My #asics262 journey to Paris: Sub-4.30 Isabel

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  • Hi all!

    Proudly introducing my detailed splits image Finally! Thank you James and Sam for your explanations on how to set up the intervals with the Garmin. It's great and loved the music at the end image

    Feeling good, slightly above target time per rep today.

    Tue  4M= 1M jog, then 6 x 400m at around mile pace (approx 1.55 per rep) with 2 mins jog recoveries, then 1M jog

    Distance: 4.52 miles
    Time: 41:51
    Average pace: 9:15 min/mile   And here are today's splits image  

    • Initial 1 mile jog: 9:38 min/mile
    • 6 x 400 m (0.25 miles): 

              - 8:02 / 8:10 / 8:37 / 8:28 / 8:15 / 8:36 minutes per mile                                        - 2:00 / 2:02 / 2:09 / 2:07 /  2:03 / 2:09 minutes per 400 m rep

    • Final 1 mile jog: 9:41 min/mile
    1. 1 mile jog: 9:38 min/mile
    2. Rep 1 - 400 m (0.25 miles): 8:02 min/mile
    3. 2 min jog recovery - (0.21 miles): 9:24 min/mile
    4. Rep 2 - 400 m (0.25 miles): 8:10 min/mile
    5. 2 min jog recovery - (0.21 miles): 9:40 min/mile
    6. Rep 3 - 400 m (0.25 miles): 8:37 min/mile
    7. 2 min jog recovery - (0.21 miles): 10:10 min/mile
    8. Rep 4 - 400 m (0.25 miles): 8:28 min/mile
    9. 2 min jog recovery - (0.21 miles): 9:39 min/mile
    10. Rep 5 - 400 m (0.25 miles): 8:15 min/mile
    11. 2 min jog recovery - (0.21 miles): 10:01 min/mile
    12. Rep 6 - 400 m (0.25 miles): 8:36 min/mile
    13. 1 mile jog: 9:41 min/mile
  • Thanks MacFinbob!!! I really enjoyed today's intervals as I was finally able to set up the Garmin correctly and it does really make a big difference!!!!

    Regarding my core strengthening exercises, other than those from Sam, I follow this workout image

    I have been using this on and off for a couple of years. There are three different workouts, I alternate 1 and 2, they target different muscle groups and are based in reps. I usually do them once or twice per week. The exercises are really, really easy but I do them at home so this is why I like this video, because it is easy to follow and there are no complicated exercises. I don't actually remember how did I end up doing these exercises, I think was looking for something easy to do at home and a friend of mine recommended it. There must be obviously 1000000 workouts much better than this, but the exercises are so easy to follow and I feel good when I do them and, in my case, I do feel the difference. I used these routines as workouts for my first HM and didn't have any back pain, I actually improved my posture a lot, and felt my core strong. I have to say that I do the exercises at my own pace, which is not much slower than the video, and I try to avoid some of the abs exercises as I think they are not very good for the back. Also, you may feel a bit sore after trying it for the first time image You just need a couple of weights, a chair and a mat or pillows.

    By the way, any other suggestions more than welcome!

    I also do yoga. I mostly do it because I love it and I think it is a great exercise. I used to attend yoga classes three years ago but now I just do it at home, a couple of times per week. I found this website a couple of years ago and it is really good. You can either subscribe on monthly or yearly basis or download specific videos. They have pilates too (which I haven't tried yet). I specially like Restorative yoga for deep calm and Vinyasa for strength and balance.

    Let me know if you try any of these!!

    9:05 is really good pace!!!

    image

  • Hi all!

    These are today's splits: 

    Wed 3M steady

    Steady: 9.10-9.40 - Still comfortable but slightly more breathless and less chatty!  

