of which 6k @ 6:00
Sunday – Easy – 10k @ 6:15 to 6:45
JJ, that is absolutely fine. In fact, probably better in the light of your target race. Good progress on the intervals too.
OK - 7:07 is at the faster end of the LSR range at the moment. If you feel fatigued the day after the Tempo run we'll shorten the Sunday run and run it at the slower end of the range.
Tempo done - felt good.
7:15 / 5:56 / 6:00 / 5:55 / 6:00 / 5:48 / 5:56 / 7:10.
I seem to have a problem going to too fast. Is that an issue and i really need to slow down or am I ok at this pace?
Week on Wednesday is the run.
Tempo is not too fast, no problem, getting nicely into the target range. Since you were very comfortable keep Sunday at 10k.
Slow down your easy runs a a bit until after your race, then we can reassess paces. A big indicator of reaching the right level is not needing to walk between intervals; when you can do the whole comfortably session with jogs in between, only stopping between sets - then you are going too slowly. Don't worry, your next set of intervals is nasty - 3 x 3 x 800s, same pace
.
While I'm at it...
Wednesday Tempo is shorter, you are now into tapering - 6k of which 4 at your 5:50 - 6:00 pace.
Friday LSR is shorter - a gentle 10k
Sunday's easy is shorter at 7k
Monday REST
I think we discussed this before - Tuesday - race prep of around 3k - this is like a warm up - start nice and slow for 1 - 1.5k, then 1k at race pace, then ease back another. Total distance only about 3k and NOT all out. Nice and fired up ready to race next day.
Shout if you have any questions.
Also, start thinking about your race warm up and tactics.
Sounds good thanks for that, it will keep me going to the race now. I actually went swimming today for 45 mins as well which was quite nice for a change.
Race warm up i have never done, always tried to save my energy for the run. So in all honesty i have no clue what to do here.
As for tactics i seem run off quite quick and get dragged along. So was thinking 5.30 pace to start for first KM then settle down to 5.50 until the last KM and then give it everything i have left say 5.00 as i did in my last race. This is i calculate will give me a 57 mins run beating my PB by 26 seconds. What do you think?
JJ, up to you - it's not an approach that works for me but as you say, it worked for you last time, so why not.
I do think a little pre-race warm up better than none, however - doesn't have to be a huge amount, but gets you off the mark better. How about 500m gentle trot followed by 3 x strides? Gets the heart pumping and oxygen flowing and really should not detract from a 10k run - after all you routinely run 15 - 16k distances now....
Not going to be concerned with nutrition / hydration since you are used to night running anyway.
what is 3 x strides - god i really am a beginner lol.
...ah you've forgotten. And here's me thinking you do this every warm up...
Strides - after a decent warm up, sprint at between 75 - 90% of 'full' effort for 60-80 metres then slow jog about the same distance. Each set slightly faster / harder than the one before so starting at about 75% finishing the last set just short of all out. This helps get your legs turning over and your heart rate up. No actual stop required in between sets.
Strides are an essential part of pre-race / speed session warm up.
mmm ah, i just thought that was the speed test that we do every 6-8 weeks. My warm ups are genereally 1km at 7:00 to 7:30.
Looks like i have been getting it all wrong. Right back to C25K week 1 Day 1 LOL.
No worries.
Warm up for any "hard" session or a race - 1 - 2 kilometres easy jog, gradually speed up to around 06:00. Then 3 x strides to get the legs turning over. then a couple of minutes to let the heart settle down, stretch out and check for kinks, then start session / race...give it a bash before intervals this week
Will give it a go tonight and see how it goes.
Tonight is going to be tough, I think I will need some oxygen after it.
If I find out you know nothing about running and are some sadistic overweight guy sat behind your keyboard in a string vest, smoking 40 a day and drinking from morning till night just to get kicks out of me struggling to run up the road, I swear to god I will hunt you down !!! LMAO - j/k
In all seriousness I have noticed a big improvement in my running. My posture feels better, I am bouncing more on the strides rather than plodding, I don't feel as puffed out at the end of the easy 10km runs etc. Continuing in the same manner will hopefully see continued improvements. It all appears to be going well so far.
However if I don't post again after tonight, you know you killed me off !!! hehehe.
Well i am still alive.
Did the sessions but i miss calculated my bit of road it was only 700m not 800m, so all my reps were slightly short.
If i had done 800m i actually doubt i would have managed it. As it was all my 9 runs were between 4:48 and 5:17 so i was quite happy with that. I did have to walk between runs though.