    • Distance: 3.03 miles
    • Time: 27:47
    • Average pace: 9:09
    • Splits: 9:09 / 8:59 / 9:22

    The weather in London these days is great for running!!! I have a 10k race this Sunday at Hyde Park and I think I may get a PB, I will try image

    One thing to improve here is breathing while running faster. I noticed yesterday at the interval session that my breathing during the faster intervals was not very good, so need to work on that!!!

    image

     

     

     

  • Hi Isabel looks like you're doing really well!  Good luck in ur 10k at the weekend! image Do you have a target time?

  • ps, the SiS gels, which are the ones I use are currently 20% off and free delivery if u get them direct from their website x

  • Hi isabel

    well done on sussing out teh garmin..makes a difference.shows that you went off too fast for your 400m intervals and slowed down..helps you tackle the session next time better for pace.......

    good luck for the race

  • Hi Angela! Thanks for your message! I feel fit and so far, so good image And looking forward to the 10k this Sunday! According to RW's race time predictor, based on my HM (2:03:48) I can make it in 56:09 and based on yesterday's time it may be possible, I will try my best image What is your pb?

    Thanks for the advice on the SiS gels! I just bought the SiS GO Gel Bundle image 

    How is the preparation for the London Marathon going? I hope you are doing great. And life without cheese?image I certainly know what I will be having for dinner in Paris after the marathon image It is cheese territory!

    Hi Seren nos!

    Thanks image

    I am very happy with the Garmin! Before Asics, my running was a bit different. I had distance references, usually laps at the park, and didn't focus too much on pace as I do now. Improving my time per lap was my only benchmark. Now I am following a completely different type of training, which is also much more fun! As you note, I went off too fast for my 400 intervals, specially for the first couple of ones. There's a lot of try and see here! Thanks, I will let you know on the race. I am also happy to run at Hyde Park.

    PS: To suss out, new word for me image

  • Hi Isabel,

    My 10k pb is 48:05... The first ever 10k i ran was in London in 2008 in 52:50... I never got a better time until July 2013, and then bettered it in september to get 48:05 image

    I'm actually doing Manchester as my 'A' race, which is the same day as Paris, and London will be my pseudo 'hen party' since its only a week later image  I'm actually doing ok without cheese, as I'm finding feta cheese and low fat cottage cheese are enough to stop my cravings.  Strangely I've been craving chocolate, which isnt usually something I go for! image 

  • Hi Angela,

    That's a great pb! Congratulations!!!! So April 6th is going to be a busy day for all of us image I think I read somewhere today that Manchester marathon is very nice and fast. And doing LM as hen party sounds like fun, I will be there with the crowds image I am also doing ok without cheese, but I miss it image hehehe, and you have an extra motivation for the chocolate. How is the cake going? image

  • Hi all!!!

    So these are today's funny splits.

    Overall feeling not so good! image My heart almost jumped out during the hill reps and I need to improve my pace here, although I am not sure Sam what do you consider as beginning and end of the shallower hill at Primrose Hill because if it is the very entire hill I don't think I'll see the day I can make it in 30 sec image You mean the hill to the left if the city is on your back right? The one next to the houses.   

    So, the splits: 

    Thu  5M easy (9.40-10.40) including 6 x 30 second hill reps (shallower hill in Primrose Hill park!) with walk recoveries.

    Distance: 5.02 mi
    Time: 53:36
    Avg Pace: 10:41 min/mi  

    • 1st mile: 9:48
    • 2nd mile: ???9:50
    • 3rd mile: 9:43
    • 1st hill rep: 0.08 miles / 41.7 sec / 10:14 pace
    • 1st walk recovery: 0.04 miles / 1 min / 25:10 pace
    • 2nd hill rep: 0.09 miles / 45.6 sec / 8:02 pace
    • 2nd walk recovery: 0.10 miles / 1 min 42 sec / 16:49 pace
    • 3rd hill rep: 0.09 miles / 43.1 sec / 7:46 pace
    • 3rd walk recovery: 0.10 miles / 1 min 51 sec / 18:25 pace
    • 4th hill rep: 0.09 miles / 43.5 sec / 7:49 pace
    • 4th walk recovery: 0.11 miles / 1 min 57 sec / 18:18 pace
    • 5th hill rep: 0.09 miles / 43.7 sec / 7:48 pace
    • 5th walk recovery: 0.10 miles / 1 min 49 sec / 18:07 pace
    • 6th hill rep: 0.09 miles / 43. sec / 7:58 pace
    • 6th walk recovery: 0.10 miles / 1 min 45 sec / 17:47 pace
    • 0. 89 miles / 9 min 23 sec / 10:34 pace

    Good night! image

  • isabelabos wrote (see)

    Hi Ruth,

    Thanks for your comments. I will try 3 gels as you recommend during my next long run. I have ordered these through amazon based on the recommendations on your earlier post. I will let you know how it goes!

    • GU Energy Gel Jet Blackberry (with caffeine)
    • SiS Isotonic Energy GO GEL 60ml (lemon and lime flavour / apple)
    • High 5 Iso Gel Citrus + HEAC 60ml
    • Nuun Active Hydration Tablets - Lemon and Lime (these are for potential calf cramps)

    Thanks also for your advice on the recovery runs. What I find is that I am incredibly thirsty after long runs (meaning I could drink more than 1 liter in one go!). I drink up to 300 ml during long runs. I am not sure if this is enough or good at all. I have to say though that last Saturday I had less water, as I wasn't feeling that thirsty (maybe because of the gel?). Your suggestions on recovery snacks look good (thanks for excluding milk image and I will incorporate them into my next long run this Sunday. I especially like the rice cakes with honey + pot of yoghurt image

    I forgot to mention my breakfast for last Saturday's long run. I had it 2.5 hours before the run. I had one yoghurt with two tablespoons of cereal + grapefruit juice + two slices of bread with butter and jam. I finished my run at 11 am and didn't feel hungry at all until 3 pm or so. For example, when I did my first HM back in September I was surprised I was not feeling hungry at all for the whole day and actually, I had to force myself to eat. Strange!

     


    Evening Isobel,

    I will post about cramps below but I suspect it may be your training in the past and what Sam and Sarah have hinted at - fatigue and probably not nutritionally related. Although I do wonder if you drink enough over the day and before runs, because you should not feel so thirsty when running. If you feel you could drink a litre when you get in from a run - let thirst dictate this so drink what you feel you need BUT  consider do you only think about drinking water before, during and after runs and then "forget" to drink little &  often at other times?

    You are doing great!!!

  • Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (cramps that only occur during exercise) and most commonly occur in the in calf. These can just twinge or can be very very painful. This occurs when the muscle involuntary contracts and does not relax.  It is thought this is due to unusual stimulation of the muscle but really the exact cause is not known. However cramp occurs more readily in tired muscles hence lack of fitness for what you are doing or exercising at high intensity will increase likelihood, hence why happens in races and not so much I training as  you run harder.

    Dehydration has been associated as a possible cause of these cramps but in fact the evidence is not that strong to support this although there may be exceptions such as the very sweaty individual. You may also have heard that cramp is linked to the loss of potassium, calcium and magnesium but this has very little support as there is little of these lost in sweat.

    Some suggestions to reduce risk of cramp are as follows:

    • Stronger & fitter muscles are more resilient to fatigue and hence cramp so increased strength and fitness can help. 
      • Be very careful when changing speed/ intensity particularly during the later stages of the marathon.  Fatigued muscles take longer to adapt to increased intensity (this is why I think you may get the cramps Isobel).
    • Wear comfortable, unrestrictive clothing and footwear.
      Practice good hydration practices both before and during exercise.

    What do you think??

    Cant wait to meet you on the 25th!

  • Isabel, Maybe the hill reps are run up the hill as far as you can for 30s & then walk back down? I think that is how I'd interpret it anyway!

    By the way, thank you for the links for your core work out. I am impressed that you have the self discipline to do these at home! I just don't ever get round to these kinds of things at home, and so I took the drastic step of joining a gym to make me do pilates and core strength classes, which so far seems to be working! 

    Just had a 50 min run with my friends who are also training for Paris & then left them to carry on with their 14 miles. I'll be running long tomorrow. 

    Good luck for your 10k tomorrow - what time to you hope for?

     

  • Hi all,

    Today's splits!

    Sat  3M easy

    Easy: 9.40-10.40  - Should feel comfortable. Can chat quite easily.                    

    • Distance:3.02 mi
    • Time:29:41
    • Pace:9:50 min/mi
    • 1: 9:37
    • 2: 9:53
    • 3: 9:59
    Ready for tomorrow image
  • Hi MacFinbob!

    Many thanks, will try as you say next time image 

    Good! I think you will really benefit from pilates and core strength exercises. I have never done pilates but my mom and some friends do it, and they love it. In my case, it is the opposite, I don't have the discipline to go to the gym image But I did yoga at a yoga center a few years ago and I really loved it. I didn't miss a single class!

    For tomorrow's 10k, I will try to go below 56 min but let's see! That's a prediction based on my half marathon time. What is your pb for 10k? I remember you also got a pb last week! image   

    I am going to get everything ready for tomorrow! Enjoy your Sunday run!  

  • Hi Isabel,

    56 min for a 10k sounds great. My last 10k race was 50% off road after Christmas and I got 56:16. My PB is from the end of September on a race that is quite hilly in the last half, but all on road and that was 54:58 (which I was very happy with having not run much over the summer!)

    I used to do yoga regularly while I lived in the US when my kids were babies. It was my Friday night out with friends and we always went to eat afterwards! Somehow when we moved back to the UK, I didn't find the class that would work in quite the same way!

    Just about to head out for my run - 1:45 at easy pace.

  • Good morning all!!!

    Happy as can be image I got a PB at the Hyde Park 10K race today!!! 52:50. 

    So, these are my splits for today:

    • Distance: 6.21 miles
    • Time: 52:50
    • Average pace: 8:30 min/mile
    • Splits: 8:15 / 8:36 / 8:32 / 8:33 / 8:39 / 8:32 (for the first 6 miles) and 8:14 (for 0.21 mil).

    I felt really good during the race and very much enjoyed running at Hyde Park, the weather was beautiful and I had a nice surprise before the start of the race as I was approached by a reader of this thread who asked my if I was Isabel from Asics 262! image Really nice to meet you Karen and well done today.

    Have a nice day!   Isabel

     

  • Thanks MacFinbob! I have just returned home from my 10k race and did great! 52:50 image So next goal for a 10k: going below 50 image)) Regarding yoga, I had the same situation. I used to do yoga almost everyday while living abroad and when I returned to Europe, it was a bit more difficult. But I found myyogaonline and, although I miss my yoga classes, the classes available on the website are really good, specially if you have practiced yoga before.   Hope you enjoyed your run!!!
  • Congratulations Isabel!  Awesome race image

  • Fantastic time there Isabel - and nice to be spotted too! (Famous!)

    My run was hard! I think that I have been running too fast on the long run last week even though we could talk quite happily. Today, I had to slow down and 1hr45 came out as just over 11 miles at an average of 9:17 mpm, so I'm pleased that that's done & next week is the longest run at 2hrs.

    Enjoy the sunshine image

  • Nice race, Isabel! Good splits image

  • Well raced Isabel, a new PB is always nice!

    Well done on the 11 miles MacFinbob!

    I feel like I had a good week - 2nd week of my plan done, all going well and no niggles!

    Today is a rest day and I'm enjoying it! Nice walk with the dog and kids in the sunshine and just a bit of catching up with chores - all good!

  • Well done Isabel! That's a brilliant achievement! image Your celebrity status at the start made me smile, that's nice!

  • Thanks CB69 - feeling it this evening - more stretching on the cards!

    Just wondering which marathon you are training for - Edinburgh maybe? I'm still thinking about entering it (only charity places left though), although after the 11 miles today I can't imagine going further than 13!

  • Huge congrats on PB! Really really pleased for you.

    Did you have your typical breakfast and how long before the race did you have this? Did you eat any snacks before the 10km or just breakfast?

    Can't wait to meet you on Saturday.  

  • Thank you very much Angela!!!! It is great to see the good results of my training image   

    Thanks MacFinbob!!! Indeed image And I really enjoyed the sunshine in London today. I can't believe we are having such a nice winter (aside from hurricane winds image. Then maybe it is good to take a rest tomorrow (I'll keep you company on that image but I see you are doing great! If it helps, whenever I feel I am running too fast or out of the pace guidelines, I imagine myself at the marathon and multiply whatever effort I have to do for the day by 4, then I slow down and remember the 4.30 h I will be running image Go for Edinburgh!!!!  

    Many thanks Rachelcgen! I see you are also training for a sub 4.30 marathon, how is it going?   

    Hi CB69!!!! Many thanks!!! Yes, it is very nice!! And even better when you realise during the race that you may get it! It is an incredible boost! I hope you enjoyed your rest day and good luck with week 3!  

    Thank you very much Sticky!!!! hehehe, yes! It was a nice start to the race. How is your training going?

  • Many, many thanks Ruth!!! Also for your advise and support! I am happy and ready for week 6, special week ahead image   

    Regarding my breakfast, the race was at 9.30, left home at 8.15 and had breakfast at 6.15 am. I had grapefruit juice, 300 ml of water, one yougurt and one cereal bar. I was not feeling hungry at all at that time, so I thought I may have another bar just before the race, but was not feeling hungry either.   

    Thank you for the comments on the cramps. After today's race, I was not hungry but very thirsty as usual!!! I usually drink plenty of water during the day, I think 2 or 2.5 liters. I always have a bottle of water with me! But not for any special reason though. It may be possible that during morning races I am not so well hydrated, since I have early breakfast including water and juice, but it is also true that I try not to drink too much before a race (when I say too much, I mean a liter or so!).  

    Regarding cramps, I haven't had any during this week and didn't feel anything strange during or after the race, which is good. A good test could be next Sunday, when I have scheduled 14 miles, and this will be the longest distance I have ever run. I will also increase yoga this week. Your suggestions to reduce the risk of cramps look very useful and I agree with you it may be fatigue during long runs.

    I would also like to know your opinion on using calf compressors during long races. I have 2xu but I have to say I haven't used them. During the half marathon I wore shorts and in winter I use running tights.  

    Really looking forward to meeting you next Saturday!!!

  • Dear all,

    Week 6 plan is here. I have Asics 262 training day on Saturday and I am very happy to meet the team again!

    WEEK SIX w/c 13 Jan (approx 22M) 

    • Mon Rest
    • Tue  5M of 1M jog, then 2 x 2000m at 10km speed (around 11 mins, 10 secs per rep) with 3 mins jog recoveries, then 1M jog
    • Wed Rest
    • Thu  5M steady
    • Fri    Rest
    • Sat  Training day (possibly with parkrun) 6M approx
    • Sun  14M very easy 

    Sam mentioned last week she may review my pace guidelines so I will let her post any change on that if any.

    Have a good week!

     
  • MalcsMalcs ✭✭✭

    Isabel - what a fantastic result, very well done indeed! Nice even pacing as well.

    Not having any cramps this week is a(nother) very good sign that your training is working. I used to get them in the last few miles of marathons but since I changed my training and race prep I haven't had any.

    I always thought the cramps were down to lost salts but Ruth convinced me otherwise. I think her words were something along the lines of "lack of conditioning" but that was just a nice way of saying I just wasn't fit enough lol image

    Re. compression socks, I don't use them during runs but I do use them afterwards for recovery. Lots of people seem to swear by them (for use during and after). I started this year for the first time after several people said how helpful they were in stopping muscle soreness. So far I haven't had any calf soreness so maybe they are doing the trick.

    Great to see you doing so well! Looking forward to meeting up next weekend.

  • Isabel: my training seems to be going well! Very different schedule to you though, but I'm learning a lot from this thread too.

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